Section Chief of the French Section in Language Services

Job Posting Organization:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization established in 1944 with the mission to promote global economic stability and growth. The IMF has a diverse workforce of over 2,700 employees from around the world, operating in 190 countries. The organization provides financial assistance, policy advice, and technical assistance to its member countries, aiming to foster global monetary cooperation and secure financial stability.

Job Overview:
The Section Chief of the French Section in Language Services plays a crucial role in managing a team that provides high-quality translation and related services primarily from English into French, with occasional translations from Spanish and Portuguese. This position requires strong leadership and organizational skills to oversee the section's activities, ensuring that translations meet the highest standards of quality. The Section Chief will work closely with the Head of Language Services and the Chief Translator to align the section's objectives with the overall goals of the IMF. The role involves not only managing staff but also actively participating in translation tasks, thereby ensuring that the section remains responsive to the needs of various IMF departments and offices. The Section Chief is expected to evaluate and implement language technology solutions to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of translation processes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Section Chief include planning, supervising, and coordinating the section’s activities related to translation, revision, proofreading, and editing. The Section Chief will supervise and motivate staff, evaluate their performance, and assign work while establishing priorities to meet deadlines. The role also involves performing translation and revision tasks as necessary, determining resource needs, and participating in the recruitment of both regular and contractual staff. Additionally, the Section Chief will identify and recruit freelance translators when needed, act as the authority on language within the section, and ensure that quality control measures are established and applied. The Section Chief will liaise with various IMF departments to resolve translation-related issues and evaluate the effectiveness of current language software systems, assessing future language technology and training needs to formulate related strategies.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree or equivalent in Translation, Linguistics, Economics, or a related field, along with a minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience. Alternatively, a university degree with fourteen years of relevant experience is acceptable. The position requires a high level of written and spoken proficiency in French, with sensitivity to geographical variants. Proven organizational and managerial experience is essential, along with strong interpersonal and communication skills. The ability to inspire and lead a team, as well as communicate effectively in a multicultural environment, is crucial. Candidates should also demonstrate high competence in using computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and translation management systems (TMS).

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in Translation, Linguistics, Economics, or a related field. Candidates with a university degree and extensive professional experience may also be considered. The emphasis is on having a strong foundation in translation and language services, which is critical for the effective performance of the role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience for candidates with an advanced degree, or fourteen years for those with a university degree. This experience should include organizational and managerial roles within language services, demonstrating the ability to lead teams and manage translation projects effectively.

Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is French, with a high level of written and spoken proficiency required. Candidates should also have the ability to translate and revise texts from English, and knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese would be considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's profile for this role.

Additional Notes:
The position is classified under the A13, A14 levels within the IMF's Corporate Services and Facilities Department, specifically in the Language Services Division. Selected candidates will maintain their open-ended status if they are regular staff members. Contractual employees will be offered a Term staff appointment, and current term staff may receive an extension if their appointment has not already been extended. The IMF is committed to non-discrimination in employment and welcomes requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities during the selection process.