Fundamental Rights Officer

WHO WE ARE

Money laundering and the financing of terrorism are major concerns for the EU. They pose significant risks to the EU economy, to the integrity of the EU financial system and, even more importantly, to the security of its citizens.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Authority (AMLA) was established in June 2024 as a new European Union body to safeguard the European Union’s financial system and its citizens against money laundering and terrorist financing. It is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany and will expand to over 400 staff members by the end of 2027.
AMLA’s key responsibilities include:

Directly supervising selected financial sector entities that operate on a cross border basis and present a high risk of money laundering and terrorism financing, as well as indirectly supervising other entities in the financial and non-financial sectors
Supporting and coordinating the activities of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) by, for example, facilitating the joint analyses of cross-border cases, enabling information exchange, providing capabilities, advanced data analytics and managing the FIU.net information system
Complementing EU Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) rules by developing regulatory and implementing technical standards and issuing guidelines

For more information about the Authority, please visit our website. We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and non-discrimination.

Are you interested to contribute to our mission? Then see below what it takes to accomplish the role.

YOUR ROLE

According to AMLA regulation (Article 67), AMLA is tasked with designating an internal Fundamental Rights Officer (FRO). The FRO acts as an independent internal safeguard, ensuring AMLA’s supervisory, investigative, and coordination activities are in compliance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and international human rights law. You will work in a dynamic start-up environment, and your role will contribute to the success and growth of AMLA.

Key responsibilities for this role include: 

Promote the Authority compliance with fundamental rights, human rights law and data protection in its cooperation with stakeholders (EU institutions, agencies, bodies, International Organisations and external stakeholders);
Develop a fundamental rights monitoring strategy and action plan for AMLA and taking the lead in their implementation. Publish an annual activity and progress report and promote this with relevant stakeholders;
Develop a tailored modular fundamental rights training programme for AMLA staff including basic, advanced and specialised levels. Gradual implementation of this training programme potentially in cooperation with other relevant actors and/ or consultants;
Cooperation with internal (such as the authority’s Data Protection Officer) and external stakeholders (such as the EU bodies, FROs of other EU agencies, the European Ombudsman, civil society organisations, national human rights institutions where relevant);
Provide timely advice and opinions to the senior management and Management Board of AMLA on fundamental rights risks, mitigating measures for fundamental rights compliance of its activities and engagement and in AMLA’s cooperation with third countries. FRO can provide advice either at own initiative or upon request by AMLA staff and the EB;
Investigate cases related to fundamental rights stemming from complaints and serious incidents;
Provide advice in the development and update of the Authority’s practical tools, guides, judicial analysis, and factsheets, with a view to systematically mainstream fundamental rights in the context of AML/CFT.

The successful candidates might be required to perform other duties as necessary under the responsibility of their line manager according to the evolution and development of AMLA’s structure and activities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility criteria

To be admitted to the selection process you must meet the following eligibility criteria on the closing date for application and on the date of filling the vacant post:

Be a national of a Member State of the European Union.
Completed university studies of at least 3 years attested by a diploma.
Thorough knowledge (C1 level as per the CEFR [1]) of one of the 24 EU official languages and a satisfactory knowledge (B2 level) of another EU official language for the performance of your duties [2].
Enjoy full rights as a citizen and meet the character requirements for the duties involved [3].
Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by national laws concerning military service.
Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post [4].

This vacancy is also open for internal mobility at AMLA and inter-agency mobility at the grade bracket AD7 - AD12

Professional Experience

A university degree (minimum 4 years studies) in law, followed by at least 6 years of relevant professional experience.
OR:
A university degree (minimum 3 years studies) in law, followed by at least 7 years of relevant professional experience as indicated above.

[1] Common European Framework Reference Language Skills

[2] Mother tongue English speakers will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of a second EU language.

[3] An official certificate confirming the absence of any criminal record must be submitted prior to recruitment.

[4] If you are not currently working for an EU institution, you will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination at a center we specify.

Selection Criteria

To be considered for the assessment phase you must meet the following essential criteria on the closing date for applications. The following criteria will be assessed during the application screening phase:

At least 6 years’ professional experience in a fundamental rights, human rights, compliance, ethics, ombudsman or oversight function.

