Professional English and Spanish Editor and Writer

Edit and manage publications in English and Spanish for UNDRR.

This opening expired 3 years ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNDRR - United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

Open positions at UNDRR
Logo of UNDRR

Application deadline 3 years ago: Tuesday 27 Sep 2022 at 23:59 UTC

Open application form

Overview

Edit and manage publications in English and Spanish for UNDRR.

You have:

  • A first-level degree in publishing or related areas is required.
  • At least 2 years of proven experience in editing reports and publications in English and Spanish is required.
  • Fluency in English and Spanish is required.
  • Experience working in digital workflow and knowledge of relevant software such as Adobe is desirable.
  • Experience in the United Nations is desirable.
  • Experience and/or knowledge in disaster risk reduction is desirable.
  • Experience working in the Americas and the Caribbean regions is an advantage.
  • Strong attention to detail is desirable.
  • Ability to work to tight deadlines is desirable.

Result of Service 1. Recommendations¿on¿documents regarding Regional Platform 2023, private sector documents & reports, and MidTerm Review of the Sendai Framework. 2. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Central America documents: - Compendium of good practices on accountability. - Compendium of good practices in private sector. 3. Support other editing and publishing of documents of the regional office for the Americas and the Caribbean as requested.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 6 months.

Duties and Responsibilities Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 100 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses, and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action, and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk by working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, and the science and technology community.

Under the guidance and supervision of the UNDRR Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean (ROAMC) the incumbent will:

Publications: - Manage and coordinate the publication production workflow, from copy-editing manuscripts to printing and distributing print, electronic and multimedia products. - Draft edit and proofread publications, reports, proceedings, and papers as required for internal and external distribution (products include proposals, brochures, reports, workshop proceedings, Technical Studies, etc.). - Identify content that can be turned into high-impact infographics, data visualizations, or other visuals. - Liaise with external graphic designers, coordinate layout and design of publications in accordance with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) publication and branding guidelines. - Liaise with external publishers and printers. - Determining the stages in the life cycles of documents to identify potential areas for efficiency gains and technical improvements.

Editing: - Edit all publications and reports, including workshop proceedings, special publications, selected decisions of meetings, conference papers, working papers, and any other documentation as required; especially revised translated text in English & Spanish and text that has been proofread. Special attention to technical terms in Disaster risk reduction. - Rewrite and restructure texts for greater readability and a better logical sequence where required. - Consult with experts to clarify any ambiguities and rectify substantive errors in all publications. - Check the language version to be edited against the language of the original draft, redraft incorrect or unclear passages and translate and insert any passages that have been omitted. - Edit all material normally without revision to ensure accuracy, clarity, cohesion, and conformity with UNDRR's standards, policies, and practices. - Ensure that all published material is accurate and conforms with the standards, policies, and practices of the UNDRR. - Provide authors or others submitting documentation with information on specific aspects of editorial policy and practice and assists them in the preparation of manuscripts. - Ensure timely publication of all materials. - Make editorial decisions with reasonable speed and communicate them in a clear and constructive manner. - Develop new terminology for use where none exists in the target language; carry out linguistic research and participate in the preparation of online terminology records and glossaries, technical vocabularies, and related reference tools for use in the Section. - Support translation of documentation if needed into Spanish and English.

Qualifications/special skills Skills: - Excellent communication skills are desirable. - A methodical working style is desirable. - Concentration, accuracy, and great attention to detail are desirable. - Ability to work to tight deadlines is desirable. - Self-motivation is desirable.

Academic Qualifications: A first-level degree in publishing or publishing studies, media, electronic media, or related areas is required.

Experience: - At least 2 years of proven experience in editing reports and publications in English and Spanish is required. - Experience in digital workflow and knowledge of printing-related software such as Adobe, CS4, InCopy, and InDesign, as well as print production experience and familiarity with cost control measures is desirable. - Experience in the United Nations is desirable. - Experience and/or knowledge in disaster risk reduction is desirable. - Experience working in the Americas and the Caribbean regions is an advantage.

Language: Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of another official language of the United Nations is an advantage.

Additional Information *FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. UNDRR values diversity among its staff. We welcome applications from qualified women, men, and people with disabilities"

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

Describe a time when you had to manage multiple editing projects simultaneously. How did you prioritize your tasks? The interviewer wants to understand your time management and organizational skills under pressure. Provide a specific example demonstrating how you successfully prioritized tasks to meet multiple deadlines.
Can you share your experience collaborating with graphic designers or publishers? What challenges have you faced? This question evaluates your teamwork and communication skills with external collaborators. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you ensure accuracy and clarity in your editing work, especially when dealing with complex or technical terms? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies do you use to rewrite texts for better readability? Can you provide an example? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you balance maintaining a consistent voice and style across various publications? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org