ASSOCIATE TRANSLATOR/EDITOR/PRÉCIS-WRITTER, SPANISH

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and is under the general supervision of the Chief of the Spanish Unit, Documents and Publications Division.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region's economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Associate Translator/Editor/Précis-writer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Translates, subject to revision, documents, including summary records, covering a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations, i.e., political, social, legal, economic, financial, administrative, scientific and technical.
• Edits texts for continuity, logical arrangement, completeness, relevance of material, readability, clarity of expression, internal consistency, as well as spelling, punctuation and grammar.
• Ensures that material adheres to established editorial standards and conforms with the United Nations policy and practices.
• Attends meetings as part of a team, takes notes either directly from statements delivered in the languages of competence or from the interpretation and subsequently uses the notes to produce draft summary records.
• Verifies the accuracy of facts, figures, references, etc. through research, reference sources and consultation.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Ability to draft, edit and translate materials on a wide range of topics. Knowledge of general vocabulary of a level and range appropriate to the content and the difficulty level of the text. Ability to use all sources of reference, consultation and information relevant to text at hand. Ability to maintain an adequate speed and volume of output, taking into account the difficulty of the text and the specified deadlines. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Communication: 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.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

A first level degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) from a university or an institution of equivalent status in translation, editing, writing, languages or related area is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

Candidates for this position must have passed the combined United Nations Language Competitive Examination for Translators/Précis-writers, Editors, Verbatim Reporters and Copy Preparers/Proofreaders/Production Editors in the relevant language or any relevant United Nations language competitive examination in Spanish held before 2017. The examination is required as eliminatory element.

Work Experience

At least 2 years of experience of translation/editing in Spanish, including economic and social affairs is required.

Experience in subjects dealt with by ECLAC (i.e. financial, social and economic development, regional economic integration, women affairs, environmental development, foreign investment and statistics) is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in Spanish, which must be the candidate's main language, is required. Knowledge of English as tested by the relevant United Nations language competitive examination is required.

NOTE: ‘Fluency’’ equals a rating of ‘’fluent’’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand).

Assessment

Qualified candidates may be invited to a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

-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.
- 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 on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. 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.
- Although there is no right or entitlement to Flexible Working Arrangements, many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. The following types of flexibility are usually possible: staggered working hours, compressed work week, scheduled breaks for learning activities and telecommuting (maximum 80.5 Km from the duty station). This position requires high office presence time and travel. Please wait until the final stage of the offer to ask more about flexibility since the agreement is voluntary between the staff members and their supervisor and will depend on the organisational needs
- For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 30 September 2022: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.

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.