WE ARE

The European External Action Service (EEAS) supports the High Representative in the exercise of his/her mandate to conduct and implement an effective and coherent Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), to represent the EU and to chair the Foreign Affairs Council.

It also supports the High Representative in his/her capacity as Vice-President of the Commission with regard to his/her responsibilities within the Commission in the external relations field, including the coordination of other aspects of the EU's external action. The EEAS works in close cooperation with the EU Member States, the General Secretariat of the Council, the services of the Commission and the Secretariat General of the European Parliament.

The Planning, Reporting and Compliance Division (SG.GOV.3) is responsible for the Strategic Planning and Programming (SPP) cycle, internal controls and risk management, anti-fraud, relations with the audit authorities as well as with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). It provides the secretariats to the EEAS Corporate Governance Board (CGB), Audit Progress Committee (APC) and Internal Control Committee (ICC). The Division also supports the Chief Governance Officer in enhancing the corporate governance of the EEAS through innovative, practical and legally sound solutions.

The position is in the Division Planning, Reporting and Compliance (SG.GOV.3). Under the direction of the Head of Division, the selected candidate will be required to contribute to the handling of horizontal issues and policy in the field of corporate governance, including in particular and not limited to audit coordination, internal controls, strategic planning and programming and emerging cross-cutting priorities.

WE PROPOSE

The position of Policy Officer - Audit and Internal Control Officer contract agent FG IV as per article 3b of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (hereafter, the “CEOS”)[1].

PLACE and DATE OF EMPLOYMENT

‎EEAS Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

Post available: 01/02/2025

LEGAL BASIS

The vacancy is to be filled in accordance with the conditions stipulated under the CEOS, in particular Article 82 thereof. In case of recruitment, the successful candidate will be offered a contract agent position (Function group IV), on the basis of a contract with an initial duration of one year that may be successively renewed for a maximum duration of six years[2], subject to the maximum duration of engagement by the EEAS allowed under successive limited duration contracts of different types[3].

WE LOOK FOR

A dynamic, proactive and highly motivated colleague with very good communication and organisational skills and with a developed sense of service. They will be entrusted with the following main tasks:

• Leading audit coordination:
  • Ensuring proper follow up of ongoing audits
  • Ensuring timely follow-up of audit recommendations and action plans
  • Liaison with the EEAS Audit Bodies (European Court of Auditors, Internal Audit Service of the EC and EEAS Internal Audit Division) and EEAS entities;
• Leading the preparation of committees (e.g. Audit Progress Committee and Internal Control Committee) and their follow-up;
• Contributing to the Strategic Planning and Programming (SPP) cycle:
  • Drafting inputs for the SPP exercises (e.g. Annual Management, Annual Activity Report, Budgetary Discharge)
  • Analysing data from the SPP sources and produce relevant reports and inputs for EEAS Senior Management, in particular related to Internal Controls, Annual Management Plans and Risk Management;
  • Contributing to the coordination of the SPP exercises;
• Drafting briefings, notes and reports for the EEAS hierarchy;
• Contributing to training courses and communication initiatives of the division;

• Backing up colleagues of the division when necessary.

Eligibility criteria[4]:

Further to the conditions set out in Article 82 of the CEOS, candidates must:

• (i) have passed a valid EPSO CAST in FG IV; OR

• (ii) be registered in the EPSO Permanent CAST for FG IV (https://epso.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-for-application). In that case, while the registration will render the candidate eligible for the selection procedure, the recruitment of a candidate on this vacant post will be subject to their successfully passing the CAST exam that this candidate will be called to attend;
• have completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma;

• have the capacity to work in the languages of the CFSP and external relations (English and French) necessary for the performance of their duties.
• be a national of one of the member States of the European Union and enjoy full rights as a citizen.

Selection criteria

Candidates should:

• Have significant experience of working in a coordination function related to responsibilities of the division;
• have solid experience in drafting, analysing and reporting data from different sources - with sound judgement - for hierarchical decision making;
• be able to work to a very high level in English (both orally and in writing);
• have good knowledge of French (both orally and in writing);
• have the ability to communicate clearly on complex issues and the capacity to perform with accuracy and in a flexible manner a diversity of tasks in a complex institutional environment;
• have the ability to establish and maintain a network of contacts both within and outside the EEAS;
• have knowledge of external relations, internal policies and functioning of the EEAS and the Union in general;
• have strong service attitude;
• be a flexible team player.

