Audit And Operations Officer

Vacancy Notice for recruiting an Audit & Operation officer

Contract Agent, Chips FGIV-AO

Closing date for submission: 28/11/2025, 23:59 (CET, Central European Time, Brussels).

The Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips Joint Undertaking) is a public-private European Partnership aimed at leveraging investments in the electronics sector in Europe to research and develop innovative key digital technologies. The Chips Joint Undertaking fosters research and innovation collaboration between stakeholders such as industry, public authorities, academia, and research and technology organisations, pulling together and focusing efforts. The Chips Joint Undertaking's strategy is aligned with the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe Framework Programmes and the programmes of Participating States to attract private investments and contribute to the effectiveness of public support by avoiding unnecessary duplication and fragmentation of efforts, thus contributing to the development of a strong and globally competitive industry in the European Union.

The Chips Joint Undertaking is based in Brussels, Belgium.

As part of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for and in line with the Horizon Europe Framework Programme, the Chips Joint Undertaking is established by Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1782 of 25 July 2023 amending Council Regulation (EU) No 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe. The Chips Joint Undertaking is the successor to the former KDT Joint Undertaking and supports the latter's ongoing projects.

The Chips Joint Undertaking addresses clearly defined topics that will reinforce the Union's technological autonomy in electronic components and systems, establishes the Union's scientific excellence and innovation leadership in emerging components and systems technologies, and ensures that components and systems will address Europe's societal and environmental challenges.

Members of the Joint Undertaking are the European Union through the European Commission, Participating States on a voluntary basis, and three industrial associations forming the private members of the Chips Joint Undertaking: 'AENEAS', 'INSIDE' and 'EPoSS'.

For further information, please consult the following website:
 

1 POSITION ADVERTISED

a Overall purpose

The Audit and Operation officer shall support the Internal Control and Audit Manager to provide independent assurance to the Executive Director on legality and regularity of operations in the Chips JU.

The Audit and Operation officer will also contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the Chips JU internal control framework, in particular in the Programmes unit, and will support the Programmes unit in managing grant and procurement procedures.

The Audit and Operation officer's duties will include:

In the field of Audit:

• Implementation of the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe audit strategies;

• Contribute to the annual risk assessment of Chips JU beneficiaries and annual selection of risk-based audits;

• Act as the Audit Liaison Officer for Chips JU in all ex-post audit processes from validation of audit input files, review of preliminary audit reports to implementation of financial audit findings and validation of extension of systemic audit findings;

• Liaise with DG RTD Common Audit Service and HaDEA for the implementation of the audit strategies;

• Act as the European Court of Auditor co-correspondent for ECA audits at Chips JU beneficiaries;

• Monitor progress of Horizon Europe and Digital Europe audit strategies and prepare audit data for the Annual Activity Report;

• Undertake additional tasks as required in the interests of the service.

In the field of Internal Control:

• Support the Audit Manager for the annual self-assessment of the internal control framework and for the implementation of the action plan;

• Support the Audit Manager in the annual general risk assessment;

• Support the Audit Manager in the implementation of the anti-fraud strategy action plan ;

• Undertake additional tasks as required in the interests of the service.

In the field of Programmes:

• Administrative support for the Grant Agreements in close cooperation with Programme Officers, the financial and legal staff;
• Manage the administrative tasks of the Procurement procedures in collaboration with the responsible Programme Officers;
• Support the planning, implementation, coordination, reporting and follow up of the Programme activities, through the drafting and maintenance of procedures, templates and operational workflows;
• Execution of the corresponding responsibility in the financial and administrative circuits of the organization according to the internal procedures;
• Undertake additional tasks as required in the interest of the service.

Other duties:

• Act as back up for the Internal Control and Audit Manager.

2 ELIGIBILITY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

a Eligibility criteria

Candidates will be considered for the selection phase based on the following criteria to be fulfilled by the closing date for applications:

i General conditions

• Be a national of a Member State of the European Union;
• Be entitled to her/his full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by the applicable laws concerning military service;
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post1
• Very good command of written and spoken English (C level). Have a thorough knowledge of one of the official EU languages and a satisfactory knowledge (at least B2 level or equivalent) of another of these languages to the extent necessary for the performance of their duties (candidates are invited to specify in their CV any language certificates they have obtained which can demonstrate their language skills).

ii Education

On the closing date for applications, candidates must have:

• A level of education that corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma2, and
• At least three years full-time proven professional experience, acquired after obtaining the degree.

b Selection criteria

Candidates selected based on the above eligibility criteria will then be evaluated according to the following selection criteria:

i Essential criteria

• Suitability to perform the tasks described under point 1 b);
• Proven professional experience of at least 2 years in carrying out audit tasks (forming part of the minimum 3-year experience referred to under point 2 a) ii);
• Proven professional experience working with the Regulations, rules and procedures of relevance to EU institutions, including the EU Financial Regulation;

ii Advantageous criteria

• Experience in an EU/international organisation;
• Professional qualification in audit;
• Proven experience in Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme, Digital Europe Programme or similar research funding or other Union financing programmes;
• Knowledge of Microsoft IT Tools (Office package, SharePoint) and EU tools (Ares, Compass, e-Grant, PDM, AUDEX, ABAC).

iii
Behavioural competences

• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize;

• Ability to work effectively under pressure without close supervision, to respect tight deadlines, and to use her/his initiative to solve problems and to take a proactive approach;

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and collaboration skills (e.g. the ability to establish and develop good inter-personal relations with a broad range of stakeholders in cross-cultural environments as well as in the team).

In order to be evaluated in the best possible way, candidates are recommended to give evidence of their knowledge with specific examples and/or detailed professional experience. Candidates are invited to be as detailed and as clear as possible in the description of their professional experience and specific skills and competences in their application form.

Failure to comply with the eligibility and essential selection criteria will result in a disqualification of the applicant concerned.

3 SELECTION PROCEDURE

A Selection Committee, appointed by the Executive Director of the Chips-JU, assesses the applications in accordance with the eligibility and selection criteria outlined in the vacancy notice and establishes a short-list of candidates for an interview and a written test.

The Selection Committee will interview the short-listed candidates. These candidates will also sit a written test related to the field of the duties. Following this, the Selection Committee will establish a reserve list of suitable candidates to be approved by the Executive Director.

Candidates are reminded that the Selection Committee's work is confidential. It is strictly forbidden for candidates to make direct or indirect contact with its members or to ask anybody to do so on their behalf.

4 APPOINTMENT AND RESERVE LIST

The Executive Director may decide to interview the candidates before establishment of the reserve list and/or appointment.

The Executive Director will approve a reserve list and select one candidate for the post. A binding commitment can only be made after the verification of all conditions and will take the form of a contract signed by the Executive Director.

The reserve list may be used to fill other positions of the same nature and of the same grade within the Chips JU. Other Joint Undertakings can also ask to access the reserve list. In such a case, candidates will be asked to confirm their explicit consent allowing the Chips JU to transfer their data to the concerned Joint Undertaking.

Candidates should note that inclusion on the reserve list does not guarantee recruitment. Recruitment will be based on availability of posts and budget. The reserve list for this post will be valid until 31 December 2026 and may be extended at the discretion of the Executive Director.

The reserve list might be used by other Joint Undertakings to cover a similar position.