Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)
Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (EASME)
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Ex-post Control Adviser FG IV (Reserve List)
(REF.: EASME/IV/2014/071)
Applications are invited for the post of Ex-post Control Adviser at the Executive
Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
Type of contract
Function group and grade
Duration of contract
Maximum number of candidates
to be placed on the reserve list
Department
Place of employment
Deadline for application
Contract Agent
FG IV
2 years (with the possibility of extension)
10
C – Finance and Administration
Brussels, Belgium
29/10/2014 at 12:00 (midday), Brussels time
1. ABOUT US
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) was established by
Commission Decision No. 2013/771/EU of 17 December 2013, repealing Decisions
2004/20/EC and 2007/372/EC. Our role is to manage programmes on behalf of the European
Commission.
Located in Brussels, the EASME has been operational since 2005 (under different mandates)
and its official lifetime currently runs until 2024 (with a possible extension of the Agency's
mandate and programmes in the future). We are international experts and specialists in
business support, innovation, energy, the environment, communication, and finance. Our
Agency has 3 departments and 8 units. Our colleagues are both European Commission
officials and professionals from the private sector.
The Agency reports to seven Directorates-General of the European Commission – Enterprise
and Industry (ENTR), Research and Innovation (RTD), Energy (ENER), Environment (ENV),
Climate Action (CLIMA), Communication Networks, Content and Technologies (CONNECT),
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE) – which remain responsible for programming and
evaluation.
More information on the EASME, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/easme.
2. PROGRAMMES MANAGED BY THE EASME
The EASME has been set-up by the European Commission to manage on its behalf:
•
Most of COSME, the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small
and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), including Enterprise Europe Network (EEN);
•
Part of Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, and
in particular:
o
o
o
Part II 'Industrial leadership'
-
Innovation in SMEs
-
The Sustainable Industry Low Carbon Scheme (SILC II)
Part III 'Societal challenges'
-
The Energy Efficiency calls for proposals under the challenge ‘Secure,
Clean and Efficient Energy’
-
The calls for proposals in the fields of waste, water innovation and
sustainable supply of raw material under the challenge ‘Climate action,
Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials’
The SME instrument
•
The EU programme for the Environment and Climate action (LIFE)
•
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)
•
The legacy of the Intelligent Energy – Europe programme and the Eco-innovation
initiative
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3. JOB DESCRIPTION
Overall purpose
The Ex-post Control Adviser reports to the Team Leader "Legal, Internal and ex-post Control".
The jobholder will contribute to the continuous development of sound and efficient
management practices in relation to, inter alia, risk control, safeguard of assets, monitoring
compliance with rules and regulations, accuracy and reliability of management information,
implementation of internal controls and value for money in use of the resources made
available to the Agency. This will be realised through the ex-post controls activities of the
Agency achieving the work programme, supervising the audits carried out by external firms
contracted by the Agency, communicating audit findings and following-up where appropriate,
their implementation.
Functions and duties
•
Contribute to the programming, quality check and follow-up of audits subcontracted to
external audit firms;
•
Elaboration and efficient implementation of the EASME audit programme through
contribution to the planning, performance, follow-up and reporting of on the spot
audits of Beneficiaries in charge of managing EU Funds under the Agency's
supervision;
•
Execute and follow-up financial audits aiming at providing ex-post assurance on the
eligibility of expenditure, legality and regularity of cost statements accompanying
requests for payments submitted by the Beneficiaries of funds;
•
Execute and follow-up system audits examining and evaluating the efficiency and
effectiveness of the system of internal controls implemented by the Beneficiaries
ensuring the proper use of the funds received from the Agency on behalf of the
European Commission;
•
Ensure record of audit findings and follow up in the audit monitoring system of the
Agency;
•
Prepare summary and full audit reports within deadlines; communicate internally and
externally the findings and follow-up on their implementation. Actively contribute to
extrapolation exercises;
•
Ensure liaison on audit matters with the Court of Auditors, the Internal Audit Service
and more generally Commission's services;
•
Contribute to the assurance of the (sub) Delegated Authorising Officer(s) on the
eligibility of expenditure and reliability of cost statements accompanying requests for
payments submitted by contractors through regular reporting and contribution to the
AAR;
•
Coordinate and provide the monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual reporting of the
EPC sector;
•
Calculate error rates regularly (at least two times per year) and report them
appropriately to Management;
•
Manage the annual risk assessment, selecting Beneficiaries to be included in the
annual or bi-annual audit plan;
•
Coordinate the exercise for the creation of an annual and/or multiannual ex-post work
programme for the Agency;
•
Prepare timely replies to requests from Commission Services and other European
Institutions, Member States and the general public for the interpretation of control
provisions and the compliance of claims with Community legislation;
•
Assist in the Commission defence process of appeals to the Court of Justice;
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•
Develop guidelines in relation to specific control objectives and the implementation of
effective control systems;
•
Organise and / or present papers in training courses. Liaise with the ex-ante control
function of the Agency in order to transmit best practices identified at the ex-post
control level;
•
Administrative, advisory, linguistic and equivalent technical tasks, performed under
the supervision of officials or temporary staff;
•
Provide recommendations for the Agency’s internal control system improvements;
•
Co-ordination and preparation of responses to reports and DAS (Insurance
Declaration) findings of the Court of Auditors;
•
Ascertain smooth process, identify risks, evaluate adequacy and effectiveness of
governance processes by identifying key control points, evaluating their efficiency and
effectiveness according to relevant standards, and keeping accurate audit working
documents;
•
Stay abreast of evolutions on ex-post control matters in the Commission, participating
in Networks, trainings; identify best practices and so on.
4. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
A. Eligibility criteria
Candidates will be considered eligible for selection on the basis of the following formal criteria
to be fulfilled by the deadline for applications:
1.
To be included in the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) database for
contract agents in function group IV and have successfully passed the EPSO selection
and competence tests for that function group1;
2.
A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a
diploma, when the normal period of university education is at least three years. (only
study titles that have been awarded in EU Member States or that are subject to the
equivalence certificates issued by the authorities in the said Member States shall be
taken into consideration);
3.
To produce evidence of thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the European
Union and of a satisfactory knowledge of another EU language to the extent necessary
for the performance of the duties;
4.
To be a national of a member state of the European Union;
5.
To be entitled to his or her full rights as a citizen;
6.
To have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military
service;
7.
To meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
8.
To be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post2.2
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Candidates included in the EPSO database for contract agents, in function group IV, following the CAST 2010 can
only be considered eligible in case they have successfully passed the competence test that was organised by EPSO in
the summer of 2011. Candidates included in the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) database for contract
agents CAST RELEX in function group IV can be considered eligible for this post. Candidates on the
COM/1/2013/GFII, COM/2/2013/GFIII or COM/3/2013/GFIV contract agent pools are not considered eligible for this
post.
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B. Selection criteria
Essential
1.
After obtaining the qualifications mentioned in point A(2) here above, candidates must
have acquired five years of professional experience; of which at least two years in a
position with similar duties in the field of audit, accounting and/or financial
management;3.
2.
Very good oral and written command of English4.
Advantageous
1.
Professional Qualification/ Certification (ACCA, ACA, CIA, CGAP and so on) relevant to
the duties of the position;
2.
Previous professional experience of at least two years in a similar position within the
EU institutions;
3.
Additional training in the fields relevant to the post (external audit, internal audit,
finance)
4.
Good knowledge of the organisation, structure, working procedures and policies of
Commission services/Agencies and/or other EU institutions;
5.
Good oral and written command of French or German5.
Skills and competencies tested during the interview
1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the duties described in the Job Description above;
2. Knowledge of the organisation, structure, working procedures and policies of Commission
services/Agencies and/or other EU institutions;
3. High motivation, strong aptitude for team work and the capacity to work autonomously;
4. Ability to work under pressure and manage his/her responsibilities within tight deadlines.
5. SELECTION PROCEDURE
A. Admission to the selection procedure
After the deadline for online registration, the Selection committee will check the submitted
applications against the eligibility criteria (“Professional qualifications and other
requirements” - section A). Only eligible applications will be assessed.
B. Assessment of eligible applications
The Selection Committee will analyse the motivation letters and CVs of eligible applicants with
reference to:
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Before the appointment, a successful candidate shall be medically examined by one of the institutions’ medical officers
in order that the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises may be satisfied that he fulfils the
requirement of article 28(e) of the Staff Regulation of the Officials of the European Communities.
3
Professional experience is counted only from the time you obtained the diploma and qualifications for being eligible (see
point A(2) here above). At a later stage, you will be asked to provide supporting documents confirming the length and
the level of your professional experience.
4
Spoken and written skills equivalent to level C1 or higher level pursuant to the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages
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Spoken and written skills equivalent to level B2 or higher level pursuant to the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages.
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•
The selection criteria ("Professional qualifications and other requirements" - section
B, under points "essential" and "advantageous")
•
The overall assessment of the quality & suitability of the application based on the
requirements of the post.
Applications which do not meet one or more of the essential selection criteria (see 4.
Professional qualifications and other requirements, B – Selection criteria, Essential) will not be
evaluated further. Upon completion of the assessment, the candidates who obtained the
highest number of points within this evaluation6 will be invited to the interview.
C. Interview
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview (duration: 30 minutes, main language of
the interview: English).
Candidates are invited to indicate in their online application any special arrangements that
may be required if invited to attend an interview.
D. Reserve list
The Selection Committee will place on reserve list, a maximum of 10 candidates with the
highest marks achieved in the interview.
The reserve list will be valid for 12 months from the date of its establishment and may be
used for other positions in the same function group. The validity of the reserve list may be
extended by decision of the Director.
Candidates should note that their inclusion on the reserve list does not imply any entitlement
to employment in the Agency.
