• The purpose of the present job opening is to invite applications from prospective applicants who wish to take the competitive examination for Spanish Translators. The first part of the examination is tentatively scheduled to take place on 28 June 2016 and will be carried out entirely online.
• All applications will be reviewed by the Board of Examiners. In instances where a large number of applications are received, the Board of Examiners reserves the right to admit to the examination only the most qualified applicants based on a review of qualifications over and above the minimum criteria. All applicants will be notified in writing of the Board’s decision in respect of their application. The Board’s decisions are final.
•On the basis of the overall results of the examination, the Board will recommend to the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management the names of candidates who qualify for inclusion in a roster of successful examinees. All examinees will be informed in writing of the Board's final recommendation in respect of their candidature. The Board's recommendations are final and not subject to appeal. The Board does not release individual scores or results.
• From the roster established as a result of the competitive examination, present and future vacancies for Spanish-language Translators will be filled. When vacancies occur in the language services of the United Nations Secretariat in Geneva, Nairobi, New York, Santiago, and Vienna, successful candidates will be recruited from the roster to serve at one of these duty stations, subject to the requirements of the service in terms of expertise and language combinations. Successful examinees may thereafter be called upon to serve at another of these duty stations according to the needs of the Organisation. Successful examinees are expected to serve a minimum of five years in a language post. Successful candidates should note that, in accordance with the needs of the Service/Section, they may be called upon to work outside normal working hours, including weekends and holidays.
• Successful examinees selected from the roster to fill vacancies are normally offered an initial fixed-term appointment at the P-2 level for a trial period of two years. This level comprises 12 steps, each corresponding to an annual increment awarded if performance is satisfactory. Upon satisfactory completion of this trial period, they may be promoted to the P-3 level, which comprises 15 steps. Fully qualified translators with several years of internationally recognized professional language experience and demonstrated ability to perform high-quality work may be recruited at the P-3 level. After two years of satisfactory service on a fixed-term appointment, the candidate will be considered for a continuing appointment. Fixed-term appointments of translators whose performance proves unsatisfactory will not be extended after the trial period of two years.
• Successful candidates who receive an offer of appointment are strongly encouraged to accept it, as declining may affect their prospects of receiving a subsequent offer. A successful candidate who declines two offers will be removed from the roster.
• Incomplete applications, including those that do not contain the required essay IN SPANISH mentioned in "Assessment Method” or evidence of language skills, and those that are received after the above deadline, will not be considered. No extensions for submission will be given if applications cannot be sent by the deadline set in Inspira. (New York HQ local time).
Special notice to staff members of the United Nations
•The Competitive Examination for Spanish Translators in 2016 is open to internal applicants at the P-3 level and below who meet the eligibility requirements, as well as qualified external candidates, in accordance with the provisions of ST/AI/1998/7 and ST/AI/2000/1, as amended by ST/AI/1998/7/Amend.1 and ST/AI/2003/1.
•The assignment of staff members of the United Nations who are successful in the examination and are selected to fill vacancies will be subject to the following conditions:
1. Staff members selected to fill vacancies will be assigned as Spanish-language Translator for a trial period of two years according to the staff rules in force. Staff members below the P 2 level or in the General Service category will receive a special post allowance to the P- 2 level. Staff members at the P-2 and P-3 levels will be assigned at their respective levels.
2. Staff members with a special post allowance to the P-2 level and those already at the P-2 level who successfully complete the trial period and are recommended by the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management and the Office of Human Resources Management may be promoted to the P-3 level. Staff members already at the P-3 level who successfully complete the trial period will be confirmed in their functions at the P-3 level. After two years of satisfactory service on a fixed-term appointment, the candidate will be considered for a continuing appointment. This means that the candidate will have to demonstrate within that time that he or she possesses the requisite qualifications to serve as a career staff member of the United Nations in order to receive such an appointment. Staff members who do not successfully complete the trial period will be reassigned to posts at their previous levels, and the special post allowance, if any, will be discontinued.
•Staff members from subsidiary organs of the United Nations and staff members whose service is limited to a particular organ, fund or programme of the United Nations or special missions are considered external candidates for the purpose of this examination. Such candidates, if successful in the examination, will be offered a new appointment with the United Nations, subject to normal United Nations recruitment procedures and standards.
The Spanish Translator positions are located in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and in the Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi offices of the United Nations, as well as in the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile. These positions are under the general supervision of the Chief of the Spanish Translation Service at Headquarters or the relevant Chiefs of Section/Unit in Offices away from Headquarters.
Within delegated authority, the Translator is responsible for the following duties: (These duties are generic and may not be carried out by all Translators.)
