1. OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

To enhance the visibility and impact of UNESCO’s work in the region, the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok) is seeking qualified individuals to join a roster of English Translators (from English to target languages and vice versa).

The qualified candidates will be added to the roster and selected for projects on an ‘on-call’ basis to provide support with publications, documents, and communications materials (‘manuscripts’).

The call is open to individuals of any nationality who can provide the requested services and deliverables. The roster will be valid from 1 September 2024 to 31 December 2024 and subject to renewal annually.

The themes of potential translation projects include those falling under UNESCO’s mandated sectors of education, culture, communication and information, social and human sciences, ocean sciences and natural sciences.

Themes of work may occasionally lie outside these parameters.

2. TERMS OF REFERENCE

a. Undertake assignments to provide high-quality translation from English to target languages and vice versa (list of target languages provided in item ‘3. Scope of Word…’) for assigned manuscript;
b. Receive assignment brief and coordinate with the Responsible Officer(s) to regularly report on progress made during the assignment via email, online meetings or phone;
c. Ensure that terminologies and spellings are accurate and compliant with the national usage guidelines (if any).

For translation into English, ensure that the UNESCO Style Guide is applied;
d. Mainstream UNESCO’s gender strategy and ensure that gender-neutral language is applied throughout the manuscript;
e. Ensure overall accuracy, clarity and stylistic consistency of translation in terms of language, presentation, and word choice while ensuring that texts are engaging and accessible to the target audience;
f. Be sensitive to cultural and social differences and address these issues properly in the local context;
g.

Ensure consistency of terminology, abbreviations, acronyms and formatting of footnotes;
h. Demonstrate mastery of standard software, especially MS Word, and competence using all the basic elements of tracked changes;
i. Check cross-references (e.g. ‘See page xxx’) where the actual page number needs to be filled in;
j. Use proper names and place names that correspond to UNESCO official usage, including the names of UNESCO Member States;
k. Align page numbers in the table of contents, list of tables, figures, and boxes with headings and subheadings in the manuscript;
l.

Ensure that works are in full compliance with international copyright policy to prevent any legal infringements;
m. Submit work in MS Word file with tracked changes and a clear list of comments or questions to UNESCO;
n. Improve and incorporate suggested changes until the manuscript is considered satisfactory by UNESCO; and
o. Meet the committed deadline.

3. SCOPE OF WORK AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE RATE PROPOSALS

Candidates must propose their service in flat rates per word in US$ (candidates may provide rates for multiple language pairs) according to the following specifications:

• Language pair: English to target languages (and vice versa)
  • English to Thai
  • English to Lao
  • English to Myanmar
  • English to Vietnamese
  • English to Cambodian
  • English to Indonesian
  • English to Malay
  • English to Filipino
  • English to Pashto
  • English to Dari
  • English to Hindi
  • English to Nepali
  • English to Bengali
  • English to Kyrgyz
  • English to Uzbek
  • English to Korean
  • English to Japanese
  • English to Chinese
  • English to Russian
  • English to Arabic
  • English to (other target languages)
• Size: standard (A4, A5, etc.) or customized
• Number of words: to be specified for each assignment
• Software: MS Word
• Feedback/revision circle: until deemed satisfactory by UNESCO

4.

DUTY STATION

The assignment will be remote-based (off-site) and on an ‘on-call’ basis, with regular communication with the Responsible Officer(s) via email, online meeting and phone; no travel is anticipated. Candidates located in the same time zone as, or in closer time zones to, Bangkok (GMT+7) are preferred.

5. FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED BY UNESCO (if any)

The candidate will be responsible for providing their own off-site working space and equipment e.g. computer, software, printer, and any other equipment that may be required for the successful completion of the assignment.

6.

COMPETENCIES (Core/Managerial)

7. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

At the time of application, the candidate must possess the following qualifications:

Education:
University degree in English, foreign language studies, literature, linguistics, journalism, communications, international relations, or other to UNESCO’s fields of competence.

Work Experience:
Minimum of five (5) years of demonstrable professional translation experience, particularly in the fields of journalism, publishing, education, culture, communication and information, social and human sciences, ocean sciences and natural sciences.

Previous experience working with UNESCO or other UN agencies and/or other multicultural organizations is an advantage.

Skills/Competencies:

• Familiarity with gender equality and gender-neutral language.
• Comprehend English grammar with near-native fluency. 
• Strong knowledge of the grammar, style, and cultural nuances of your native language (target language).
• Understand and apply in-house style guides to ensure consistency within the manuscript.
• Ability to verify the accuracy of information, especially for technical or academic content.
• Familiarity with publishing workflows.
• Competency in MS Word software.
• Meticulous researching skills with strong attention to detail.
• Collaborate with colleagues effectively with strong communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently under tight deadlines and revision cycles.
• Adhere to in-house branding guidelines, style manuals and templates.
• Stay up to date on the latest translation trends in the field (note: using AI apps or related programmes is prohibited).

Languages:
Native-level proficiency in the target language(s) and fluency in English.