Job Opportunities at United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

Responsibilities

• Revises translations and original summary records dealing with subjects of an exceptionally sensitive, complex, or technical nature, while meeting or exceeding required workload standards.
• Translates texts of an exceptionally sensitive, complex, or technical nature, while meeting or exceeding required workload standards.
• Makes full use of standard computer-assisted-translation (CAT) tools and assists the Chief of Translation and Editorial Section (TES) in promoting their utilization and in implementing any related IT tools and improvements.
• Directs the conduct of terminological research within the translation unit.
• Counsels and assists revisers and translators/as required.
• Assists the Chief of TES in the preparation of terminology materials to meet the needs of the Section.
• Performs quality control of contractual translations and monitors quality of all documents processed by the Unit.
• Trains and supervises junior language staff.
• Programmes daily and long-term work of the Unit.
• Assists the Chief of TES in selecting texts for United Nations competitive examinations, in marking candidates' scripts and in evaluating results.
• Supervises staff within the Unit; this includes performance management.
• May serve as officer-in-charge in the absence of the Chief of TES.
• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: : Ability to maintain the highest standard of accuracy, consistency and faithfulness to the spirit, style and nuances of the original text when translating documents on a wide range of topics. Excellent writing skills when translating texts and/or drafting summary records and preparing training or other materials. Ability to exceed workload standards. Knowledge of a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations, i.e. political, social, legal, economic, financial, administrative, scientific and technical subjects, and excellent analytical skills. Knowledge of terminological and reference research techniques, with ability to use all sources of information. Ability to show a high level of versatility, judgment and discretion. Ability to provide useful feedback that helps translators/précis-writers become self-revising and revisers to expand their knowledge and skillset. Familiarity with the issues relating to the management of translation services. 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. Ensures that requirements and background information used for data analysis are documented. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
• 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.
• 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. Takes 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

• A first-level degree from a university or institution of equivalent status is required. Candidates for this position must have passed the relevant combined United Nations Language Competitive Examination for Translators/Précis-writers, Editors, Verbatim Reporters and Copy Preparers/Proofreaders/Production Editors or the relevant United Nations language competitive examinations held before 2017.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Job - Specific Qualification

• United Nations Language Competitive Examination for Translators/Précis-writers, Editors, Verbatim Reporters and Copy Preparers/Proofreaders/Production Editors is required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in translation, précis- writing, editing, self-revision, verbatim reporting, copy preparing, proofreading, production editing or related area is required.
• Experience in the use of standard computer-assisted-translation (CAT) tools is required.
• Eight years work experience in a multilingual setting is required.
• Managerial experience is desirable.
• At least four years of revision experience within an international organization or an organization of the United Nations system is required.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written Arabic, which must be the candidate's main language, is required. Applicants must also have knowledge of English as tested by the relevant United Nations language competitive examination. Knowledge of one other official United Nations language as tested by the relevant United Nations language competitive examination is desirable.

Deadline:  14 July 2023

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Responsibilities

•  Trains other editors and revises their work, while meeting required workload standards and deadlines, and provides feedback that helps revisees become autonomous, self-revising editors.
•  Edits, on a self-revising basis, documents, including texts of a specialized or technical nature and in particular those requiring experience and recognized proficiency, to ensure accuracy, clarity, cohesion and conformity with United Nations standards, policy and practice, including by correcting spelling, punctuation and grammar and ensuring that terminology is correct, and style is appropriate to the readership, while meeting required workload standards and deadlines.
•  Carries out more extensive editing where required, including rewriting, abridging and restructuring texts for greater readability and better logical sequence, adapting proposals to the target audience and maintaining the technical or specialized language used, as appropriate.
•  Translates texts covering a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations, while meeting workload standards and deadlines.
•  Drafts reports of meetings, either after attending meetings as part of a team and taking notes or using recordings, and/or compiles the report, while meeting workload standards and deadlines.
•  Consults with author departments and carries out research to clarify ambiguities and rectify substantive errors, including verifying the accuracy of facts, figures, references and quotations.
•  Provides authors with information on specific aspects of editorial policy and practice, in particular in relation to matters requiring experience and recognized proficiency, and assists them in the preparation of documentation.
•  Contributes to the development of editorial policy and practice.
•  Makes effective use of relevant language technologies and tools and assists the Chief in promoting their utilization.
•  Identifies new terminology material, submits it for approval and contributes to the setting of terminology standards.
•  Actively seeks to learn from feedback and develop own skills and knowledge relevant to the job, especially through self-study.
•  Advises and assists editors and briefs them on procedures and practices, terminology and a broad range of subjects, as required.
•  Coordinates the work of editors.
•  Assigns individual tasks and supports the Chief with programming long-term work, if required.
•  Performs quality control of documents produced externally and contributes to the establishment of quality control criteria and procedures.
•  Acts as First Reporting Officer, if required.
•  Undertakes cross-assignments to perform other language functions, if required.
•  Serves as Officer-in-Charge in the absence of the Chief.
•  Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
•  Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to demonstrate good writing skills; high standard of accuracy, consistency and faithfulness to the spirit, style and nuances of the original text with a good grasp of the subject matter; knowledge of a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations, i.e., political, social, legal, economic, financial, administrative, scientific and technical; ability to use all sources of references, consultation and information relevant to text at hand; ability to work under pressure and maintain adequate speed and volume of output and deliver clear interpretation on a broad range of subjects; ability to show a high level of versatility, judgement and discretion; 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; ensures that requirements and background information used for data analysis are documented; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• PLANNING & 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.
• CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

