ECA/2025/7 - Budget Officer (1 post) - SG2

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 can make a difference by helping the EU to make a better use of its money. 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 teleworking, including from outside the place of residence. 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.

As part of the Secretariat-General of the ECA, the Directorate of Information, Workplace and Innovation (SG2), enables the ECA to achieve its strategic objectives by playing a central role in the proper functioning and development of the institution.

WHAT WE ARE OFFERING

This vacancy notice is being issued on the basis of Article 29(1)(a), (b) and (c) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union. 

The advertised position is therefore open ONLY to AST officials of the European Court of Auditors, AST officials of other EU institutions and successful candidates in an EU AST competition[1].

We are seeking to recruit one (1) Budget officer with financial experience in the European institutions for the budget and procurement team in the Directorate of Information, Workplace and Innovation (SG2):

Under the authority of the director, the Budget officer will:

-      Undertake the administrative and financial management of budget lines in close contact with the budget coordinator and the operational managers;

-      Support the preparation of the annual budget and its follow up for the concerned budget lines;

-      Act as financial initiator preparing purchase orders and ensuring the settlement of expenditure;

-      Monitor and ensure compliance with deadlines in the various administrative and financial activities;

-      Ensure the administrative and financial follow-up of procurement procedures with the support of operational managers and the procurement unit;

-      Organise and participate in relevant meetings, in particular those relating to contracts under the jobholder's responsibility;

-      Ensure relations with suppliers, service providers and vendors;

-      Act as back-up to the team when needed.

[1]     Organised by EPSO or by one of the EU institutions.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The advertised position is open to applicants who, on the deadline for applications, meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Staff Regulations, as well as the following criteria: 

1.           Knowledge of languages

English and French are the ECA’s official working languages. For this position, a sound knowledge of English (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

2.           Experience and skills

During the selection process, applicants will need to demonstrate:

-      good IT skills (MS Office, MS Teams);

-      very good analytical skills;

-      excellent interpersonal and communication skills;

-      attention to detail, good organisational skills and proactivity; 

-      ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team; willingness to provide back-up when needed. 

3.           Assets

In addition to the above, the following skills will be considered an asset:

-       SAP software proficiency;

-      sound knowledge and experience in the Financial Regulation and procurement procedures;

-      knowledge of the French language.

APPLICATIONS

The deadline for applications is 12:00 (midday) Luxembourg time on 28 April 2025.

Applications must be submitted only via the online form provided for the advertised position and must comprise the following documents in English or French:

-       a cover letter;

-       an up-to-date CV, preferably in the Europass format (see https://europa.eu/europass/);

-      (only for EU officials not at the ECA) a document confirming your function group, grade and status as an official.

Successful candidates in an EU AST open competition must quote the relevant reference number in their CV or cover letter.

Any application received after the deadline or which is not submitted using the online form 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 applicants 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 ACCOMODATIONS

In line with ECA’s Diversity and Inclusion policy and Article 1d of the Staff Regulations, the ECA embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We accept applications without discrimination on any grounds, and we take steps to ensure that recruitment is evenly balanced between women and men, as required by Article 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. We also take measures to reconcile working life with family life.

If you require any special arrangements for a 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 our 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