Call for expressions of interest – Financial Auditors – Junior Professionals Programme – Temporary staff (grade AD 6)
Date: 2021-10-04
Institutions: European Court of Auditors
Subjects: administrator, audit, competition (EU), financial audit, recruitment, servant (EU), temporary employment








CA2021400EN.01000101.xml










4.10.2021   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


CA 400/1






CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Financial Auditors – Junior Professionals Programme
Temporary staff (grade AD 6)
(2021/C 400 A/01)
 

WHO WE ARE

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is the European Union’s external auditor. Established in 1975, the ECA is one of the EU’s seven institutions. We are based in Luxembourg and employ around 900 audit, support and administrative staff of all EU nationalities.
The ECA operates as a collegiate body of 27 Members, one from each EU Member State. Our auditors check that the EU keeps good accounts and correctly applies its financial rules, and that its policies and programmes achieve their intended objectives and deliver value for money.
Through our work, we contribute to improving the EU’s financial management and promote accountability and transparency. We warn of risks, provide assurance, indicate shortcomings and successes and offer guidance to EU policymakers and legislators. We present our observations and recommendations to the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and national governments and parliaments, as well as the general public.
The ECA is divided into ten audit and administrative directorates functioning with flexible task-based teams. The audit directorates deal with different policy areas to which staff are assigned according to the priorities stemming from the work programme. Knowledge management and developing appropriate expertise are key to our audit work, which also involves travelling to EU and other countries worldwide. The ECA offers a stimulating learning environment that provides for professional development opportunities.

WHAT WE ARE OFFERING

With a view to promoting youth employment and attracting talented recent graduates, the ECA is launching a Junior Professionals Programme, offering limited-duration auditor contracts. Participants in this programme will be given a unique professional development opportunity, valuable work experience, and insight into the EU’s finances and policies and the role of the ECA.
We have decided to establish a reserve list of auditors who may be offered contracts as temporary staff of the institution, depending on the available posts and operational needs.
The auditors will be recruited under Article 2(b) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the EU (CEOS) (1) for a four-year period, renewable once for a maximum period of another two years. The initial contract will be subject to a probationary period of nine months.
The newly recruited auditors will follow an integration programme, which will consist of an induction period that includes appropriate training and immersion in audit teams.
The basic monthly salary for grade AD 6 (step 1) is currently EUR 5 563,58.
Under the conditions laid down in the CEOS, and depending on individual circumstances and household composition, certain allowances may be added to the basic salary, which is subject to EU tax and exempt from national tax.
The provisions guiding the calculation of these allowances can be consulted in the CEOS.
The EU institutions have their own pension and health systems, for which contributions are deducted from staff salaries at source.
Staff members’ children may enrol at the European Schools free of charge.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

1.   Legal requirements

In accordance with Article 12(2) of the CEOS, candidates must, on the date of their application:






—


be a national of one of the EU’s Member States,










—


enjoy their full rights as citizens,










—


have fulfilled any obligations imposed on them by the recruitment laws concerning military service, and










—


meet the character requirements for the duties involved.




2.   Qualifications

In accordance with Article 10(1) of the CEOS:






(i)


a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years, as attested by a diploma obtained no more than six years prior to the deadline for applications for this call; or










(ii)


where justified in the interests of the service, professional training of an equivalent level undertaken no more than six years prior to the deadline for applications for this call.




In addition to the above, candidates must also have either:






—


a Master’s degree in the field of audit, accounting, statistics, mathematics, business administration, finance or economics, or










—


a professional qualification in the field of audit or accounting (ACCA, CIA, etc.).




Please note that only diplomas and professional qualifications that have been awarded or recognised in EU (or former EU) Member States or that are the subject of equivalence certificates issued by the authorities of one of these Member States will be taken into consideration.
3.   Professional experience


At least two (2) years of professional experience in the field of audit are required.
4.   Knowledge of languages







—


Excellent command (mother tongue or minimum level C2 in understanding, speaking and writing) of one official EU language.










—


As English and French are the official working languages of the ECA, a sound knowledge of one of these languages (minimum level C1 in understanding, speaking and writing) is required. If the candidate’s mother tongue is English or French, a sound knowledge of the other working language of the ECA (minimum level C1 in understanding, speaking and writing) is required.




Knowledge of other languages would be considered an asset.
To assess your foreign language skills, see:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-2-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-self-assessment-grid
5.   Skills







—


capacity to collect, synthesise and analyse information,










—


good communication skills,










—


flexibility to work in a task-based organisation and in an international environment,










—


capacity to work independently and in teams, including to travel for audit missions,










—


resilience and strong motivation.





