Vacancy for the Position of Communications Officer/Interpreter

Post: Communications Officer/Interpreter (full time)

No: 1 (Duty Station: Kathmandu)

Duration: 1 Year (renewable upon availability of funds and performance)

The Public Defender Society of Nepal (PDS-Nepal), an organization spun off from ILF-Nepal, a project of The International Legal Foundation, is a not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization that upholds the human right to a fair trial and life and liberty, by defending poor, marginalized and vulnerable persons accused of criminal offenses, regardless of age, gender and ethnicity. It also works with the government to build its capacity to meet its legal obligation to provide criminal defense services to poor persons who cannot afford to hire private lawyers, so that all accused have equal access to competent defense lawyers. The primary mission of the organization is to ensure fair and effective access to justice, to develop a public defender system in Nepal and to work to develop the efficiency and sustainability of a Nepal public defender system. It focuses on the need for quality and meaningful legal representation for indigent accused in judicial and quasi-judicial tribunals.

PDS-Nepal seeks qualified, young, dynamic and compassionate Nepalese candidate to provide high-quality communication and interpretation services to PDS-Nepal.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

During the Employment Term, the Communications Officer/Interpreter will provide written and oral translation from English to Nepali or Nepali to English of all legal materials, court proceedings, correspondence, conversations between PDS-Nepal staff, and anything else deemed necessary by the Employer. The Communications Officer/Interpreter will also be responsible for assisting with the development and implementation of the PDS-Nepal’s advocacy and communications strategy, writing reports, and the documentation and dissemination of PDS-Nepal’s achievements to a variety of internal and external audiences. The Communications Officer/Interpreter will perform the translation and communications duties on behalf of the Employer in a manner with the standards of performance outlined below, and other reasonable tasks may be assigned to the Communications Officer/Interpreter from time to time.

During the Employment Term, the Communications Officer/Interpreter will devote her/his full business time, attention and skill to the performance of such duties, services and responsibilities, and will use her/his best efforts to promote the interests of the Employer. The Communications Officer/Interpreter will not engage in any other business activity outside of PDS-Nepal, without the approval of his or her direct supervisor.

The successful candidate shall:

• Interpret conversations and documents from Nepali to English and English to Nepali, without embellishment or omission, while preserving the language level of the speaker to the best of the Communication Officer/Interpreter's skill and ability,
• Be responsible to prepare quality reports timely to meet donors' reporting guidelines by working closely with Database Officer,
• Be responsible to periodically update information on PDS-Nepal's work in PDS-Nepal's website,
• Develop appropriate material to send to International Legal Foundation (ILF) staff in New York for social media and other communications as and when required,
• Review and edit IEC materials prior to publications,
• Communicate and coordinate with PDS-Nepal's district offices to prepare case studies to document and disseminate PDS-Nepal's achievements to various internal and external audiences,
• Be available to travel to different part of Nepal as required, to participate and support in workshops, trainings, seminars, surveys, investigations, etc.
• Closely supervise any outsourced translation services, to ensure that they are of the accuracy and quality that PDS-Nepal requires,
• Interpret only when requested by his/her direct supervisor or other member of PDS-Nepal or The ILF management. If requested to interpret by advocates or others, the Communications Officer/Interpreter should first consult with his/her supervisor,
• Keep all assignment-related information confidential. S/he should not publicly discuss, report on or offer an opinion concerning a matter in which he/she has been involved, even when that information is not privileged or required by law to be kept confidential, and the Communications Officer/Interpreter should not discuss any aspect of any case he/she has been working on, has observed, or has discussed with advocates or others at PDS-Nepal,
• Keep all assignments and appear on time for those assignments. If unable to keep an assignment, the Communications Officer/Interpreter shall give as much advance notice as possible, so that alternate arrangements can be made.
• Do not provide any legal advice of any kind to anyone, whether solicited or not. In all instances, legal issues should be referred to an advocate or management.
• Assist the Executive Director, Training & Legal Director, Deputy Director, Director of Finance & Sr. AIC to develop press materials and other advocacy material for publication when and as required,
• Any other duties assigned by the Executive Director and the Deputy Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Master’s degree in relevant subject (Mass Communication and Journalism or Master in English).
• Minimum two (2) years' experience (for Master's degree) or Three (3) or more years' experience (for Bachelors' degree) in a related field specially in translating legal documents and report writing.
• A strong command of English and Nepali in both spoken and written form.
• High quality typing speed both in English and Nepali.
• Presentation skill in PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of different local languages.
• Personal sensitivity and commitment to criminal legal aid issues and PDS-Nepal’s mission.
• Ability to travel throughout Nepal.

Helpful:

• Any additional communications experience or skills would be an added advantage.
• Persons with knowledge about legal aid system in Nepal will be given priority.

Salary: NRs. 30,000/ per month during probation (normally 3 months' probationary period) and NPR. 33,000/per month before taxes after probation period

Benefits: Monthly communication allowance and travel allowance as per PDS-Nepal's policies. After successful completion of probation period, the candidate will be provided with medical & life insurance, 12 days annual leave, 10 days sick leave and one Friday off every month.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your resume and a thoughtful cover letter to the email below, on or before November 7, 2017

Email to:
HR Department
PDS-Nepal

vacancy@pds-n.org
Surya Marg, Babar Mahal,

Kathmandu

1. No telephone inquiries please. Only candidates short-listed for an interview will be contacted.

2. The successful candidate is expected to start work from Nov 2^nd week, 2017.

3. PDS-Nepal is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, caste, gender, ethnicity, etc. Women, Dalits, Janjati and other minorities are encouraged to apply.

Note: Please do not forget to mention "Application for Communications Officer/Interpreter" in the subject line.