Chief Translator (Language Services)

The Chief Translator serves as Deputy Division Chief in the Language Services Division, leading translation, editorial, and coordination services across multiple languages. The role involves strategic leadership, modernization of translation services including AI and language technologies, and ensuring high-quality multilingual communication for the IMF.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, coordination, and continuous improvement of the IMF’s translation, editorial, terminology, quality assurance, and translation project management activities.
• Serve as the principal advisor to the Division Chief on all translation-related matters and act as Deputy Division Chief, providing leadership and operational continuity in the Division Chief's absence.
• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop the Translation Section Chiefs and oversee the Translation Coordination Center (TCC), ensuring effective workforce planning, succession planning, performance management, staff development, and resource allocation across the Division.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Division's strategic vision, priorities, policies, operating model, and work program, while strengthening collaboration with client departments and other stakeholders across the Fund.
• Ensure the timely delivery of high-quality multilingual products by optimizing the use of staff, contractual resources, technology, and financial resources, while monitoring operational performance, quality standards, productivity, and service levels.
• Lead the Division's translation modernization agenda by promoting the responsible adoption of language technologies, AI-enabled workflows, automation, and data-driven decision-making, while ensuring appropriate governance, quality assurance, confidentiality, and operational resilience.
• Promote harmonized policies, knowledge sharing, innovation, and continuous improvement across language sections and the TCC, including terminology management, editorial practices, translation workflows, and project management.
• Advise the Division Chief on translation policies, operational strategy, industry trends, and emerging technologies, and maintain productive relationships with peer institutions and professional organizations.
• Represent the Division in IMF-wide committees, cross-departmental initiatives, and inter-institutional working groups, as appropriate.
• Perform translation, revision, review, or editorial work when operational requirements warrant.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in translation, interpretation, economics, law, or a closely related field, supplemented by a minimum of eleven (11) years of progressively responsible professional experience, preferably in a complex, multinational organization; or a university degree, or equivalent, and seventeen (17) years of relevant professional experience is required.
• Advanced written and spoken proficiency in one or more of the languages covered by the Division is required. Proficiency in additional languages is highly desirable.
• Substantial experience in translating, revising, reviewing, and producing high-profile documents and publications.
• Demonstrated familiarity with current developments in the IMF's areas of work and a broad understanding of international economic and financial issues relevant to the Fund's mandate.
• Strong management, administrative, and interpersonal skills, as well as effective communications skills.
• Significant experience in successfully managing and supervising a unit with a high volume of work and very short deadline requirements.
• Proven ability to manage a complement of contractual employees to supplement staff resources.
• Ability to manage a mix of in-house and contractual budget resources in the most efficient way to achieve the Division’s goals within CSF's overall service provision strategy.
• Ability to work under pressure and to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Decisiveness, coupled with the ability to determine and shift priorities quickly and to resolve resource needs.
• In-depth knowledge of Fund policies and procedures, as well as the ability to establish and maintain contacts with language services in other organizations.
• Proven experience working in a technologically advanced environment, with up-to-date knowledge of cutting-edge language technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), computer-assisted translation (CAT), machine translation (MT), terminology management systems, and other technologies that support multilingual service delivery and language services management.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement a strategic vision for language technology, lead the responsible adoption of innovative technologies and AI-enabled workflows, drive organizational change, and establish appropriate governance to enhance the quality, efficiency, security, and effectiveness of language services.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise, assess, and develop managers, professionals, and support staff; delegate authority effectively; motivate high performance; and foster a collaborative, inclusive, innovative, results-oriented team culture.
• Proven ability to lead organizational changes, build staff capability, and drive the adoption and integration of innovative technologies and AI-enabled workflows into language services operations.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong collaborative relationships and communicate effectively and diplomatically with Fund Management, staff, client departments, and external stakeholders at all levels in a multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated strategic leadership and the ability to contribute to defining the goals, priorities, and work program of the Language Services Division and the Corporate Services and Facilities Department, and to represent the Division effectively in cross-departmental initiatives and international professional forums.

Skills

• Translation
• Interpretation
• Document Revision
• Bilingual Communication
• International Economics Knowledge
• Financial Issues Understanding
• Unit Management
• Staff Supervision
• Contractual Staff Management
• Budget Management
• Language Services Management
• Large Language Models
• Computer-Assisted Translation
• Machine Translation
• Terminology Management Systems
• Language Technology Strategy
• AI-assisted Workflows
• Organizational Change Management
• Team Leadership
• Stakeholder Management
• Strategic Leadership

Languages

English