CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST – AUDITORS - JUNIOR PROFESSIONALS PROGRAMME

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 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.

 
[1]     Currently, staff are allowed to telework up to 3 days per week subject to a limit of 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

The ECA is launching its Junior Professionals Programme with a view to attracting talented recent graduates who can also contribute to making our staff composition more balanced. We aim to establish a reserve list of auditors who may subsequently be offered contracts as temporary staff.

This programme is part of our Human Resources policy. It targets junior professionals who will enhance our workforce while benefiting from a unique professional development opportunity, valuable work experience, and insight into the EU’s finances and policies and the role of the ECA. Successful candidates will join our ASPIRE[2] programme and its cohort of young auditors. Their work contributes to helping EU citizens gain a better understanding of how the ECA fulfils its role and promotes robust financial governance.

The auditors will be recruited under Article 2(b) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the EU (CEOS)[3] 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[4].

The basic monthly salary for grade AD 6 (step 1) is currently €6 758,53.

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.

 
[2]     https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocuments/ASPIRE/ASPIRE-programme-en.pdf
[3]   Regulation No 31 (EEC), 11 (EAEC), laying down the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ 45, 14.6.1962, p. 1385/62).

[4]     http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1962/31(1)/2025-05-13

WHAT TASKS YOU CAN EXPECT TO PERFORM

The auditors we recruit will design and carry out audits in accordance with internationally recognised standards and their tasks will include: 

—         drawing up audit plans based on sound audit approaches, 

—         carrying out audit procedures and documenting audit work,

—         compiling, checking and analysing complex data 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.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for highly motivated applicants that are willing to embrace European values and meet the following:

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 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, candidates must have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years, as attested by a diploma obtained no more than eight 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, engineering, business administration, finance, law, economics or computer science; or

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

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

We are looking for applicants who, by the deadline, can provide evidence of at least three years of full-time equivalent professional experience in any of the following areas: auditing (financial, compliance, performance audit), financial management, project or programme evaluation, or design or implementation of public policies, acquired after completing university studies of at least three years as described under section 2. ‘Qualifications’ above. 

4.       Knowledge of languages

— Excellent command (mother tongue or minimum level C2 in understanding, speaking and writing) of one official EU language        and satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2 in understanding, speaking and writing) of another 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. 

Knowledge of other EU official languages would be considered an asset.

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

-    Knowledge of auditing.

-    Ability to collect, synthesise and analyse information.

-    Good communication skills.

-    Flexible approach to working in a task-based organisation and an international environment that also requires foreign travel for audit visits (“missions”).

-    Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

-    Adaptability and ability to deliver under time-pressure.

-    Critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

1.        Eligibility phase

Applications will be examined against the criteria set out in sections 1 to 4 of ‘What we are looking for’ by a selection committee[5] appointed by the ECA authority empowered to conclude contracts of employment (AECCE). Candidates who fail to satisfy any of the eligibility criteria will be excluded from the selection process.

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

2.        Assessment phase

Our audit directorates and departments will periodically indicate the types of profiles in terms of specific studies, professional experience and languages spoken, that best match their service needs. Based on these criteria and on the number of posts to be filled, the selection committee will identify the candidates to be invited for interview. Candidates may also be required to take further specific tests. The interviews and tests are designed to assess each candidate’s experience, knowledge and skills (see sections 3 to 5 above), as well as their motivation. Candidates will be informed in good time about the timing of the interviews and, if applicable, any tests required.

Assessments will be carried out by the selection committee.

The assessment phase can be repeated in several “selection waves” based on service needs. Assessments can take place until 31 December 2026, but this deadline may be extended. 

3.      Recruitment

Following each selection wave, the selection committee will put forward a reserve list to the AECCE with the names of the candidates (in alphabetical order) who meet the requirements for the duties to be performed (as described in sections 3 to 5 above). Based on service needs and availability of posts, the AECCE may then offer employment to one or more of the candidates.

Each reserve list will be valid from its publication until the end of the following year and may be extended. 

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

 [5]     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 4 July 2025.

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 (maximum one page),

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

When describing their education and professional experience, candidates must indicate the following:

i.          the standard duration of the study program completed; and 

ii.         the start and end dates of each professional experience.

Any application that does not comply with the formal requirements mentioned above (see the “Applications” section), or is received after the deadline, or is not submitted using the online form provided for 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 its 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 specific 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[6].

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 lists containing the names of candidates who meet the requirements for the duties to be performed will be published on the ECA website. These lists will remain on our website until they are no longer valid.

Prior to publication, the candidates whose names are included in the lists 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 lists will have no impact on the consideration of that candidate for a possible recruitment.

[6] 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 (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.

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:

1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.