• A first-level degree from a university or an institution of equivalent status is required.

Job - Specific Qualification

• Candidates for this position are required to have passed the relevant United Nations Competitive Examination for Editors or the relevant combined United Nations Competitive Examination for Translators/Précis-writers, Editors and Verbatim Reporters; this requirement will be waived for candidates who passed one of the relevant United Nations competitive examinations held before 2017 for Translators/Précis-Writers or Verbatim Reporters, subject to an assessment test to be conducted by the hiring manager as part of the Inspira selection process.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in editing or in another relevant language field, and in the use of relevant language technologies, is required, of which three years preferably should have been in the United Nations or a similar international organization.
• Proven experience in editing on a self-revision basis is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English, which must be the candidate's main language, and knowledge of at least two other United Nations official languages, as assessed in the relevant United Nations language Competitive Examination is required.

Deadline:  14 July 2023

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Duties and Responsibilities
Organization Setting and Reporting

• The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the representative office of the SecretaryGeneral. We support programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing Administrative, conference, Security and information services (www.unon.org).
• This Individual Contractor is in the Facilities Management and Transportation Section (FMTS), Support Services Service, Division of Administrative Services, United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). The successful candidate reports to the Manager, Office Space and Premises, working on various office space accommodation and management projects within the UN Gigiri Complex.

Duties and Responsibilities

•  As/ where required take measurements on site necessary to prepare design and construction level drawings accurately to scale, taking note of any existing conditions such as structural elements, electrical/ mechanical components and finishes/materials, using AutoCAD and or Autodesk Revit (both 2D & 3D) any other software(s) versions installed/ operated by UNON FMTS);
•  Working together with supervisors, convert manager’s ‘already prepared’ sketch design concepts for office space into accurate and to scale design/ layout drawings usable for client presentation/ discussion purposes and construction drawings for construction works purposes (including partition, furniture and equipment layouts, ceiling plans and electrical and data requirements);
•  Working together with supervisors, interpret client’s program requirements into sketch design concepts and architectural drawings, preparing floor plans and partitioning layouts for both ‘new client office space fit out’ as well as ‘existing client office space reorganization’, determining the most suitable means to achieve client’s/ supervisor’s goals (per existing office space design/ norms and office interior solutions), where possible attempting to identify problems and to offer creative ways to solve problems;
•  Assist project managers where/ when required to supervise construction works on site per dictated design/ construction drawings; undertake inspections, prepare contractor meeting minutes, issue instructions and ensure works are completed per schedule on time and to the required standards of workmanship;
•  Assist project managers when/ where required to coordinate movements, log requests for movers, issue movement schedules to relevant contractors, e.g. partitioning, building maintenance, ICT and printer/ copy services and to transfer and re/install workstations and printer/ copiers within the new office space;
•  Supervise cleaning and tidying up of the offices. Followup on the complaints from offices/ staff moved and where possible resolve issues and or report to relevant supervisors;
•  Perform other duties assigned by supervisors such as, but not limited to, occasionally assisting in other of areas of the Section operations.

Additional task ;

• Working together with supervisors, prepare architectural drawings and renderings for presentation to management, graphic representations and other project and or section related communications documents on upcoming construction works and other operational facilities related operations for information sharing purposes and broadcast purposes.

Qualifications/special skills

• High School certificate. Proficiency in AutoCAD and/or Revit software is a requirement. Additionally, Diploma and/or Certificate from a recognized institution is required
• Two (2) years work experience in office space accommodation and management projects or related field.

Languages

• Language : English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position,
• fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN Language is desirable.

Result of Service
Deliverables

• Carry out work according to Departmental Priority Work List.
• Ensure drawing and control system is adhered to.
• Production of working drawings and check same for accuracy.
• Update drawings to Asbuilt status after works are completed.

Reports

• Maintain and ensure Design Library is up to date.
• Construct and maintain Drawing Lists for all current and ongoing projects.
• Assist Supervisor with maintaining project technical files.
• Report relevant information to Supervisor on a daily basis.

Expected duration

• 3 months

Deadline:  26 June 2023