English Language Editor (Retainer)

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peace building, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

1. General Background of Project / Assignment

UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peace building, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, UNOPS vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.

In Nepal, the country’s new constitution of 2015 set out a radical transition from a unitary to a federal state. Following local, provincial and federal elections in 2017 and National Assembly elections in February 2018, 761 local governments have now been established across the country. These are divided into 7 provinces, with newly drawn borders.

Progress establishing these new governments has varied across the country. While some subnational governments are fully formed and actively working to deliver services, infrastructure projects and policies, others are still struggling due to a lack of capacity, staffing and resources.

Federalism is one of DFID Nepal’s three ‘Big Changes’ for the future. It is DFID’s aim to see the federal constitution implemented and new relationships forged between politicians and citizens so more Nepali citizens have a stake in their country’s future through: Empowered elected representatives; - Deliberative decision-making in the public interest; - A more representative state; - Stronger political accountability with active citizen and user engagement; and,  - Effective intergovernmental structures to promote peaceful contestation. 

In that context, DFID, through UNOPS PCU, will work to support the new sub-national governments through the provision of technical assistance, support to planning and implementation processes of sub-national governments, coordination of DFID Implementing Partners in the field and the provision of context analysis to inform conflict-sensitive programming.

Functions and Key results expected:

2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

2.1 Scope of work

i) In line with the PCU’s stated objectives of providing coordination and technical support to Sub-National Governments, the PCU will, at various times and according to demand from stakeholders, produce reports and other documents that will require editing before distribution to stakeholders and before they can be translated into Nepali.  The Editor will be expected to provide editing services of these documents, according to deadlines pre-agreed with the PCU Team Leader; this will include but not be limited to: weekly and monthly reports, thematic reports and editing of pieces commissioned through external consultants.

ii) At various times, the PCU will produce or receive documents in English that will need to be edited and prepared for distribution to stakeholders. This will not be regular, but rather will need to be on an ad hoc needs basis.

Specifically, this will involve:

a) Edit the PCU’s written English language products to prepare them for publication and sharing with stakeholders.

2.2. The purpose of the assignment:

The purpose of the assignment is to provide editing services to the UNOPS Project Coherence Unit, based in Kathmandu.

2.3 Outputs and Deliverables*

As the Editor is only expected to provide editing services on an ad hoc basis, deliverables will be agreed on an ad hoc basis and on demand from the PCU. Deliverables will comprise oral and written translation services to the satisfaction of the PCU Team Leader, according to need.

2.4 Impact of Results

The Editor will contribute to the efficient, high quality and timely production of the PCU’s written materials.

3. Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Assessment of task completion
• Submission of outputs/deliverables per agreed timetable

a. Education:

• Bachelor degree in Communication, Education, Engineering, Business or Public Administration, project management or related field will be considered a strong asset.

b. Experience:

• At least 2 years of experience with a relevant Bachelor’s degree in providing translation services for government and non-government offices working on development projects.
• Experience in translating various types of documents such as government laws, procedures, policies, manuals and other similar type of documents from English to Nepali and Nepali to English is desirable but not mandatory.
• Familiarity with government laws, policies and related official documents on Nepal’s Federal Structures
• Demonstrable experience in English-Nepali translation for Aid Agencies, INGOs or other international organizations                                                                                     

Language:

• Fluency in written and oral in English, and Nepali is required

Skills:

• Excellent translation skills from English to Nepali and Nepali to English
• Computer literate (MS Excel and Word, in English and Nepali)
• Knowledge of UN core values, rules and regulations an asset is an advantage;
• Excellent English skills, both verbally and in writing, local languages an advantage;
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team to achieve organizational goals;
• Ability to plan and organize tasks effectively;
• Excellent coordination skills

Key Competencies:

• Ability to Learn Willingness to learn and openness to suggestions for self-improvement;
• Result Orientation Self-motivated, ability to take on ownership of actions, and provide flexible and effective solutions to challenging situations;
• Teamwork Skills Ability to build and sustain effective work relationship with subordinates and peers to achieve common goal;
• Client Focus. Ability to demonstrate and have a conducive attitude to serving others and ensuring Client or Partner satisfaction

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement -Retainer
Contract level: I-ICA 1
Contract duration: One year, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• Position called for qualified female as preference.
• Qualified male candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. 
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.