Translation Expert (English-Arabic) – National Consultant – Retainer

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS) covers 17 countries in the Arab States region. ROAS supports Country Offices to assist national governments to fulfill their gender equality commitments under the applicable national and international laws, and in furtherance of national and regional implementation of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2023, UN Women has opened its first physical presence in Bahrain, where, as a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, it will contribute to UN joint efforts in support of the national development plan Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, in close consultation with its national partner the Supreme Council for Women. 

The translator will be engaged under a retainer contract for twelve months in length (with the possibility of extension) and is expected to provide high-quality Arabic-to-English and English-to-Arabic written translation services for UN Women on a per-assignment basis. Individual assignments will vary in length, content, and form. UN Women Bahrain will identify in advance translation assignments, ascertain whether the hired consultant is available during the time period of the assignment, and clearly inform the hired consultant of the nature, timeframe, and expected outputs for each assignment. Flexibility is expected as the nature of the communications work often evolves to respond to contextual needs and demands, including deadlines set at short notice. After completion of the assignment, the consultant will be required to submit an invoice detailing the number of words translated (one page of text being equivalent to 250 words).

Under the direct supervision of the Coordination Specialist and the overall guidance and supervision of the Regional Director for the Arab States, the consultant will be responsible for providing written translation (Arabic-English, English-Arabic) for a range of documents, including briefs, reports, speeches, presentations, meeting notes, etc., compliant with UN Women’s inclusive language guidelines.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Translate UN Women Bahrain knowledge products and communication materials from English to Arabic and vice versa, ensuring accuracy, appropriateness, and adherence to UN Women’s gender-sensitive translation guidelines;
• Conduct thorough terminological research using UN/UN Women/UN Term websites and other resources to ensure the accuracy and consistency of translations;
• Take full responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the entire translated document before submission.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

• This is a home-based consultancy.

Competencies

Core Values: 

• Respect for Diversity;
• Integrity;
• Professionalism. 

Core Competencies: 

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues; 
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement; 
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Excellent translation expertise on gender-sensitive, inclusive, and neutral languages;
• Demonstrable experience in communicating on gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• Excellent writing skills;
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team to meet tight deadlines and produce high quality work.

Required Skills and Experience

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in translation or languages, or a related field;

• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of progressively responsible work experience in Arabic-English translation;
• Familiarity with gender-sensitive language in Arabic and English;
• Work experience with UN Women or the UN system would be an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and oral English and Arabic is a must.

Application:

Interested individuals must submit the following document to demonstrate their qualifications. Kindly note that the system will only allow one attachment.

• UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from  ;
• Any application without submitting the above-mentioned document will be a ground for disqualification.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity, and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)