Head, Interpretation service

Under the supervision of the Head, Document Management and Interpretation Division, the incumbent performs the following duties: 

• Manages the Interpretation Service and the delivery of interpretation services in the six official languages (and others, as requested) at all types of ITU multilingual conferences and meetings at headquarters in Geneva and around the world. Responsible for successful management of large teams of interpreters and flexible planning of complex interpretation needs at major high-level events such as ITU Plenipotentiary Conference and WRC.
• Identifies and plans interpretation needs based on meeting schedules and in consultation with the Sector or Department heads; takes the lead on recruitment and management of freelance interpreters in line with the UN-AIIC Agreement; evaluates and estimates interpretation costs; proposes and implements the most appropriate interpretation services strategy based on the needs of the organization, balancing quality and financial sustainability and cost-efficiency measures as appropriate.
• Establishes and maintains good working relations, trust and excellent lines of communication with the interpreters; creates and enforces objective mechanisms for quality assurance in interpretation services; identifies and supervises the implementation of best practices in interpretation and interpreter management, through benchmarking and constant exchange with counterparts in sister organizations.
• Represents the Union at regular inter-agency meetings of heads of interpretation services on classification, recruitment and working conditions of interpreters; represents ITU as its key negotiator at the quinquennial UN-AIIC agreement negotiations and mid-term reviews; represents the ITU Interpretation Service at AIIC and inter-agency meetings on the classification, recruitment and working conditions of freelance interpreters.
• Liaises with colleagues responsible for conference logistics and infrastructure to ensure that interpretation booths and conference facilities meet industry standards, following up any issues relating to interpreters’ working environment in support of the interpretation team.
• Maintains contact with the heads of interpretation services of other organizations to exchange relevant information on interpreters and assess performance. Oversees the enforcement of relevant dispositions in the UN-AIIC Agreement, investigating reported cases of non-compliance and implementing corrective measures, as necessary; maintains relations with renowned universities and schools of interpretation to develop joint programmes aimed at ensuring a constant influx of new talent; maintains contact with regional AIIC representatives to exchange information and to find and place interpreters whenever required.