Interpreter/Translator, English, Arusha, Tanzania

Posting Title: Interpreter/Translator, English, P4

Job Code Title: Interpreter, English

Department/ Office: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

Duty Station: Arusha, Tanzania

Posting Period: 28 August 2014-27 September 2014

Job Opening number: 14-LAN-ICTR-36610-R-ARUSHA (T)

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Special Notice

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations †Chapter 3, article 8). English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is a nonâ€smoking environment.

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Organizational Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Language Services Section of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (UN-ICTR). The incumbent will work under the general supervision of the Chief of the Language Services Section, and the direct supervision of the Head, Interpretation/Translation Unit.

Responsibilities

Interpretation:

• Service up to seven Court sessions/meetings per week (exceptionally eight), usually of no more than three hours duration, of various ICTR Chambers/United Nations bodies;
• Provide interpretation, into English of speeches or statements given in French;
• May occasionally be assigned to sensitive meetings;
• May function as team leader of all interpreters assigned to a given meeting;

Translation:

• Perform French to English translation/self-revision, as assigned by the Chief of Section or his representative, of correspondence and other material, including motions, briefs, decisions, judgements, reports, agreements, etc., frequently involving the use of legal terminology
• Must aim at a high standard of accuracy, consistency and faithfulness to the spirit, style and nuances of the original; observe the established terminology and usage; and ensure, as far as possible, consistency with other translators working on the same document.
• Uses all sources of reference, information and consultation relevant to the text in hand and carries out any research required to solve terminological problems.
• Must maintain an adequate speed and volume of output, due account being taken of the difficulty of the text and the specified deadlines.
• Identifies new terminology material and submits it for the consideration of revisers.
• May perform other related duties, as required

Competencies

Professionalism:

• High level of concentration; split-second accuracy; clear delivery;
• ability to work under continuous stress and to assimilate an exceedingly broad range of subjects.
• Good writing skills; high standards of accuracy, consistency and faithfulness to the spirit, style and nuances of the original text;
• good grasp of the subject matter;
• ability to use all sources of reference, consultation and information relevant to the text in hand;
• ability to maintain an adequate speed and volume of output, taking into account the difficulty of the text and the specified deadlines.

Communication:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent command of English and French.
• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively;
• listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately;
• asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience;
• demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Teamwork:

• Good coordination with others working on the same meeting or on the same document in order to ensure consistency of terminology and style.
• Ability to gain the support and cooperation of others in a team endeavour, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• 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.

Empowering others:

• Delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work.
• Encourages others to set challenging goals.
• Holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility.
• Genuinely values all staff members' input and expertise.
• Shows appreciation and rewards achievement and effort. Involves others when making decisions that affect them.

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.
• Makes 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 that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in translation and interpretation.
• A first-level university degree in modern languages or law in combination with a degree, certificate or diploma in translation and interpretation from a recognized translation/interpretation training school or qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• The candidate must have passed the official ICTR competitive Examination for French to English Interpreters/Translators.

Other skills:

• Proven ability to interpret from or into other UN official languages will be an asset.
• Ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure.
• A broad cultural background. Initiative, judgement, thoroughness and ability to maintain harmonious working relationships in a multinational team.
• Ability to assimilate technical subjects.

Work Experience

• At least seven years of work experience involving interpretation and translation in government, an international organization or a large-scale private organization.
• Good knowledge of the various fields of law.
• Experience in court interpretation and legal translation, particularly in the field of criminal law, is required.
• Familiarity with the aims and procedures of international organizations functioning at government level, particularly of legal institutions.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
• For the post advertised, a perfect command of English which must be the candidate's primary language and an excellent command of French are required.

Assessment Method

• Evaluation of qualified applicants may include a technical test which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

United Nations Considerations

The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

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