Call for expressions of interest – Auditors (Swedish or Danish language)

WHO WE ARE

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) was established in 1975 as the European Union’s external auditor. One of the EU’s seven institutions, it is based in Luxembourg and employs around 1000 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.

We are a modern and dynamic organisation striving for and promoting excellence, professionalism, transparency and integrity. We define ourselves as a diverse, flexible and equitable institution, which offers every individual the opportunity to maximise their talent. Through our individual and collective involvement in the ECA’s activities and our ambitious training programme, our aim is to make the ECA an intellectually stimulating workplace, and a learning-based organisation that relies on institutional knowledge and motivated and well-trained people to serve the EU and its citizens.

We are an EU institution on a human scale: this facilitates integration, allows for easier interaction, and encourages teamwork. We offer flexible working hours and opportunities for teleworking, including from outside the place of residence[1]. We value diversity and inclusion, promote equal opportunities, and ensure a respectful working environment based on open communication, dialogue, and mutual trust. Staff engagement, well-being and greening are important pillars of our internal policies.

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.

 
[1]     Currently, staff are allowed to telework up to 10 days per month. Of these, 5 days per month and a maximum of 30 days per year can be from outside the place of residence.

WHAT WE ARE OFFERING

With a view to meeting the need to perform audits in all EU Member States and thus comply with its audit mandate, the ECA is launching a call for expressions of interest in a fixed-term temporary contract from auditors with an in-depth knowledge of the Danish or Swedish language. Newly recruited auditors will be given a unique professional development opportunity, valuable work experience, and insight into both the EU’s finances and policies and the role of the ECA.

The auditors will be recruited under Article 2(b) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the EU (CEOS)[2] 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.

Depending on evolving operational needs and the interest of the service, the ECA may organise internal competitions for its staff in accordance with Article 4 of the Staff Regulations.

The basic monthly salary for grade AD 6 (step 1) is currently €6 418.36.

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 TASKS YOU CAN EXPECT TO PERFORM

The tasks of the auditors recruited will involve designing and carrying out audits in accordance with internationally recognised standards and include: 

—         drawing up audit plans based on sound audit approaches; 

—         carrying out audit procedures and documenting audit work; 

—         compiling, checking and analysing complex data and using digital tools; 

—         drafting and communicating audit findings, reports and opinions; 

—         providing expertise and support in knowledge management, specific policy areas and audit methodology;

—         contributing to maintaining and developing the ECA’s relations with external stakeholders at national, EU and international level;

—         collecting and analysing documents, information and data from a wide variety of sources.

 
[2]     https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:01962R0031-20240101

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

-          produce the character references as to the suitability for the performance of the duties involved.

2.         Qualifications

In accordance with Article 10(1) of the CEOS and Article 5(3) of the Staff Regulations applicable by analogy to temporary staff:

            i.           a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma, or

          ii.            where justified in the interest of the service, professional training of an equivalent level.

Please note that only diplomas or 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 shall be taken into consideration.

3.         Experience 

We are looking for highly motivated applicants who, by the deadline, will be able to demonstrate at least 2 years of relevant professional experience in the field of audit (financial, compliance, performance), financial management, project/programme evaluation, design or implementation of structural reforms or public policies, after obtaining the above-mentioned qualifications.

4.         Knowledge of languages

-          Excellent command (minimum level C2 in understanding, speaking and writing) of Swedish or Danish.

-         As English and French are the ECA’s working languages, a sound knowledge of one of these languages (minimum level C1 in understanding, speaking and writing) is required. 

Please indicate in your CV the language level according to the following assessment model:
https://europa.eu/europass/en/common-european-framework-reference

5.         Skills

-          Ability to compile, synthesise and analyse information

-          Capacity to contribute effectively to the planning and execution of audit tasks

-          Good communication and interpersonal skills

-          Flexibility to work in a task-based organisation, and an international environment that requires travel abroad on audit visits (“missions”)

-          Ability to work both independently and in a team

SELECTION PROCEDURE

(a)      Eligibility check

Applications will be examined against the criteria mentioned under points 2, 3 and 4 and outlined under the “What we are looking for” section by a selection committee[3] appointed by the ECA authority empowered to conclude contracts of employment (hereafter the “AECCE”). Candidates who fail to satisfy any of these eligibility criteria will be excluded from the selection process.

The selection committee will draw up a list of eligible candidates who meet the aforementioned criteria.

(b)     Assessment phase

Eligible candidates will be invited to sit written tests and/or attend interviews conducted by the selection committee. The tests and/or interviews are designed to evaluate candidates’ skills and abilities for the relevant position (see point 5, “Skills”). Knowledge of languages (see point 4) will also be tested. The nature and time frame of these tests will be communicated to the eligible candidates in due time.

(c)      Reserve list

Following the written tests and/or interviews, the selection committee will propose a list of candidates who meet the requirements set out under “WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR” to the AECCE. Based on service needs and the availability of posts, the AECCE may then offer employment to candidates on the reserve list.

The reserve list will be valid until 31 December 2025, though may be extended by the AECCE. The list will be published on the ECA’s website in alphabetical order.

The inclusion of candidates in the reserve list does not, in any way, constitute an entitlement to recruitment.

 
[3]     The composition of the selection committee will be published on the ECA website.

APPLICATIONS

The deadline for applications is 12:00 (midday) Luxembourg time on 22 October 2024.

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:

—         a cover letter,

—         an up-to-date CV, preferably in the ‘Europass’ format (see http://europa.eu/europass).

Any application received after the deadline or which is not submitted using the online form provided in this purpose will be rejected.

The selection committee will evaluate applications based solely on the information given in these documents. It may ask candidates to provide supporting evidence for statements made in their applications. If candidates fail to provide such evidence when it is requested, their applications will be rejected.

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.

RECRUITMENT POLICY

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

In line with the Court’s 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 women and men, 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 applicants’ 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.

For more information, see the specific privacy statement on recruitment, at the following address:
https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/Specific_Privacy_Statement_vacancies/Specific_Privacy_Statement_vacancies_EN.PDF

The reserve list containing the names of candidates who meet the requirements set out in this call for expressions of interest will be published on the ECA website. The list will remain on our website until it is no longer valid. 

Prior to publication, the candidates whose names are included in the list will be given an opportunity to have their names removed from the published list by sending an email to ECA-Selection@eca.europa.eu. Removing a name from the published list will have no impact on the consideration of that candidate for a possible selection.

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:

Request for the selection committee to reconsider its decision

You may submit a reasoned written request for reconsideration of a decision taken by the selection committee. Such a request must be submitted to the following address within 10 calendar days of notification of the decision, to ECA-Recours@eca.europa.eu. Where the last day of this period is a public holiday, Saturday or Sunday, the period shall end with the expiry of the last hour of the following working day.

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

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.

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 ECA 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.