Kanuri Content Lead – Chatbots at Translators without Borders (TWB)

Translators without Borders (TWB) envisions a world where knowledge knows no language barriers. The US-based non-profit provides people access to vital knowledge in their language by connecting non-profit organizations with a community of language professionals, building local language translation capacity, and raising awareness of language barriers. Originally founded in 1993 in France (as Traducteurs sans Frontières), TWB translates millions of words of life-saving and life-changing information every year.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Kanuri Content Lead – Chatbots

Location: Maiduguri, Nigeria
Travel: Minimal within Nigeria
Reporting to: Community Engagement Officer
Contract length: 6 months
Hours: Part time (24 hours/week)
Contract type: National position

The Role

• The Content Lead will report to the Community Engagement Officer and will be responsible for supporting high-quality community engagement services in Nigeria. This includes innovative, creative and effective two-way communication with communities through chatbots (conversational messengers that connect TWB to people via mobile messaging apps).
• The incumbent will process and translate content and liaise with partners on content curation for the chatbot. In addition, they will deliver, and support colleagues in the delivery of written translations, transcriptions, audio recording, and other language services to humanitarian organizations, and contribute to research, training, and monitoring activities.

Responsibilities
Language services:

• Produce high quality and timely translations, transcriptions and audio recordings in Kanuri
• Support the Community Engagement Officer in planning, implementing and monitoring community engagement program activities
• Support the development and rollout of new community engagement technological tools and provide feedback as we develop tools further
• Under the guidance of the Community Engagement Officer, engage with partners in the editorial process of developing chatbot conversations
• In consultation with the Community Engagement Officer, contribute feedback to the weekly chatbot content meetings with partners, developing and translating messages from English to Kanuri
• Act as the focal point for receiving and incorporating feedback on the chatbot through the pilot testing and rollout phase and ensuring the content is responsive to community needs
• Where relevant, contribute to the development of glossaries, guidance notes, language factsheets and field testing of terminology and community engagement content

Assist with the development and rollout of new communication tools

Partnerships and Quality Assurance:

• Support the Community Engagement Officer on administrative and logistical tasks related to program activities
• Contribute to regular internal reporting and donor reporting as required
• Liaise with the global chatbot team to share best practices and lessons learned in other country programs and to inform the design of Kanuri-language conversation
• Maintain good professional relationships with TWB volunteers and partner agencies
• Work with the Community Engagement Officer to identify trends, gaps, opportunities and solutions for community engagement
• Participate in and support with monitoring, evaluation and research activities
• Contribute to a positive and innovative work environment within TWB
• Any other duties as assigned
• The role will evolve along with the overall program as projects develop to reflect the changing language needs of the affected population and humanitarian community in North East Nigeria.

Qualifications
Required:

• Graduate degree (in a field related to translation or humanitarian assistance) or professional translation or interpreting qualifications
• Ability to quickly learn new online technologies
• Familiarity with social media and messaging platforms (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) and knowledge of popular social media accounts in the region
• Mother tongue speaker of Kanuri with excellent writing and speaking skills in Kanuri and English.
• 3+ years experience in translation or interpretation between English and Kanuri
• Computer and technology literate (including Microsoft Office, Google documents and sheets)
• Willingness to travel to insecure locations for work

Desirable:

• Experience of working with or/and managing small teams of volunteers
• Previous experience with non-profit organizations, particularly in development and/or humanitarian response
• Training experience
• Experience of Computer Assisted Translation tools
• Fluency in other languages of Nigeria is an advantage

Essential Aptitude:

• Ability to demonstrate initiative, be proactive and offer a solution-oriented approach
• Determined and committed to high quality standards with attention to detail
• Flexible and eager to adapt to different learning styles and changing circumstances
• Ability to establish effective and collaborative working relationships at all levels internally and externally
• Ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and work calmly under pressure
• Commitment to TWB’s mission

Core Values:

• Translators without Borders employees and volunteers are made of people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. Translators without Borders’ mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:
• Excellence: As the leading voice for communicating humanitarian information in the right language, Translators without Borders is a leader in the translation industry and in the non-profit sector.
• Integrity: Translators without Borders believes that every person, whether it is the people who we serve, our volunteers or our staff, has value, deserves respect and has inherent dignity.
• Empowerment: Translators without Borders believes in using language to empower people around the world to control their own development and destiny.
• Innovation: Translators without Borders recognizes and celebrates the power of innovation to address humanitarian and crisis issues around the world.
• Sustainability: Translators without Borders recognizes that meeting our mission necessitates establishment and maintenance of a solid financial and organizational infrastructure.
• Tolerance: Our staff and volunteers are highly knowledgeable and skilled; value each other, our partner and our recipients; create a supportive work environment; and, conduct themselves professionally at all times.

Deadline: 11th October, 2020.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online