Please indicate clearly your role, level and responsibilities for each work experience listed.
Professional experience in formulating recommendations and advising on fundamental rights to senior management;

Please indicate the type of recommendations/advice provided to senior management.
Professional experience relevant to the role, in cooperating with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, at international and/or EU level.

Please indicate the type of stakeholders as well as context (international/EU level).

Desirable Criteria

The following criteria are considered as desirable and may be taken into account during the application screening phase:

Experience in balancing fundamental rights obligations with supervisory, enforcement or investigative activities.

Skills

The following skills will be evaluated during the the written test and/or interview phases.

Technical Competencies

Legal expertise in fundamental rights, international human rights law and data protection;
Ability to carry out Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments (FRIAs) or advising on safeguards in inspections, investigations or information-processing activities;
Ability to draft clear, concise and evidence-based legal opinions, guidance, reports and recommendations on fundamental rights matters;
Ability to conduct or oversee the assessment of complaints and alleged breaches of fundamental rights, ensuring impartiality, confidentiality and procedural fairness.

Interpersonal Skills

Stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills while maintaining independence and impartiality;
Ability to promote and embed a culture of respect for fundamental rights across the organisation through engagement, awareness-raising and collaboration;
Advisory and communication skills (written and oral);
Strong sense of confidentiality, integrity and discretion;
Cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness.

Language Skills

A strong command of both written and spoken English (min. C1 level). English oral and written skills will be assessed throughout the assessment phase.

Motivation

Candidates will also be tested on their motivation for this position.

APPLICATION, SELECTION & RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please submit your application in English. Applications not indicating the minimum required English proficiency level of C1 will be rejected.

Before submitting your application look at our careers page and check out the Guide for candidates. Proof of compliance with specific criteria may be requested at any stage during the selection process. If you fail to comply with the eligibility and essential criteria, your application will be disqualified.

The selection process will be organised in several consecutive stages:

Screening and shortlisting: After the deadline for online registration, the Selection Board will check the eligible applications against the selection criteria as described above. Upon completion of the initial assessment, the Selection Board will establish a shortlist of the candidates best matching the criteria.

Assessment phase: The shortlisted candidates will be invited to the assessment phase which will be organised remotely. This phase will be conducted in English. The assessment phase may involve an oral interview with the Selection Board and a written test. The oral and written test aim at testing the specific competencies and knowledge with reference to the selection criteria of the present vacancy notice.

Details of the date and time of the assessment will be communicated to the shortlisted candidates in due time. Assessments are foreseen to take place in October 2026. Please note that timelines are subject to change.

All candidates will be informed about the outcome of the procedure throughout the selection process.

Reserve list & Appointment: At the end of the assessment phase, the Selection Board will propose a list of suitable candidates to the Executive Director of AMLA for approval. To be included in the reserve list, candidates will need to have received the threshold of 65% of the total score. The adopted reserve list will be valid until 31/12/2027. The validity of the reserve list may be extended by decision of the Executive Director of AMLA.

Prior to being offered a post, candidates might be required to undergo further evaluation by AMLA (e.g. including a further interview with the Executive Director and/ or hiring manager). The Executive Director will appoint the selected candidate(s). Candidates should note that inclusion in the reserve list does not imply any entitlement to employment at AMLA. Recruitment is also subject to budgetary availability.

Please also note that the reserve list may be shared with the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), located in Frankfurt. Upon establishment of the reserve list and upon request for access, AMLA shall seek the consent of all candidates included on the reserve list.

All selected candidates may be required to have, or be in a position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate, depending on the specific job profile and the need-to-know requirements. A Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (PSCC) is defined as a certificate issued by a competent authority establishing that an individual is security cleared and holds a valid national or EU PSCC, which shows the level of EU Classified Information (EUCI) to which that individual may be granted access, the date of validity of the relevant PSC and the date of expiry of the certificate itself.

DATA PROTECTION & APPEAL PROCEDURE

The information provided in the application form is collected for the purpose of the selection/ recruitment procedure(s) at AMLA. Consult the data protection notice for more information about the processing of personal data in the selection and recruitment process.

If you believe a decision made during the selection process has negatively impacted your interests, you can request a review of your application, lodge an administrative complaint, a judicial appeal or a complaint to the European Ombudsman. You can find more information on the appeal procedure in our Guide for candidates.

CONTACT

In case of questions related to careers at AMLA, email us at careers@amla.europa.eu