Spanish-English-Spanish Interpreter, Individual Contractor, until 31 December 2022

IMPORTANT NOTE: Persons interested in applying for this position must be Nationals of Trinidad and Tobago or should be legally present in the country at the time of application, recruitment and appointment. General Background of Project or Assignment:

In the absence of national legislation for the protection of refugees or the granting of asylum under the international refugee instruments in Trinidad and Tobago, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency Office based in Port of Spain, performs all refugee status determination procedures under its Mandate and assists with programs and services to support the protection of refugees and asylum seekers in the twin island State. Among its priorities, the work of the UNHCR aims to collaborate with other stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of national and community-based child protection systems to prevent, identify, respond, and monitor all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, and to mitigate GBV and neglect. This includes support for the care and protection of UASC and trafficked children, so as to facilitate family reunification, family/community-based alternative care, durable solutions, and/or referral to appropriate services including education and vocational training, life skills and social protection. 

For this purpose, UNHCR offers collaboration through the provision of Spanish interpretation services to the Children¿s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago to enhance its capacity in providing intervention for  migrant children, whose cases come to the attention of the Authority.

The Children¿s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (also referred to as the Authority) is a specialized agency with the responsibility for the care and protection of children, especially those who are at risk or have been victims of abuse or neglect.  The Authority advocates for the rights of children and encourages and supports them to enjoy their childhood. The organization's overarching objective is to utilize child-friendly and progressive solutions to address children¿s issues and rehabilitate them so that their full potential is realized.
UNHCR, in partnership with the Authority, invites qualified/ licensed Spanish-English-Spanish interpreters to apply for the role of Spanish-English-Spanish Interpreter. The position is funded by UNHCR, but the incumbent will be based directly at the Authority office and will report to the Authority¿s Investigation and Intervention Manager (IIU Manager). The incumbent will support the Authority¿s Case and Client Care work with children and families, whose primary language is Spanish. Given the nature of the Authority¿s work, the incumbent may be required to spend a substantial portion of their time working outside of the office, accompanying case workers and officials to home visits, court proceedings and other venues for which Spa-Eng-Spa interpretation might be required.

Overall Purpose and Scope of Assignment:
Concise and detailed description of activities, including measurable outputs and delivery dates, impact indicators (what qualitative and quantitative results would be achieved upon completion of individual contract), performance indicators (time lines, value of the service rendered in relation to the cost, timeliness) and work plan:
The incumbent will support the Authority with interpretation across several of its functional/ service areas, including:
Investigation and Interventions Unit (IIU) and Emergency Response Team:
- Support with Spanish-speaking client interviews, virtually, in-person, in-office and in the field.

Foster Care/ Child Support Centre and Community Residences:
- Interpretation to facilitate placement and communication between Spanish-speaking children in the Authority¿s care, with their relevant caregivers;
- Support of case workers during interventions, and particularly in the interpretation of material delivered on psychoeducation and psycho-therapeutic sessions, as needed;

Adoption:
- Interpretation services required for persons exploring the possibility of adoption, as well as support for Spanish speakers in navigating the adoption process;

Registry:
- Interpretation for taking and documenting reports, received via phone or in person, in Spanish;

Legal:
- Attendance at Court matters involving the Authority and Spanish speakers;

General:
- Provide any other general interpretation support as needed, including support of the Tobago office;
- Translation of documents and brochures.

Essential Minimum Qualifications:
- Advanced Certification in translation from Spanish to English to Spanish
- Court-Approved Interpreter Designation
- 2 Years Practical Interpretation Experience as a Qualified Interpreter

Desirable:
- Proficiency in communication and computer skills
- Demonstrated experience in translating official and professional documents
- Experience working with refugees/ migrants will be considered an asset
- Experience interpreting for legal cases will be considered an asset
- Experience working within psychoeducation and/or psycho-therapeutic contexts will be considered an asset
- Experience working with children and their care takers will be considered an asset

Competencies:
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism
- Demonstrates effective organizational skills and ability to handle multiple assignments in an
efficient and timely manner.
- Ability to relate to sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism.

Requirements:
- The Incumbent would be subject to a background check, inclusive of criminal tracing and/or
involvement or implication in child maltreatment matters, prior to engagement.
- The Incumbent would be required to undergo an induction session to review key terminology,
procedures and expectations, upon employment.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise. Fluent in English and Spanish is essential for this position Please note that this position is offered as Individual Contractor until 31 December 2022.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified, and might be requested to sit a test. No late applications will be accepted.

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. 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. The closing date for submission of applications is 15 July 2022 (Midnight Geneva time).

---