Industrial Cost Auditor

Description

Industrial Cost Auditor in the Industrial Audit Section, Industrial Auditing and Return Division, Industrial Policy and Auditing Department, Directorate of Commercialisation, Industry, Procurement and Legal Services. 

The industrial cost audit function is of vital importance for ESA. The Agency dispenses a large proportion of its annual budget in placing contracts with space sector contractors. It is important to ensure a proper return for its Member States' investments and to ensure value for money. The audit activity is an essential part of this process.
You will report to the Head of the Industrial Audit Section and be responsible for general industrial cost analysis and auditing-related activities concerning the ESA procurement process.
 

Duties

Provision of high-quality audit services that achieve cost-effectiveness and value creation for the ESA procurement process with transparent and cost-effective deployment of public resources in industry via ESA programmes.
You will, in direct contact with industry working under contract with ESA, carry out the following:
•    auditing, analysis and negotiation of hourly industrial labour rates and overheads, and of unit rates (such as facility charges) and other overheads, on the basis of detailed reviews carried out on industry’s costs structure and their accounting tools;
•    auditing of direct expenditure on cost reimbursement contracts and/or co-funded contracts placed with industry including compliance with ESA rules;
•    implementing financial viability audits on the basis of detailed reviews of industry’s financial data;
•    auditing the nationality of the industrial firms concerned on the basis of established processes and criteria for nationality attribution;
•    verifying industry’s cost accounting systems to ascertain compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and ESA rules.
Providing support to ESA programmes will involve:
•    participation in tender evaluation boards and cost panels to analyse financial and cost-related aspects of industry proposals, supporting ESA’s programme directorates in direct negotiations with industry;
•    implementing audits on industry to directly support programmes, including detailed analysis and review of industrial contractual documents;
•    advising on financial matters e.g. currency exchange, price variation formulae, productivity, inflation, hourly rates, etc.
For relevant support services, duties will include:
•    auditing in the framework of georeturn data verification;
•    coordinating cost and audit activities with other national and international organisations;
•    supporting day-to-day audit activities, including preparing concise, accurate documentation (e.g. audit reports, policies and processes), data analysis, information collection, etc.
•    carrying out other relevant tasks/projects as requested of the Section.
You will interface with senior industry representatives, ESA and industry project management teams, ESA contract officers, ESA finance and cost engineer functions and the auditors of other national audit  authorities.
 

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

•    Result Orientation
•    Operational Efficiency
•    Fostering Cooperation
•    Relationship Management
•    Continuous Improvement
•    Forward Thinking
 

Education

A Master’s degree in business administration, corporate finance and accounting or economics is required.

Additional requirements

Effective communication skills are of utmost importance due to the level of interfaces. 
A minimum five years’ experience in auditing activities is required.
Experience in calculation methodologies of hourly labour/facility and overheads rates is preferred.
Readiness to travel frequently, as it is the nature of the job.