• Translation: Translates, subject to revision, documents, including summary records, covering a broad range of subjects dealt with by the United Nations, i.e., in the political, social, legal, economic, financial, administrative, scientific and technical fields;
• Other related duties as required.
• Professionalism: 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.
• 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.
• Commitment to Continuous Learning: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.
• 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.
a) Hold at least a first level university degree or its equivalent after at least 3 years of studies from a recognized school of translation, philology, or linguistics in which Spanish is the language of instruction (during the written part of the examination, these candidates will have to translate several English texts only); or
b) Hold at least a first level university degree or its equivalent after at least 3 years of studies in any other field from a university or institution of equivalent status in which Spanish is the language of instruction (during the written part of the examination, these candidates will have to translate English texts and a text in Arabic, Chinese, French, or Russian).
The requirement for a university degree or its equivalent from a university or institution of equivalent status mentioned above may be waived for staff members who, in the judgment of the Board of Examiners, have adequate post-secondary educational qualifications from a university or institution of equivalent status and adequate secondary educational qualifications from an establishment at which the principal language of instruction is Spanish, in addition to five years of continuous service with the United Nations Secretariat by 31 December 1989.
No work experience is required.
• Examinees must have a perfect command of Spanish, which should be their main language (the main language should be understood to be the language in which the candidate is best able to work and of which he/she has a perfect command).
• Have an excellent knowledge of English.
• Candidates who hold at least a first level university degree or its equivalent in any field other than translation, philology or linguistics from a university or institution of equivalent status in which Spanish is the language of instruction must have an excellent knowledge of at least one of the other official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, French, or Russian).
•Applicants' claim to knowledge of official languages must be supported by relevant documentation attached to their application. Further evidence of degrees, knowledge of languages and/or relevant experience may be required prior to convocation.
• When filling out their applications, applicants should write within Inspira a cover letter of approximately 300 words IN SPANISH, explaining why she or he wishes to work as a translator in the United Nations.
• Applications will be assessed and screened on the basis of the eligibility criteria listed above, and only those applicants deemed qualified will be convoked for the written examination. Only those examinees that are successful in the written portion of the examination will be invited to the oral examination.
•The written examination is tentatively scheduled to take place on 28 June 2016. It will be carried out entirely online, using a dedicated platform, and will consist of the following 2 options, to be chosen by candidates during the application process, based on their educational background.
Option A
For candidates with a translation, philology, or linguistics degree:
1. Multiple choice exercise: selecting the best Spanish translation of English sentences (45 minutes)
2. Translation into Spanish of a general text in English (90 minutes)
It should be noted that Sections 1 and 2 are eliminatory: Sections 3 and 4 will only be graded for those examinees who are successful in Sections 1 and 2.
3. Translation into Spanish of one English text, to be chosen by the examinee from a total of four specialized texts (economic, legal, social/political or scientific/technical) (90 minutes)
4. Translation into Spanish of one English text, to be chosen by the examinee from a total of four specialized texts (economic, legal, social/political or scientific/technical) (90 minutes). The specialized field selected must be different from the one chosen in exercise 3.
Option B
For candidates without a translation, philology, or linguistics degree:
1. Multiple choice exercise: selecting the best Spanish translation of English sentences (45 minutes)
2. Translation into Spanish of a general text in English (90 minutes)
It should be noted that Sections 1 and 2 are eliminatory: Sections 3 and 4 will only be graded for those examinees who are successful in Sections 1 and 2.
3. Translation into Spanish of one English text, to be chosen by the examinee from a total of four specialized texts (economic, legal, social/political or scientific/technical) (90 minutes).
4. Translation into Spanish of one text chosen by the examinee from a total of four texts, one in each of the following official United Nations languages: Arabic, Chinese, French or Russian (90 minutes)
Examinees who have both a translation, philology, or linguistics degree and (a) degree(s) in (an)other field(s) will have to choose between options A and B during the application process.
•The use of a dictionary or any other reference material will be permitted during the examination
•On the basis of the results of the written examination, the Board of Examiners will invite selected examinees to a competency-based interview. The Board will interview each examinee to assess whether she or he possesses the competencies required for the position. Examinees may also be required to undergo additional testing at the time of the interview (including a proctored translation test, a revision exercise and/or a post-editing exercise). They should be aware that at this stage they will be required to translate without resorting to any resources. The interview is an integral part of the examination. Therefore, examinees who are invited for an interview should not assume that they will be automatically placed on a roster or offered an assignment.
Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law. Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offences and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on "The Application Process" and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of inspira account-holder homepage.
Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills. Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.
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.