PROCEDURE

Applications will be examined by a selection committee appointed by the Authority empowered to conclude contracts of employment (AECCE).
The selection committee will draw up a list of candidates who meet criteria 1 to 4 above.
The list will be valid until 31 December 2023, and may be extended.
Based on their service needs, the audit directorates will select invite candidates from the list to be invited for interview. Candidates may also be required to take further specific tests to assess their skills and abilities. The nature, content and time frame of these tests will be communicated to all the candidates in due time.
These interviews and tests will be carried out by the selection committee.
Following the interviews and tests, the selection committee will propose to the AECCE a list of candidates who meet the requirements for the duties to be performed (criteria 3 to 5 above). Based on service needs and the availability of posts, the AECCE may then make a job offer to one or more of the candidates on this list.
The inclusion of candidates in the list submitted to the AECCE does not, in any way, constitute an entitlement to recruitment.

APPLICATIONS



The deadline for applications is 12.00 (midday) CET on 29 October 2021.


Applications must be drafted in English or French and submitted only via the online form provided at the bottom of the call for expressions of interest (EN or FR) available on the ECA’s Job Opportunities page (under ‘Open positions’):
https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/JobOpportunities.aspx
Applications must comprise the following documents:






—


a letter of motivation (maximum 1 page),










—


an up-to-date CV (maximum 3 pages) in the ‘Europass’ format (see http://europa.eu/europass).




Please note that only the information provided in your CV and motivation letter will be taken into account when evaluating your application.
The details provided in each application will be considered true and correct and will therefore be binding on the applicant.
Applicants must be able, on request, to produce written evidence of their qualifications, professional experience and current duties if deemed necessary.
To ensure that your application is completed on time, we strongly advise you not to wait until the last few hours to apply. Experience has shown that the system may become overloaded as the deadline approaches.


Any application failing to adhere strictly to these instructions will be rejected.



RECRUITMENT POLICY

In line with our equal opportunities policy and with Article 1d of the Staff Regulations, the Court embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. The Court accepts applications without discrimination on any grounds and takes steps to ensure that recruitment is evenly balanced between men and women, pursuant to Article 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The Court also implements measures to reconcile working life with family life.
If you require any special arrangements (for specific handicap or disability) in order to take part in this selection procedure, please send an email in good time to ECA-Selection@eca.europa.eu

DATA PROTECTION

The ECA is committed to ensuring that candidates’ personal data are processed in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (2).
For more information, see the specific privacy statement for employment vacancies, available at:
https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/Specific_Privacy_Statement_vacancies/Specific_Privacy_Statement_vacancies_EN.PDF
The list containing the names of candidates who meet the criteria set out in this call for expressions of interest will be published on the ECA website (intranet and internet). This list will remain on our website until it is no longer valid. Please note that you have the right to request that we omit your name from the published list. You may do this by sending an email to ECA-Selection@eca.europa.eu

REQUESTS FOR RECONSIDERATION — COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS — COMPLAINTS TO THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN

If, at any stage in the selection procedure, you believe that a decision adversely affects you, the following options are available:
I.   Request for the selection committee to reconsider its decision

You may submit a written reasoned request for reconsideration of a decision taken by the selection board. This request must be sent, within 10 days of notification of the decision, to ECA-Recours@eca.europa.eu
II.   Complaints

Under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations, you may submit a written complaint against the ECA’s decision to reject your application within three months of being notified thereof, to the following address:





The Secretary-General




European Court of Auditors




12, rue Alcide De Gasperi




L-1615 Luxembourg




LUXEMBOURG




III.   Judicial appeals

Under Article 91 of the Staff Regulations, you may appeal against a decision to reject your complaint, insofar as it adversely affects you, to the Court of Justice of the European Union. The action must be brought by a lawyer within three months of notification of the decision to reject the complaint.
IV.   Complaints to the European Ombudsman

If you believe that the handling of your application has involved maladministration by the ECA, you may submit a complaint to the European Ombudsman, having first contacted the Court with a view to settling the dispute. You must submit your complaint in writing within two years of discovering the relevant facts. An electronic complaints form is available on the European Ombudsman’s website. Complaining to the European Ombudsman will not suspend the above-mentioned appeal deadlines.


(1)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20200101&from=EN

(2)  OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.