Job Opportunity at United Nations ESCAP

Available position: EDITORIAL AND DESKTOP PUBLISHING ASSISTANT, CHINESE, G6

The mandate of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP’s role as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy oriented research and analysis, normative support and technical assistance and capacity building, to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of the Asian and Pacific region.

This position is located in the Chinese Language Unit of the Conference and Documentation Services Section (CDSS).  The Section reports to the Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme Support. The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Chinese Language Unit.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Chinese Language Unit and the overall supervision of the Chief of CDSS, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:

• Organizes, plans, controls and co-ordinates the work of a particular unit with respect to the production of camera-ready documents for reproduction, stores of final text on the United Nations Official Documents System (DOS), archives copies on shared drives and create backups.
• Conducts final inspection and presentation of documents.
• Registers incoming/outgoing documents and Bitexts in order to control flow of work in and out of unit, sends documents for clearance via e-mail and liaises with submitting officers with regards to queries and clarifications.
• Leads the adoption of modified working methods and procedures in the framework of ongoing modernization processes, including the Global Terminology, Reference, Translation Solutions (gText) project and new IT tools.
• Ensures that modified workflows are designed and implemented according to rigorous and transparent standards that reflect the language-specific operational needs of the unit and are supported by systematic training.
• Ensures effective transition to new workflows while maintaining the delivery of existing Unit products by sharing information and supporting full participation in workflow reviews.
• Registers, processes and records all assignments on a daily basis.
• Maintains daily statistics. Performs administrative work, as needed.
• Facilitates access to parliamentary and miscellaneous documentation through web-based tools.
• Performs daily maintenance of the Unit network drives.
• Trains and guides staff in the use of different computer applications, as required.
• Completes evaluation reports for staff members as First Reporting Officer.
• Provide feedback to FRO on their managing performance competency, if requested.
• Trains staff to align bi-texts in order to support the production of high-quality translation memories for computer-assisted translation (CAT), machine translation (MT) and related workflow improvements.
• Trains staff to perform other modified text-processing functions developed under gText or related workflow reviews, such as in the area of pre-processing or pre-translation of texts.
• Assists in overseeing the creation, updating and maintenance of macros, instructions and models.
• Rotates on daytime, after-hours and weekend work shifts, as needed.
• Stays available for overtime and on-call assignments, depending on the needs of service.
• Performs other related work as required.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Professionalism: Knowledge of UN structure and rules of procedure of various organs. Knowledge of all aspects of the work of the unit, including typographic standards and documents production system. Proficiency in the language of the unit and in United Nations terminology and editorial practices. Demonstrates use of initiative, ability and creativity to effectively attain objectives. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Managerial Competency:

• Judgement / Decision-making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

A first-level university degree may be accepted in lieu of two years of required experience.

Work Experience

A minimum seven years (or five years if graduated with a bachelor’s degree) of experience in desktop publishing or a related field, including draft typing, copy editing, formatting, proofreading and creating typographical layouts is required.

Experience with documentation workflow processes and tools, such as gText or similar tools, is desirable.

Experience in the United Nations Common System or international organizations is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, candidates must have Chinese as their main language with proficiency in spelling and grammar. Fluency in English is required; knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

Applicants for GS and related positions may apply and be considered for locally recruited positions no matter where they are currently located (including the current serving staff members at other duty stations), provided they are locally available upon appointment. They must be authorized to work in the country regardless of where they live at the time of applying for the job opening.

This job opening is also open to candidates not authorized to work at the duty station at the time of application. The appointment is contingent upon obtaining the work authorization at the duty station

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

Must have passed the United Nations Global General Service Test (GGST) at Headquarters or an equivalent locally-administered test at Offices Away from Headquarters.

Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.