CHIEF OF SECTION, SPANISH VERBATIM REPORTING

Overview

Lead the Spanish Verbatim Reporting Section and manage staff performance

You have:

• A first-level degree from a university or institution of equivalent status.
• Must have passed the United Nations Competitive Examination for Verbatim Reporters, or the relevant combined UN Competitive Examination for Translators/Précis-writers, Editors and Verbatim Reporters.
• A minimum of ten years of experience in verbatim reporting, revision of verbatim records, translation/précis-writing or editing, with at least eight years in the UN system or a similar international organization.
• Perfect command of Spanish, which must be the incumbent's main language, and an excellent command of English.
• Knowledge of another official United Nations Language is required, except for candidates who possess relevant substantive expertise.

Contract

This is a P-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 194,686 USD and 243,986 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) at Headquarters. The position heads the Spanish Verbatim Reporting Section and is under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and evaluates the work and performance of the staff of the Section. • With the approval of the Chief of Service, recruits personnel, including for temporary assistance, as required. • Under a programme defined by the Chief of Service, provides staff with practical training to develop and refine the various facets of their work . • Provides feedback and guidance to help revisees become autonomous, self-revising verbatim reporters. • Plans and organises the daily distribution of work of the Section and monitors its progress. • Revises verbatim records, ensuring that the final text meets the requisite standards expected of United Nations official records. • Consolidates final version of records, incorporating all necessary corrections and changes. • Provides advice and guidance to staff for solving difficult problems requiring specialized knowledge, linguistic insight and political judgment. • Assists the Chief of Service, as required, in the preparation of terminological materials intended to serve the urgent needs of the Service. • Under the supervision of the Chief of Service, selects texts for official examinations, assists in screening candidates, reads and grades the papers, evaluates the results and participates in interviews of finalists. • Organises outreach and internship activities of the Section. • May serve as officer-in-charge in the absence of the Chief of Service. • Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data. • 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. Ability to demonstrate a high level of concentration and good judgement and discretion. 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 work under continuous stress and maintain adequate speed and volume of output. Ability to demonstrate tact and negotiating skills, good judgment and decision-making skills. 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. Able to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. • 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 improvements; 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. • Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; appraises performance fairly.

Education

A first-level degree from a university or institution of equivalent status. Candidates for this position must have passed the United Nations Competitive Examination for Verbatim Reporters, 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 Editors or Translators/Précis-writers, subject to an assessment test to be conducted by the hiring manager as part of the Inspira selection process.

Job - Specific Qualification

Candidates for this position are required to have passed the United Nations Competitive Examination for Verbatim Reporters, 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 Editors or Translators/Précis-writers, subject to an assessment test to be conducted by the hiring manager as part of the Inspira selection process.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of experience in verbatim reporting, revision of verbatim records, translation/ précis-writing or editing, is required, of which at least eight should have been in the United Nations system or a similar international organization. Proven experience in revision is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages in the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, a perfect command of Spanish, which must be the incumbent's main language, is required. Candidates for this position must also possess an excellent command of English. Knowledge of another official United Nations Language (as assessed in the relevant Competitive Examination) is also required except for candidates who possess relevant substantive expertise required by the unit.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. 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. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. 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. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D- 2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. 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.

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. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

Potential interview questions