About Us

The Secretariat for the Policy-Making Organs facilitates meetings and wider consultations between States Parties and the Technical Secretariat, ensuring substantive and operative support to the policy-making organs and their subsidiary bodies in their decision making processes, including the follow-up and implementation of their decisions.

In support of this, the Secretariat for the Policy-Making Organs is responsible for the setting of agendas, coordination and meeting support for all scheduled and unscheduled meetings, provision of internal guidance including language and document-processing support to ensure the timely circulation of official-series documents, and provision of reprographic services within the Organisation.

General Information

• Contract Type
  Fixed-term Professional
• Grade
  P3
• Total Estimated monthly remuneration depending on post adjustment and family status: USD
  8.298
• Closing Date
  01/02/2025

Responsibilities

Job Summary

The Language Services Branch provides the OPCW and its policy-making organs with linguistic support (editorial, interpretation, and translation services) to assist in their decision-making processes, as well as in the follow-up and implementation of their decisions.

Under the supervision of the Head, Languages Services, and in accordance with the OPCW Core Values of Integrity, Professionalism, and Respect for Diversity and Gender Equality, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties and responsibilities: provide overall editorial and linguistic support to the policy-making organs and subsidiary bodies of the OPCW and perform other related duties.

Main Responsibilities

I. EDITING (85%)

· Under the functional supervision of the Senior Editor/Linguist, edits official-series documents issued by the Secretariat, including but not limited to notes, reports, decisions of the policy-making organs, reports of the subsidiary bodies, provisional agendas and annotations, and major annual reports.

· Edits a variety of other texts, including external speeches, notes verbales, and correspondence by the Director-General.

· Identifies and reformulates or deletes material likely to have adverse consequences for the Secretariat or the OPCW. Disambiguates unclear formulations and corrects substantive errors. Checks references for both correctness and appropriateness, and generally ensures that edited texts are clear, concise, grammatically correct, readable, idiomatic, and rhetorically and politically appropriate.

· Finalises documents as required.

II. TRANSLATION (10%)

· As required, translates, from one or more of the OPCW official languages into English, texts that can be highly sensitive because of their political or confidential nature, or technically complex. Texts may include final inspection reports, declarations, notifications, and correspondence between States Parties and the Technical Secretariat.

III. OTHER RELATED DUTIES, INCLUDING TERMINOLOGY (5%)

· Undertakes terminological research necessary to solve problems of terminology and meaning. Prepares glossaries, technical vocabularies, and related technical tools and develops new terminology for use where terminological equivalents do not exist in the Section’s language. Maintains and updates the terminological database.

· Participates in consultations with substantive units concerning manifest or possible inconsistencies or errors in the original text.

· Keeps abreast of politically sensitive and technically complex issues and developments and related terminology.

· Strictly complies with the OPCW confidentiality regime and performs all relevant procedures.

IV. Performs other duties as required

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Essential:

An advanced university degree in languages, political science, or law. Candidates with a degree in a different subject may be considered if they have substantial relevant work experience. A first-level degree combined with at least 7 years of relevant experience may be considered.

Desirable:

A knowledge of international affairs. An understanding of the Chemical Weapons Convention and related disarmament and technical issues is desirable.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential:

· A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in editing, revising, and drafting documents and publications, preferably within the United Nations system with an advanced degree (or seven years with a first degree).

Desirable:

· Work experience in a political or an international environment.

Skills and Competencies

· An excellent grammatical understanding and command of written and spoken English.

· The capacity to think and write clearly, incisively, and appropriately.

· Strong analytical skills, combined with experience in the drafting of a diverse range of documents.

· Good word processing skills, coupled with an excellent understanding of Microsoft Office and Share Point.

· The capacity to function effectively in a complex, multilateral and multicultural environment.

· An understanding of contemporary historical and political developments at an international level, and of disarmament and non-proliferation issues in particular.

· Ability to work under stress.

Languages

Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Additional Information

This fixed-term appointment is for the duration of two years with a six-month probationary period, and is subject to the OPCW Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules.

The OPCW is a non-career organisation with limited staff tenure. The total length of service for Professional staff shall not exceed 7 years.

The mandatory age of separation at the OPCW is 65 years.

The Director-General retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description. Several vacancies may be filled.

Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date and through OPCW CandidateSpace will be considered. Only applicants under serious consideration for a post will be contacted.

Fixed-term staff members participate in the OPCW Provident Fund. A monthly staff contribution is met with a doubled amount by the OPCW under the provisions for social security. As the OPCW is exploring membership of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), staff participation in the Provident Fund may be replaced by participation in the UNJSPF effective 1 January 2025.

According to article 8 paragraph 44 of the Chemical Weapons Convention the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

OPCW is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. OPCW recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

OPCW General Terms and Conditions

Important notice for applicants who are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system

Although headquartered in the Netherlands, the OPCW is not a regular Dutch employer but a public international organisation with its own special status. Please be advised that if you are currently insured under the Dutch Social Security system, you will be excluded from this system as a staff member of the OPCW. You will consequently be insured under the organisation’s system. The above also applies to your dependents unless they are employed by a regular Dutch employer, they are self-employed in the Netherlands, or are receiving Dutch social security payments.

Please refer to the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for more information about the possible consequences for you and your dependents, such as exclusion from ‘AWBZ’ and ‘Zorgverzekeringswet’ coverage: ‘Werken bij een internationale organisatie’.