ECA/2025/8 - Assistants (2 posts) - Chamber I - Sustainable use of natural resources & Chamber III - External action, security and justice

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.

Chamber I is responsible for the audits in the areas of Climate change and Energy; Environment; Agriculture and rural development; Maritime affairs and Fisheries; Health, food safety and consumers. Chamber III is responsible for the audits in the areas of the EU external action, security, justice and defence. 

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 positions are open to AST officials of the European Court of Auditors, AST officials of other EU institutions and successful candidates in an EU AST competition[1].

Applicants who do not belong to these staff categories, but whose profile matches with the requirements may express their interest, see under “APPLICATIONS”.

We are seeking to recruit two (2) Assistants for our Chambers I and III:

Under the authority of the principal managers, the Assistants will:

- provide logistical and secretarial support to the principal managers and the teams in their audit tasks;

- ensure the document formatting and editing (preparation of notification letters, translation requests, clearing letters, analysis of replies, closure letters, official documents, internal notes) and the archiving of electronic and paper files;

- maintain and update the Chamber’s monitoring and reporting tools for audits under the supervision of the principal managers and the heads of task; 

- provide assistance in preparing the auditors’ on-the-spot visits via the management system for missions (MIPS+) and ensure their administrative follow up; 

- provide secretarial support to the director, principal managers and heads of task during the adversarial meetings; and

- support the principal managers and the knowledge management teams in their tasks (“Knowledge Nodes”).

[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 these posts, the needs of the service require a sound knowledge of English (minimum level C1 in understanding, speaking and writing).

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, in addition to their aptitude to perform the tasks listed above, applicants will need to demonstrate:

- sound knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint);

- good organisational and communication skills;

- ability to work in a team;

- willingness to learn and share knowledge with others.

3.           Assets

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

- good knowledge of MIPS+ and SYSPER; and

- good knowledge of French (minimum level B1 in understanding, speaking and writing).

APPLICATIONS

The deadline for applications is 12:00 (midday) Luxembourg time on 20 May 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.

Applicants who do not belong to the staff categories mentioned under the section ‘WHAT WE ARE OFFERING’, but whose profile matches with the language, experience and skills requirements, may express their interest in this post by sending to ECA-Selection@eca.europa.eu, and within the same deadline, a cover letter and a curriculum vitae. The ECA reserves the right to draw on these applicants if the post is not filled by an official or a successful candidate from an EU competition reserve list. 

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