Organization Mission

ACNUR, la Agencia de la ONU para los Refugiados, es una organización internacional que se dedica a salvar vidas, salvaguardar derechos y construir un mejor futuro para las personas que se ven obligadas a abandonar sus hogares debido a conflictos y persecuciones.
Constituido por la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas en 1950, a raíz de las devastadoras consecuencias de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, hoy en día ACNUR opera en 136 países, donde brinda asistencia vital, que incluye albergue, alimento, agua y atención médica para las personas desplazadas.
ACNUR defiende el derecho a recibir protección y ayuda de las personas refugiadas, forzadas a huir y apátridas, para que puedan encontrar un lugar al que llamar hogar y reconstruir sus vidas. En el largo plazo, ACNUR colabora con los países para mejorar y monitorear las leyes y políticas en materia de asilo y refugiados, con el fin de garantizar el respeto a los derechos humanos.

Context

This translation task directly supports UNHCR’s mission to promote the rights, dignity, and economic inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers. By translating a legal contract from Spanish into English, the volunteer will help ensure that refugees and forcibly displaced persons can fully understand and validate the terms and conditions that enable them to open bank accounts in the host country.
Access to formal financial services is a critical step toward self-reliance and integration for displaced populations. This legal contract outlines the framework for a partnership between our organization, local banks, and government entities to facilitate the opening of bank accounts for refugees, many of whom lack traditional documentation. By translating this document into English, the volunteer will help to ensure transparency and legal clarity for partners and support advocacy efforts for inclusive financial policies. The translated contract will be used in bank institutions with non-Spanish speaking forcibly displaced persons.
UNHCR is a humanitarian organization working at the intersection of protection, livelihoods, and inclusion. UNHCR collaborates with UN agencies, local governments, and civil society to promote refugee´s access to economic, social and cultural rights. The organization prioritize accuracy, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity in all communications.
The legal terminology used in the contract must be translated with precision, preserving the intent and enforceability of the original Spanish version.
To accomplish the task the volunteer will receive:
• The original contract in Spanish (Word or PDF format).
• A point of contact for questions or clarifications.

Key Responsibilities

As a volunteer translator, you will be responsible for translating written material from Spanish into English with accuracy, clarity, and cultural sensitivity. Your work will support the organization’s mandate, ensuring that key documents are accessible to non-Spanish speaking refugees and forcibly displaced persons.
Specific Responsibilities:
• Translate one legal contract of approximately 6 pages from Spanish into English.
• Ensure that translation maintains the original meaning, tone, and context.
• Review and edit your own translations for grammar, consistency, and fluency.
Daily Logistics:
• Communication: All communication will be conducted via email and/or messaging platforms (e.g. Microsoft Teams).
• Document Sharing: You will receive documents in Word or PDF format via e-mail.
• Meetings: Occasional virtual check-ins may be scheduled to clarify content. These will be arranged based on mutual availability.
• Availability: While the role is flexible, we ask that volunteers be available to complete assigned translation within 3–5 business days of receiving the document.

Required Skills and Experience

Requirements:
• Fluency in Spanish and native or equivalent level of English.
• Proven experience in written translation, preferably in professional, academic or institutional contexts.
• Excellent writing, grammar and style skills in English.
• Ability to work with computer-assisted translation tools is an advantage.
• Ability to maintain the original meaning, tone, and legal precision of the source text
• Attention to detail, organization and confidentiality.
• Desirable:
• Knowledge of specific subject areas (e.g. legal, technical, humanitarian, medical).
• Professional certification in translation or studies in translation, linguistics or philology.

Subject Matter Knowledge
• Familiarity with legal terminology, especially related to contracts, banking, and regulatory frameworks.
• Understanding of refugee rights, humanitarian contexts, or financial inclusion is highly desirable.

Technical Skills
• Proficiency in using word processing tools (e.g., Microsoft Word, Google Docs).
• Strong ability to identify and resolve ambiguities or inconsistencies in the source text.

Communication and Collaboration
• Ability to communicate effectively with project coordinators and ask for clarification when needed.
• Comfortable working independently and meeting deadlines.

Availability
• Willingness to commit to the task within the agreed timeframe (typically 3–5 business days per document).
• Flexibility to participate in occasional virtual check-ins if needed.