Division Manager, French and English Translation (TCLS1) – PL2  

THE BANK:

Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 81 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries).  The Bank’s development agenda is delivering financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. To sharply focus the objectives of the Ten-Year Strategy (2024-2033) and ensure greater developmental impact, five major areas, all of which will accelerate our delivery for Africa, have been identified for scaling up, namely; energy, agro-business, industrialization, integration and improving the quality of life for the people of Africa.

THE COMPLEX:

The Vice-Presidency, Technology and Corporate Services (TCVP), serves as the cornerstone for the Bank’s technological and corporate service initiatives. Dedicated to efficiency and client satisfaction, TCVP is tasked with the design, development, and delivery of superior information technology solutions and corporate services. Its responsibilities range from the strategic development and implementation of the Bank’s IT systems, cybersecurity, and business continuity plans to the management of real estate assets, procurement, corporate travel, and language services. Through its leadership, TCVP ensures these critical functions are executed in alignment with the Bank’s mission, enhancing overall institutional effectiveness.

THE HIRING DEPARTMENT/DIVISION:

The Language Services Department is responsible for ensuring quality translation of major Bank documents primarily into English and French, but also into Arabic and Portuguese, as well as other languages as required, providing high-standard interpretation in English and French or Arabic and Portuguese, editing documents meant for publication and ensuring quality, analysing and evaluating strategic choices and making relevant recommendations on the use of English and French within the Bank Group, reviewing, updating and implementing practical guidelines and procedures for the efficient delivery of language services, assisting partner organizations eliciting the Bank’s assistance in establishing, restructuring or improving their language services, and promoting bilingualism to enhance communication among staff and with the Bank’s clients and partners.

Within the Language Services Department, the mandate of the French and English Translation Division is to provide high-level translation services by ensuring quality translation of all Bank documents primarily into and from the Bank’s working languages (French from English), and occasionally Arabic and Portuguese, as well as editing key documents such as the Bank Group’s Annual Report in English and French.

THE POSITION:

The Manager, French and English Translation Division, is charged with developing a strategic approach to defining, planning, organizing, coordinating and leading the activities of the Division to enable the Department to provide high-level translation and editing services in support of the Bank’s development mandate for Africa.

KEY FUNCTIONS:

Reporting directly to the Director of the Language Services Department, the Division Manager oversees all Bank translation activities, provides advisory services, and steers strategic thinking on translation and editing. The incumbent will perform the following key functions:

1. Manage the French and English Translation Division of the Bank.
2. Set objectives, formulate policies, establish priorities, define and monitor the key performance indicators of the Division.
3. Plan, organize and coordinate all translation and editing activities.
4. Optimize the use of the Division’s human, financial and technological resources.
5. Monitor and enforce performance and efficiency targets.
6. Lead Bank-wide advocacy to promote and encourage staff through training and sensitization to use both official languages of the Bank to strike a reasonable balance in the production of documents in French and English.
7. Monitor best practices in the industry and, as appropriate, liaise with counterparts in other organizations.
8. Promote the sharing of best practices in translation, interpretation and editing.
9. Assess the training needs of staff in the Division, monitor and evaluate their performance, and recommend personnel actions to the Vice President.
10. Oversee the installation and configuration of the Division’s computer-aided translation (CAT) and other language tools and coordinate the development of terminological databases and translation memories.
11. Oversee editing Bank-wide with a focus on the Bank’s flagship documents and ensure that the quality of editing is commensurate with the Institution’s Style Guide.
12. Oversee collaboration with in-house authors and external consultants to ensure that they meet specific aspects of editorial policy and practice in preparing Bank documents.
13. Supervise the alignment of editing in the Bank to ISO Standard 9001:2015 on Quality Management System.
14. Champion translating and editing best practices in the Bank.

COMPETENCIES (skills, experience and knowledge):

1. At least a Master’s degree in Translation, Modern Languages or related disciplines.
2. A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant working experience in a multilateral finance institution or a similar organization, three (3) of which in a managerial or highly supervisory position.
3. Proven experience in managing and successfully supervising a team with a high volume of work and very short deadline requirements.
4. Evidence of certification following editing or publishing training.
5. Proven knowledge of computer-assisted translation and AI-backed tools.
6. Proven experience in leading teams to deliver under pressure.
7. Ability to arbitrate with requesters and service providers to enhance translation service delivery.
8. Capacity to perform exceptionally in a multicultural and complex environment and maintain harmonious working relations.
9. Proven strong managerial, interpersonal and communication skills; strong negotiating skills and ability to think strategically.
10. Ability to deliver an efficient and effective service on time at an acceptable cost.
11. Demonstrated a high level of integrity, discretion and confidentiality.
12. Ability to communicate at a high level (written and oral) in English and French. Proficiency in another continental language (Arabic, Portuguese or Spanish) will be an advantage.
13. Practical knowledge of standard MS Office Suite used in the Bank.

THIS POSITION IS CLASSIFIED AS AN INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT AND ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

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