A second round of interviews may be organized before an offer of employment.
6. SELECTION COMMITTEE
A Selection Committee will be appointed for this selection procedure and will be composed of
at least 3 members, including a member designated by the Staff Committee of the Agency.
The names of the Selection Committee members will be communicated to candidates upon
notification of the outcome of the assessment of eligible applications (see 5. Selection
Procedure, B - Assessment of eligible applications).
Under no circumstances should candidates approach the Selection Committee, either directly
or indirectly, concerning this recruitment. The Agency's Director reserves the right to
disqualify any candidate who disregards these instructions.
7. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
To apply for this position, candidates should submit an up-to-date detailed curriculum vitae
and a motivation letter, via the EU CV online database (candidates must first create an
account or sign in to their active account).
After a correct submission of an application, candidates will receive an automated
acknowledgement of receipt from the EU CV online system to the email account indicated in
their application.
There is no obligation to submit applications in English, however documents sent in English
will greatly facilitate the work of the Selection Committee.
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Comparative assessment of all applications received.
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The Agency strongly advises not to wait until the last few days before the deadline for
applying, since heavy internet traffic or connection difficulties could lead to problems.
Should you have any technical question concerning EU CV online, you may send an e-mail to
[email protected].
It is the sole responsibility of each applicant to complete ALL relevant fields of
his/her online application and to send it before the deadline for submission. Any
information or documentation provided after the deadline will not be taken into account.
The candidate will be disqualified if:
•
•
(s)he does not complete online registration by the deadline;
at any stage in the procedure it is established that information a candidate provided is
incorrect.
8. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The European Union institutions apply a policy of equal opportunities and accept applications
without discrimination on the ground of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic
features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national
minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.
9. APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
On the basis of the reserve list the Director will make the offer of employment. A contract
offer, linked to the determined life of the Agency, will be made as a contract staff member, in
function group IV, pursuant to Article 3a of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of
the European Communities, for a duration of two years, with the possibility of renewal (a
second renewal of the contract will lead to a contract of indefinite duration).
The precise classification in grade is done in accordance with the EASME Implementing Rules
on conditions of employment of contract staff (C/2012/4762) and will depend on the number
of years of professional experience acquired after the degree giving access to the post. In
particular, the EASME grading rules for the engagement of contract staff in function group III
are currently as follows:
•
•
•
Grade 13: if the person has acquired less than 8 years of professional experience;
Grade 14: if the person has acquired between 8 and 21 years of professional
experience;
Grade 16: if the person has acquired 21 years of professional experience or more.
The EASME does not hire staff in function group IV in the grade 15.
For reasons related to the Agency’s operational requirements, the candidate will be required
to be available at short notice.
For further information on working conditions of contract staff see the web site of the
European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO).
The place of employment will be Brussels, Belgium where the Agency has its premises.
10. REQUEST FOR REVIEW
If a candidate believes a mistake has been made, (s)he may request a review of the Agency's
decision. This should be made within 20 calendar days of the date of the e-mail notifying the
candidate of the outcome of the selection procedure. The request should quote the reference
number of the selection procedure concerned.
It should be for the attention of the
Chairman/Chairwoman of the Selection Committee and sent to the following address: [email protected]. The Selection Committee will review the request and notify
the candidate of its decision within 45 calendar days of receipt of the request.
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11. APPEAL PROCEDURE
Pursuant to Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities
("Staff Regulations"), any candidate may submit to the Agency a complaint against an act
adversely affecting him/her. Any such complaint should be made to:
EASME Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
For the attention of the Director
REF: EASME/III/2014/069
COV2
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
The complaint must be lodged within 3 months from the date on which the candidate is
notified of the act adversely affecting him/her.
Should the complaint be rejected, the candidate may request judicial review of the act
adversely affecting him/her pursuant to Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations, before:
The European Union Civil Service Tribunal
Boulevard Konrad Adenauer
L-2925 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/Jo1_6308/
Any citizen of the European Union or any natural or legal person residing in a Member State
may direct a complaint concerning instances of maladministration to the European
Ombudsman pursuant to Article 228 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union:7
The European Ombudsman
1, Avenue du President Robert Schuman - BP 403
F-67001 Strasbourg Cedex
France
http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/start.faces
Please note that complaints to the European Ombudsman do not have the effect of
suspending the period mentioned in Articles 90 and 91 of the Staff Regulations for lodging
complaints or submitting an appeal before the European Union Civil Service Tribunal according
to Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
12. DATA PROTECTION
The purpose of processing the data submitted by candidates is to evaluate applications in view
of possible recruitment at the Agency. The personal information requested by the Agency
from candidates will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) N°45/2001 of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals
with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and
on the free movement of such data. In this regard, please see the Privacy statement.
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See also Decision 94/262/ECSC EC, Euratom of the European Parliament of 9 March 1994 on the regulations and
general conditions of performance of the Ombudsman's duties (OJ L 113, 05.04.1994), p. 15.
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