Translator / Interpreter - Portuguese at the African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999).  We are an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Translator / Interpreter - Portuguese

Requisition ID: 855
Location: Banjul, The Gambia
Job Grade: P4
Contract  Type: Regular
Division : ACHPR - Translation
Reports to: Deputy Secretary to the Commission
Directorate / Department : African Commission on Human and People’s Rights ACHPR

Purpose of Job

• Responsible for interpretation at the sessions  and meetings of the ACHPR as well as translation of documents from either Portuguese or Arabic into English

Main Functions

• Liaises with various units of the ACHPR for coordination and alignment purposes
• Maintain Database, records and register, of Translation and Interpretation Unit for accountability and control
• Provides proper, clear, faithful interpretation from one or more AUC working languages into one or more AUC working language during various conferences and meetings of the African Union using the standard, clear and accurate language;
• Translates properly documents from  Arabic or Portuguese into other AU working languages, ensuring the highest standard of accuracy and maintaining the spirit, context, quality, technical language and nuances of the original version, using precise, clear and proper terminology
• Reads manuscripts with an editorial eye, giving attention to syntax, grammar, style and presentation, inconsistencies or missing parts in the documents and if any passages are still particularly difficult to understand, carryout some light copyediting
• Prepares budgets for the activities of the Translation and Interpretation Unit in accordance with relevant frameworks.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provides simultaneous interpretation during the conferences, statutory sessions, meetings and audience’s discussions of the ACHPR
• Provides consecutive, liaison and other forms of interpretation
• Checks appropriate references to ensure exact understanding of use of AU technical terminologies
• Ensures all documents of the ACHPR are prepared in all working languages of the African Union
• Ensures all documents emanating from the ACHPR are of an impeccable standard in terminology, syntax, style and presentation, and provide quality translation of working documents on a wide range of subject matters in a timely manner
• Checks working documents before and after translation to ensure contextual understanding, linguistic accuracy and conformity with established AU terminologies
• Consults colleagues, specialised dictionaries/glossaries, data banks and references sources to ensure translation accuracy
• Participates in the development of AU terminology database by compiling terms into glossaries for validation by the Reviser for inclusion in the ACHPR in-house terminology bank
• Updates specific terminologies, phrases, special expressions, lexicons and acronyms in order to expand vocabulary
• Has a good working knowledge of Computer Assisted Translation Tool (CATT)
• Ensures quality translation of working documents on a wide range of subject matters in a timely manner and in the respective AU working languages
• Protects the confidentiality of information; and
• Performs any other duty relevant to their work as may be assigned

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• Must hold a Master's Degree in Translation, Modern Languages or related fields from an accredited university with 10 years’ experience as a translator out of which 6 at expert level.

OR

• Must hold Bachelor's Degree in Translation, Modern Languages or related fields from an accredited university with a minimum of 12 years of relevant work experience as translator in Arabic and Portuguese out of which 3 at expert level
• Certification of translators’ professional member status from a recognized professional body is an added advantage
• Have a good working knowledge of the Computer Assisted Translation Tool (CATT)
• A degree in legal studies will be an advantage
• A third AU working language will be an advntage

 
Required Skills
Functional skills and competencies:

• Good translation and editing skills, with the ability to produce accurate and clear translations
• Excellent writing skills
• Good communication and interpretational skills
• Good computer literacy (Microsoft Office)

Personal abilities:

• Ability to work in a multicultural and international work environment
• Ability to work on own initiative and work with minimal supervision
• Ability to work in a proactive manner
• Ability to work under pressure and met tight deadline

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Experience in linguistic research and development data-base
• Knowledge of Computer Assisted Translation Tool (CATT)
• An understanding of the confidential nature of this area of work

Language Requirements:

• Applicants must be proficient in Portuguese anguage and Knowledge of other AU working languages would be a distinct advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Strategic Insight
• Developing others
• Change Management
• Managing Risk.

Core Competencies:

• Foster Accountability Culture
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating with Influence
• Building Relationships.

Functional Competencies:

• Conceptual thinking
• Job Knowledge Sharing
• Drive for Results
• Continuous improvement orientation.

Enure of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a regular term contract for a period of three (3) years, of which the first twelve months shall be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be for a period of two years renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and deliverables.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish) and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$ 50,746.00 (P4 Step1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment (46% of basic salary), Housing allowance US$ 15,897.60  (per annum), and education allowance (100% of tuition and other education-related expenses for every eligible dependent up to a maximum of US$ 10,000.00 per child per annum), for internationally recruited staff and a maximum of $3,300 per child per annum for locally recruited staff.

Application Closing Date
20th December, 2021.