Documentation Assistant

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Documents of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity are properly formatted and issued online in a timely manner. Documents for translation are sent out, received and checked, to ensure that they match the original documents in terms of completeness and formatting, and posted online. The document workflow is monitored to ensure that deadlines are met.

Work Location

On site (Montreal, Canada) or Remote

Expected duration

Six months

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational setting The United Nations Environment Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for 'sustainable development'. The Convention on Biological Diversity was opened for signature in Rio in 1992. The Convention has three main objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is located in Montreal and is administered by United Nations Environment Programme. Its main tasks are to arrange for and service meetings of the Conference of the Parties, including preparation of pertinent documentation, operation of the central node of the clearing-house mechanism, liaison and coordination with other international bodies and processes and, in close collaboration with these partners, the provision of technical support for the effective implementation of the Convention. The Secretariat of the Convention also serves as the Secretariat of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. Its functions include arranging for and servicing meetings of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies. All meetings require the provision of documentation, and some are held in the six languages of the United Nations and therefore require translation. Duties and Responsibilities Under the Conference Services Unit, and in close liaison with the Senior Documents Management Assistant, the Senior Editorial Assistant and the Chief of Unit, the individual contractor will: – Format documents in accordance with existing guidelines and templates, including by creating tables, graphics and charts and applying or developing styles, macros and templates, in MS Word. – Send out documents for external translation, providing any necessary instructions and references to translators and following up with them as needed to ensure timely delivery; during in-session periods, identify the most adequate translators from the roster for each job on the basis of area of expertise, availability, equitable distribution of work and other relevant factors; – Receive translations and review them to ensure consistency with the source language in terms of format and completeness; carry out a more thorough scoping check, time permitting; – Post documents online or submit them for posting; – Keep a detailed record of the translation flow during the in-session periods, and liaise with the other shift to ensure the seamless coordination and delivery of translations; – Work in tandem and act as team leader, as necessary, during the in-session periods, dividing the tasks and workload and providing guidance, as necessary; – Work late or night shifts during in-session periods, as necessary. – Carry out any other tasks, as required.

Qualifications/special skills

High school diploma or equivalent required. An academic degree in languages or related field would be desirable. At least seven years of experience working in a multilingual and international environment, preferably the United Nations, and proven experience in text-processing and document management are required. Skills: Proficiency in MS Word is required. Familiarity with other IT applications, such as Excel and web-posting tools, is desirable. Competencies: Teamwork, planning and organizing, communication, client orientation, technological awareness, commitment to continuous learning.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the present post, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is desirable. NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

For locally recruited candidates, applicants must be Canadian residents or citizens or have permission to work in Canada. Travel Details The individual contractor will be required to travel, including for meetings to be held in Colombia (tentative dates of 16 October–1 November 2024).

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.