Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the French Translation and Text-Processing Section (FTTS) of the Conference Management Service (CMS), Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) in Vienna. CMS operates administratively under the Division for Management (DM), United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). The incumbent will be working under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Section. For more information on UNOV, please visit www.unov.org.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following specific duties: • Produce revised texts as necessary, as well as self-revised translations, that cover a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations and that fully reflect the content, style and intent of the original text. Translate, mostly without revision, texts submitted by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in particular those of a sensitive nature or requiring vast experience and recognized proficiency. Revise translations covering subjects dealt with by the above-mentioned offices. Maintain recognized and established UN workload and quality standards. • Identify new terminology material, submit it for approval and contribute to the setting of terminology standards; carry out linguistic research and participate in the preparation of online terminology records and glossaries, technical vocabularies and related reference tools for use in the Section. • Make effective use of relevant language technologies and tools and assist the Chief in promoting their utilization. • Actively seek to learn from feedback and develop own skills and knowledge relevant to the job, especially through self-study. • Coordinate the work of translators/temporary staff; assign individual tasks and support the Chief with programming long-term work, if required. • Undertake cross-assignments to perform other language functions, if required. • Collect and analyse data, as appropriate, as input for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentations and reporting. • Coach and assist junior translators, give them feedback on their work and brief them on the procedures and practices of the Section, on standard terminology and on a number of subjects, as required. • Participate in drafting or consistency groups, as assigned. • Serve as team-leader on conference shifts, including early-morning, late or night shifts. • Contribute to the quality management of outsourced documents, as assigned. • Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Perform other work-related duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM Ability to demonstrate good writing skills; high standard of accuracy, consistency and faithfulness to the spirit, style and nuances of the original text with a good grasp of the subject matter. Knowledge of a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations, i.e. political, social, legal, economic, financial, administrative, scientific and technical. Ability to use all sources of references, consultation and information relevant to text at hand. Ability to work under continuous stress in dealing with a broad range of subjects. Ability to show a high level of versatility, judgement and discretion. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. TEAMWORK Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. CLIENT ORIENTATION Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client. JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

A first-level degree from a university or an institution of equivalent status is required. Candidates for this position must have passed the United Nations Competitive Examination for French Translators/Précis-Writers or the relevant combined United Nations Competitive Examination for French Translators/Précis-writers, Editors, and Verbatim Reporters; this requirement will be waived for candidates who passed one of the relevant United Nations competitive examinations held before 2017 for Editors or Verbatim Reporters, subject to an assessment test to be conducted by the Hiring Manager as part of the Inspira selection process.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of experience in translation or in another relevant language field, and in the use of relevant language technologies, is required. Out of the afore-mentioned experience, a minimum of three years of experience within the United Nations or a similar international organization is desirable. Proven experience in translating on a self-revision basis is desirable. Experience with legal, scientific or technical texts relevant to the topics dealt with at the United Nations is desirable. Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

A perfect command of French (as assessed in the relevant Competitive Examination), which must be the candidate’s main language, is required. An excellent knowledge of English (as assessed in the relevant Competitive Examination) is required. Knowledge of one other official language (also as assessed in the relevant Competitive Examination) is required, except for candidates who possess relevant substantive expertise required by the unit concerned (as assessed in the relevant Competitive Examination). NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a written assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This is a language position. When completing the application, ensure all fields, all professional experience, and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. Vienna is classified in the H category and is a family duty station. Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.