Vacancy Notice No: PAHO/10/FT475
Title: English Translation Specialist
Grade: P3
Contract type: Fixed-term appointment
Duration of contract: Two years, first year probationary period
Application Deadline: 11 November 2010
Duty Station: Washington, D.C. United States of America
Organization unit: AM Americas (AM)
Knowledge Management Communication (KMC)
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME :
To establish the principles and practice of knowledge management and communication as fundamental to public health and a key component of technical cooperation and capacity building. As such, it oversees the equitable and efficient dissemination of health information and communications to priority audiences, especially in Member Countries, as well as the Organization's knowledge sharing processes and information and communications products. It ensures that the Organization is widely recognized as a source of authoritative scientific and technical information and safeguards its intellectual property against any use contrary to the Organization's mission and principles.
Description of duties:
Under the general supervision of the Senior Advisor, Knowledge Management (KMC/KM) and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Editorial and Translation Services (KMC/KM), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:
a) Translate into English texts of considerable difficulty in a variety of technical and scientific subject areas, including public health, medicine, agriculture, computer science, and sanitary engineering, as well as administrative and legal texts; translate and self-revise documents submitted for English translation by technical and administrative units, including the office of Governing Bodies of the Organization;
b) Coordinate the external network of English translators in order to ensure that the English translation needs of the Organization are met in a cost-effective and timely manner and adhere to the highest standards of quality;
c) Analyze translation requests and assign them to the most appropriate external translators;
d) Negotiate deadlines and terms with originating units; resolve external translators' queries and/or work with technical program (s) to resolve them;
e) Recruit external translators for the English translations tasks; review their résumés and prepare, administer, and grade tests; certify their suitability;
f) Provide translation support in public health emergencies, including working under close deadlines and quick turn-a-round of translated documents;
g) Provide support for terminology and style in English; respond to queries about terminology, nomenclature, translation, and writing posed by staff; conduct linguistic research and assist in the maintenance of glossaries; provide feedback for machine translation dictionaries; keep abreast of specialized terminology and best translation practices; ensure terminology consistency of documents;
h) Participate in professional forums, conferences and seminars; share knowledge and practices with translators of the United Nations System;
i) Perform other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Essential: A bachelor's degree in translations, linguistics, modern languages, or a related field from a recognized university.
Desirable: A master's degree in translations, public health, or related field would be an asset.
Skills:
Key Behavioral Competencies:
-- Intrainstitutional Action: Operates in a fair, consistent and equitable manner, and displays such behavior by example. Ensures that the mission and the values of the Organization as well as the setting in which projects will be carried out are the drivers in one's technical work. Understands the results required and performs to that standard. Behaves consistently in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Organization.
-- Communication: Actively engages in conversation with the key players in a multicultural environment both within and outside the organization. Develops a network of appropriate contacts inside and outside PAHO to gain and disseminate information, to raise awareness of PAHO's activities and achievements, and to build alliances. Takes into consideration the multicultural differences within the organization and the distinct needs and opportunities for communication presented by different external stakeholders and audiences.
-- Information Management: Processes and analyzes the data objectively, presenting it clearly and equitably. Leads the effort to acquire relevant and selected information that facilitates the achievement of organizational results. Evaluates/leads the evaluation of information systems on the basis of its advantages/disadvantages for processing information relevant to the area of work.
-- Teamwork: Promotes team work and leads one's area to finish tasks and accept responsibility. Creates a positive environment within the area of work. Makes everyone feel like they are part of the team as well as welcomes and appreciates everyone's ideas and suggestions. Able to see the positive aspects of working as a team, shares the team's enthusiasm for achieving mutual goals.
-- Knowledge Management: Shares knowledge and information appropriately and participates in activities to facilitate sharing. Develops tools and protocols for creation, integration and dissemination of knowledge. Researches opportunities, methods and approaches for delivering value through improved knowledge.
-- Service Orientation: Makes concrete attempts to add value to the client, to make things better for the client in some way. Is always aware of the client's need (internal and/or external clients).
-- External Action: Deliverables are on time. Keeps establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial productive relations and partnerships with counterparts in other institutions and sectors.
Technical Expertise:
--A high degree of specialization in English translation, revision, and editing.
-- Theoretical and practical knowledge of the principles and practices of English translation, revision and editing.
-- Full command of all the skills involved in preparing technical translations, including the use of terminology data bases, electronic dictionaries, research, and post editing of raw machine-translated output.
-- Ability to research information on a given subject area and keep up with the latest technologies and advancements in the area.
-- Ability to acquire knowledge and information about a wide-range of subject-matter fields, and select, organize, and present information in a manner suitable to the intended audience.
-- Ability to capture information in English accurately with attention to detail and to work under pressure for deadlines.
-- Excellent organizational and analytical skills, complemented by excellent communication and interpersonal skills combined with the ability to write, speak, and present in a clear and concise, diplomatic, tactful, and courteous manner.
IT Skills:
Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook as well as machine translation, translation memory and other computer-aided translation software. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs, such as Microsoft SharePoint and Project, will be an asset.
Experience:
Essential: Seven years of combined national and international experience as a translator translating documents and publications into English.
Desirable: Translation experience with an international organization or NGO, preferably in public health, medicine or international development woud be an asset.
Languages:
Perfect command, both idiomatic and technical, of English as mother tongue and thorough knowledge of Spanish. Knowledge of French or Portuguese would be an asset.
Additional Information:
ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ON-LINE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POST. A WRITTEN TEST AND/OR INTERVIEW MAY BE HELD FOR THIS POST. CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED ONLY IF THEY ARE UNDER SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. ALL APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ON-LINE PERSONAL HISTORY FORM. THE POST DESCRIPTION IS THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION FOR ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSES.
Annual salary: (Net of tax)
US $55,259 at single rate
US $59,200 with primary dependants
Post Adjustment: 42.6 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.
WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
Apply Now at https://erecruit.who.int/public/hrd-cl-vac-view.asp?o_c=1000&jobinfo_uid_c=23645&vaclng=en