Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development. A key agreement opened for signature at Rio was the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Convention has three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is located in Montreal, Canada and is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This post is in the Secretariat of the CBD, in Montreal within the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES). Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Executive Secretary and the direct supervision of the Editor in charge of the Documentation and Language Unit, the incumbent will carry out the following functions:

Responsibilities

A. Translation Management: a) Manages translation requests and assists in the implementation and development of translation processes in all relevant official United Nations languages for the parliamentary documents and publication materials of the Secretariat. b) Leads and coordinates the teams in charge of translation management and the work of translators in all United Nations official languages during meetings. c) Under the supervision and guidance of the Editor or the Chief of Unit, manages the rosters of freelance translators in all United Nations languages, ensuring that the rosters meet the needs of the Secretariat by monitoring the performance of each translator and making recommendations for the recruitment of new translators. Selects or assists with the selection of teams of freelance translators from the rosters for in-session and out-of-session work. d) Monitors the programming of translation work, including by ensuring the equitable distribution of work among translators and the efficient and effective capacity utilization, in collaboration with the Editor. e) Provides expert assistance in the costing of translation work, including by preparing, reviewing, analysing and assisting in the finalization of cost estimates. f) Assists with day-to-day administration of contracts between the United Nations and external contractors for outsourced services. g) Answers queries from freelance translators, including on content, and provides them with training on translation procedures. h) Maintains or oversees the maintenance of the status of translation assignments to ensure timely delivery and payments, and provides related status and statistical reports, as requested. B. Translation tools: a) Performs research into and provides advice on translation tools, such as translation memories and machine translation, keeps abreast of developments in technology and in United Nations use, policy and guidance regarding such tools, and oversees their testing and use, as relevant. b) Provides advice, guidance, training and technical assistance to other staff members and to freelance translators in the area of translation tools, as needed. c) Assists in the development of an in-house documentation management tool, in particular the translation module. C. Terminology: Oversees and conducts terminology work, in collaboration with the translators, by developing and maintaining an in-house multilingual glossary and sending feedback or record creation requests to the United Nations Terminology Database. D. Document templates, formatting and posting: a) Prepares and monitors the use of document templates in all translation languages in accordance with existing guidelines, including for tables, graphics and charts, and applies or develops macros and templates in MS Word in those languages, as needed. b) Assists translators with formatting queries and correct documents, as necessary. c) Posts documents online or submits them for posting, including to the United Nations Official Document System. E. Referencing and pre-editing: a) Identify reference material needed for translating into the six official languages of the United Nations, as retrieved from the Secretariat website, the Official Document System of the United Nations, the United Nations Terminology Database, the Internet, the intranet or any other relevant source. b) Performs some pre-editing functions and brings errors in text to the attention of the responsible editor. F. Data analytics: a) Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. b) Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. G. Other tasks: Executes any other duties as required by the supervisor.

Competencies

Professionalism: Demonstrated analytical ability. Ability to analyse and interpret data in support of decision-making. 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. Commits to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all areas of work. Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. 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.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

Completion of a technical or vocational certificate in language studies is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in translation management or related documentation is required. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in the use of translation tools is required. A minimum of two (2) years of supervisory experience is desirable. Work experience in an international organization or in a multicultural and multilingual environment is desirable. One year or more of experience in data analytics or a related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult

https://languages.un.org

for details).

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Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a substantive assessment which will be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The appointment against this position is limited to the United Nations Environment Programme. Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension. External candidate selected for this position will be granted a fixed-term appointment limited ("FTA-limited") in accordance with section 2.2 (b) of administrative instruction ST/AI/2013/1 on Administration of fixed-term appointments. Renewal of appointment is contingent upon continued existence of mandate and availability of funding. If this position is discontinued, the incumbent will be separated from service. United Nations Secretariat staff members who meet the definition of "internal candidate" in staff rule 4.10 who are selected for this position subject to limitation will retain their current appointment status and will be reassigned or transferred to the position, without a lien to their parent position. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. The candidate is responsible for any travel expenses incurred to take-up the appointment. 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. 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 based on qualifications and organizational needs. When completing the Candidate Profile form, 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. 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 online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online 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. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

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. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. 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.


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