Furthermore:

• experience in working in the fields of responsibility of the division (strategic planning and programming, audits, internal controls, risk management);
• experience of working in a team in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment;
• experience in working with or within other EU institutions;

would be considered as assets.

CONDITIONS OF RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT

The signature of the contract will be subject to prior favourable opinion of the Medical Service.

This post is currently not identified as a post which requires Personnel Security Clearance (hereafter, the “PSC”) to access EU classified information (EUCI) in accordance with point 7 of Annex A I of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS[5] and as implemented by Decision ADMIN(2019) 7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019 and its implementing decisions.

Nonetheless, candidates are informed that the list of posts requiring a PSC in the EEAS Headquarters is subject to regular review and that the current post might be identified in the future as a post which requires PSC.

If required after the taking of duty, the selected candidate will need to be in a position to obtain a valid PSC issued by the competent authority of their Member State in accordance with national laws and regulations.

In case of failure to obtain or renew the required PSC, the AACC may take the appropriate measures in accordance with Article 3(3) of the Decision ADMIN(2019) 7 on Security Clearance Requirements and Procedures for the EEAS of 08 March 2019.

Description of the EU classified information levels is available under Article 2 of Annex A of the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 on the security rules of the EEAS.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The EEAS is committed to an equal opportunities policy for all its employees and applicants for employment. As an employer, the EEAS is committed to promoting gender equality and to preventing discrimination on any grounds. It actively welcomes applications from all qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds and from the broadest possible geographical basis amongst the EU Member States. We aim at a service, which is truly representative of society, where each staff member feels respected, is able to give their best and can develop their full potential.

Candidates with disabilities are invited to contact [email protected]  in order to accommodate any special needs and provide assistance to ensure the possibility to pass the selection procedure in equality of opportunities with other candidates. If a candidate with a disability is selected for a vacant post, the EEAS is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in accordance with Art 1(d)(4) of the Staff Regulations.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE[6]

Please send your CV and cover letter (with your EPSO CAST number), in English or French via email, with reference to the Vacancy Number in the Subject field, to [email protected]

Deadline for sending application: 06/12/2024 at 12.00 noon (CET).
 

Candidates shall draft their CV using the Europass CV, which can be found at the following internet address:http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/en/documents/curriculum-vitae.

Late applications will not be accepted.

The selection panel will make a pre-selection on the basis of the qualifications and professional experience described in the CV and motivational letter, and will produce a shortlist of eligible candidates who best meet the selection criteria for the post. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be informed about the outcome of the pre-selection phase.

The candidates who have been preselected will be invited for an interview by a selection panel.

The selection panel may decide, subsequent to the interview, to organise written tests, either for all pre-selected candidates or to the best ranked ones. The content of such written tests will be defined by the selection panel and may include, but not be limited to, multiple choice questions, open questions and/or topics for a short essay.

Pre-selected candidates without a valid CAST shall be invited to sit the CAST exam before or after the interview stage (in accordance with the eligibility criteria set out above).

The panel will then recommend a shortlist of candidates for a final decision by the Authority Authorised to Conclude Contracts of Employment (hereafter, the “AACC”). The AACC may decide to interview the candidates on the final shortlist before taking this decision.

It is recalled that the selection procedure may be terminated at any stage in the interest of the service.

In the interest of the service, after identifying the candidate that best fits the requirements of the post as set out in the vacancy notice, the AACC may also establish a reserve list of candidates. These candidates shall be informed that the reserve list shall remain valid for a period of one year from when it is established and that it may be used to fill the same post or an equivalent post in the EEAS with the same job profile.

[1]     Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (SR) and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (CEOS).

[2]      Article 8 of the Commission Decision C(2017) 6760 of 16.10.2017 on the general provisions for implementing Article 79(2) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, governing the conditions of employment of contract staff employed by the Commission under the terms of Articles 3a and 3b thereof.

[3]     Decision ADMIN(2023) 24 on the maximum duration of engagement by the European External Action Service of non-permanent staff under successive limited duration contracts of different types, and on the minimum lapse of time between successive contracts under Article 2(e) of the CEOS.

[4]     All the eligibility criteria must be met on the closing date for applications to this post.

[5]     OJ C 263, 26 July 2023, p.16. 

[6] Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, as implemented by ADMIN(2019)8 Decision of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The privacy statement is available on the Europa website: (https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eeas-privacy-statement-data-protection-notice-purpose-processing-personal-data-related-public_en) and on the EEAS Intranet:(https://intranet.eeas.europa.eu/page/eeas-work/data-protection/privacy-statements-dp-notices).