SENIOR ARABIC REVISER

Purpose of the post

The ICRC’s translation team provides language services at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva. The core team of in-house translators – working into Arabic, English and French – leverages an extended group of freelancers and translators in regional offices, for Arabic and Spanish, to deliver a large volume of high quality work to HQ clients. The in-house team, with its many years of experience and its linguistic expertise in all areas of the ICRC’s work, ensures consistency and continuity in the organization’s written communications – communications that have an impact on the organization’s ability to fulfil its mandate and maintain its reputation.

Main responsibilities

The Senior Arabic Reviser is a self-revising Arabic translator who translates a wide range of texts in a variety of styles from English into Arabic (and preferably also from French), revises translations, and edits texts written in Arabic. S/he will work closely with the head of the Arabic translation team based in Cairo, in order to guarantee the coherence in terms of terminology and style guide matters.

As part of ensuring that the organization produces high quality and accurate work in Arabic, the Senior Arabic Reviser reviews and provides input on the assignment of work to freelance translators commissioned by the ICRC and answers language-related questions from colleagues from other units. The Senior Arabic Reviser will also oversee and train less experienced freelance translators and keep Arabic-language reference documents up-to-date in full collaboration with the Cairo-based ICRC translation team.

The successful candidate will be at ease working on highly sensitive documents under often tight deadlines, in coordination with colleagues from the other language sections and from other units of the organization. S/he will also be a strong proponent of translation and terminology software programs.

An important component of this position will be liaising with the ICRC’s Arabic-language translators in Cairo. The Senior Arabic Reviser, along with the Head of the Arabic Translation Unit based in Cairo, will provide guidance to one another and play an active role in strengthening overall Arabic translation capacities, namely in the Arabic-speaking region. Occasional travel to the Cairo-based Translation Unit for this and other purposes could be required.

Selection criterias

• Translation diploma or university degree plus at least six years of translating and revising experience
• Arabic mother tongue
• Excellent Arabic-language grammar and writing skills
• Advanced knowledge of English (and preferably also French), including strong speaking skills
• Robust approach to translation and editing
• Strong interpersonal skills to interact with “internal clients” and counterparts in Cairo.
• Team-player a must
• Solid computer skills (Microsoft Office) and knowledge of SDL Trados
• Proven facility with translation and terminology tools
• Knowledge of international law, the humanitarian sector or related fields
• Experience in interpreting a plus

Additional information

Contract: open-ended

Starting date: 1st January 2018 (or as soon as possible)

Application deadline:  October 22nd 2017

Short-listed candidates will sit an examination.