Organization Overview
Tostan is a US 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in Senegal in 1991 in order to educate and empower Africans who have had little or no access to formal schooling. Tostan’s community-led program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP), has achieved results including: declared abandonment of the practices of female genital cutting and child/forced marriage by thousands of villages; increased enrollment in formal education for children; increased use of problem solving and literacy skills to generate income and further develop local economies; and increased access to healthcare.
Roles & Responsibilities
The Document Translator will be responsible primarily for assisting Tostan with the translation needs as well as assuring administrative and organizational tasks as assigned.
- Translate documents and texts (75%) including: the website, newsletters, information in databases, action plans for organizational initiatives, reports, request for donor funding, etc.
- Other projects (25%) including travel to villages to gather information for reports, administrative projects to support the human resources department, the volunteer program, and the international programs team
- Work with staff to produce publicity materials (in French and English), such as PowerPoint presentations, brochures, films (if qualified)
- Help staff to develop template documents with standardized language for repeating assignments (i.e. donor reports, project proposals, volunteer/ intern job descriptions, etc.)
- Help to develop an organizations and communication system within Tostan to ensure that information is shared with the Executive and International Communications Teams
- Edit reports, proposals, articles, etc. for Tostan
Location
Dakar, Senegal
Key Qualifications & Selection Criteria
Education
- Bachelors degree or current enrollment in Bachelors program; studies in International Development, Education, Gender Studies, other social science, Communications, Business, Management, Finance, or related field
Language Proficiency
- Excellent written and spoken proficiency in both English and French (writing samples in both languages required); proficiency in Spanish preferred
Knowledge & Experience
- Proficient in French (or French mother-tongue)
- Proficient in English
- Thorough understanding of Tostan’s programs and methodologies
- Previous experience with either a nongovernmental or nonprofit organization or experience in Africa/ non-western country
- Experience translating documents for a variety of audiences; formal experience and translation certification preferred
- Capable of working with external stakeholders on planning and program implementation
- Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with Access or other database software preferred
- Knowledge of Gmail, Google Groups, Google Documents, Google Calendars, and other internet programs preferred
Characteristics
- Ability to be persistent and diplomatic, and to establish mutual respect among Tostan staff, project partners, and local community members
- Strong communication and organizational skills
- Flexible to adapt to a multicultural environment, to work in varied conditions, to be considerate of limited resources, and to adapt work priorities to the immediate needs of the project or donor
How to Apply
See the Volunteer and Intern page on the website for more information on how to apply.
Tostan is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without unlawful considerations of race, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
