24287 | Registry

A roster of suitable candidates may be established for this post as a result of this selection process for fixed-term appointments against both established posts and positions funded by general temporary assistance (GTA).

Organisational Context

The Language Services Section (LSS) provides high-quality language services to the organs of the Court for the efficient conduct of Court business. Such services include translation, revision and editing of Court documents; consecutive and simultaneous interpretation for meetings, trial hearings, press conferences, specialized seminars, diplomatic briefings and other events, held in-house or away from the seat of the Court; assistance and guidance regarding terminology and references; management of language tools to ensure that consistent terminology is used throughout the Court; recruitment, training and accreditation of interpreters needed for work with Registry officials in the field and/or at the seat of the Court; provision of relevant information to service users to familiarize them with all the language services provided and with the procedures and requirements of the professions in question.

The Head of the French Translation Unit/Senior Reviser (French) reports directly to the Chief of Section.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Chief of Section, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

1. Manage the French Translation Unit and supervise its revisers and translators, taking ultimate responsibility for all translation, editing and revision carried out within the Unit; perform translation, editing and revision tasks, taking special responsibility for the most sensitive texts; and provide feedback with a view to ensuring quality management and staff development, including by holding regular Unit meetings and evaluating the performance of revisers and translators;
2. Build positive relationships with clients of the French Translation Unit and meet their expectations, including by negotiating feasible deadlines that take full account of requesters’ priorities and Unit capacity and, subsequently, providing progress updates on their requests;
3. Formulate policies and issue instructions to ensure the smooth functioning of the French Translation Unit, taking account of clients’ needs and consulting the revisers and other unit heads, taking responsibility for the testing and recruitment of Unit staff, overseeing the development, updating and dissemination of style guides and related documents in French, conducting or organizing translation and revision workshops and other forms of training, and developing and implementing standard operating procedures, also in cooperation with the revisers and other unit heads;
4. Plan, organize, supervise and monitor the Unit’s budgetary expenditure in accordance with business requirements;
5. Supervise the outsourcing of translations into French and their revision where necessary, including by organizing and overseeing the testing and recruitment of freelance translators and the provision of qualified revisers with a view to maintaining a pool of reliable freelance linguists for working in-house and off-site; and
6. Report to the Chief of Section on all management, staffing and budgetary matters concerning the French Translation Unit.

Essential Qualifications

Education:

An advanced university degree in translation, languages, law or a related field. A first‑level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience is accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

Minimum of seven years (nine years with a first-level university degree) of progressively responsible professional experience as a translator or reviser, including at least five years in an international working environment.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Knowledge of ICC core legal instruments, international criminal justice, current affairs and politics;
• Knowledge of the language tools and IT applications in common use;
• Knowledge of ICC terminology and specialist subjects relevant for editing, translating and revising translations at the Court: legal, political, military, medical, forensic, human rights, administrative and financial;
• Knowledge of legal concepts in general and international legal instruments in particular;
• Concentration and eye for detail;
• Analytical skills;
• Intellectual curiosity, motivation and initiative;
• Communication skills;
• Teamwork and ability to work consistently under pressure;
• Organizational skills;
• Tact, discretion, diplomatic skills and multicultural awareness.

Knowledge of languages:

Mother-tongue proficiency in French and a high level of proficiency in English are required. Knowledge of another official language of the Court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) would be considered an asset. Knowledge of another language used in the context of the ICC would be considered an additional asset.