Working for the Court of Audit

A team of auditors and assistant auditors discuss an audit.

The Belgian Court of Audit employs about 500 French- or Dutch-speaking staff members, graded into different levels: A (managerial staff, auditors, translators and IT specialists), B (assistant auditors, programmers and technicians) and C or D (administrative and logistics assistants).

The Court recruits its staff by open competition.

It appoints and dismisses its staff, and determines its required number and composition, the staff regulations and salaries under the supervision of the board of the Chamber of Representatives.

Positions

The Court employs a majority of auditors and assistant auditors (over 80% of its staff), who assist it in its legal missions.

Auditors and assistant auditors

The auditors and assistant auditors carry out certifications of public accounts, budget analyses, financial audits, legality audits and audits of the sound use of public funds. They are also in charge of more specific missions such as the verification of submission of lists of mandates and declarations of assets, election expenses or the counting of school students.

Most of them hold a degree in legal, economic or political sciences and have an extensive knowledge of the Belgian institutional context. They are experts in public finance and accounting, (company) auditing, public policy assessment or financial data analysis.

The auditors and assistant auditors conduct their work in accordance with international standards.

They gather the information relevant for their audits from the government departments, produce evidence-based findings and draw up clear, convincing and useful conclusions and recommendations, which they justify by referring to well-defined standards. Subsequently, they submit their reports to the parliaments concerned.

In the course of their duties, the auditors and assistant auditors demonstrate independence, integrity, excellence and impartiality while preserving confidentiality. 

Other positions

The Court also regularly recruits staff for its support departments (translation, IT, HR, secretarial duties and logistics).

Work conditions

Career and training

Working at the Belgian Court of Audit provides the opportunity to take on responsibilities at various levels and achieve the promotions provided for in the staff regulations.

Statutory staff members are appointed permanently after successful completion of a two-year (A-level) or one-year (B-, C- and D-levels) probationary period.

A-level staff members may access leading positions (such as senior auditor-supervisor or senior auditor-director). Moreover, under a linear career system, staff members are promoted every six years to the successive higher grades, subject to sufficient performance.

The Court’s staff members get an introductory training and personal coaching to help them adjust to the new job. They attend internal and external training courses throughout their career in order to develop their skills and keep up with the evolution of the profession.

Internal mobility is an integral part of the career development. During their whole career, the auditors and assistant auditors can rest assured that they will make full use of their skills in various policy areas (justice, education, social security, agriculture, taxation, …).

While performing their missions, they are in contact with other public audit experts and with colleagues of other supreme audit institutions.

Salaries and benefits

Salaries at the Belgian Court of Audit are competitive compared to the public government departments. The starting salary depends on the position at the Court and the previous work experience. It subsequently increases every two years in accordance with the salary scales provided for in the remuneration regulations.

The Court’s staff members enjoy numerous other benefits: e.g. a 37-hour working week with flexible working hours, an annual leave of 36 working days, extensive teleworking, a commuting allowance, meal vouchers, a hospital insurance, a dependent child allowance.

The Court’s offices are easily accessible by public transport (they are close to Brussels Central Station). Furthermore, a car park, a cafeteria, a library and a gym are made available to the staff.

Vacancies

Employment at the Belgian Court of Audit is mainly statutory (i.e. permanent), but the Court also recruits contract staff to cover temporary or specific needs.

Statutory staff members are recruited by open competition on completion of the selection procedures that are organised in cooperation with the Federal Selection Office, Workingfor.be according to the vacancies to be filled. The Court also organises selection procedures to recruit contract staff.

Vacancies are advertised on the Court’s website and through targeted media campaign in print media, online channels, social media or others.

Selection procedures generally involve several phases. A technical test assesses the applicants’ skills related to the profession practice. An interview helps determine their motivation and the suitability of their profile for the position.

The successful applicants are recruited according to the departments’ needs or placed in a reserve list for further recruitment.