Head of French Language Department at Interpol in Lyon

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Interpol

Head of French Language Department

Lyon, France·Contract·Posted 1 month+

Location: Lyon, France
Category: Other
Job type: Contract
Seniority: Director
Language: en

Job details

Vacancy Notice 1730

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 196 Member Countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities, and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.

INTERPOL actively encourages applications from women and nationals of member countries that are currently unrepresented among our staff ( please click on this link to access the list of countries ). Candidates from these countries are particularly encouraged to apply.

INTERPOL’s recruitment process is merit-based hence all hiring decisions are made considering the applicant’s qualifications and the needs of the Organization.

Job Title: Head of French Language Department Reporting To: Head of Global Language Services Location: Lyon Type of contract: Fixed-term Contract Duration (in months): 36.00 Grade: 3 Number of post(s): 1 Level of Security screening: Basic Deadline for application:** 28 April 2026**

Conditions applying for all candidates

Only professional experience for which candidates can provide official proof of employment will be considered. Candidates could be requested to provide copies of such official documents prior to interviews/test.

** Subsequent extension to this post will be subject to the terms of the Organization’s Staff Manual, to satisfactory performance and to availability of funds.*

Tests/interviews in connection to this selection procedure will take place approximately 3-4 weeks after the deadline for applications. Applicants are kindly requested to plan their availability during this period accordingly, in case they are short-listed.

Selected candidates will be expected to report for duty approximately two to three months after receiving an offer of employment at the latest.

This selection exercise may be used to generate a reserve list of suitable candidates that may be used to address Organization's similar staffing needs in the future.

DEFINITION OF THE POST

Working under the authority of the Global Head of Language and Document Services, the incumbent is responsible for coordinating and supervising the translation and revision (in the language of the relevant Department) of documents drafted by the General Secretariat’s units, as well as INTERPOL Notices, and is also tasked with handling a broad range of subjects relating to the Organization’s day-to-day operations, activities, and to the decisions to be taken by its governing bodies.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES

1: Team and departmental management

Plan, organize and supervise the Department's translation, revision, editing and (where appropriate) minute-taking work considering the deadlines requested and according to priorities, making the best use of the team’s skills.
Ensure adequate staffing cover, optimum productivity and efficient management and operation of the Department, including contributing to the Sub-Directorate’s annual budget planning and keeping track of the Department’s expenses according to that budget.
Promote client-oriented services by providing direction, motivating staff, and fostering excellent performance and teamwork. Organize and manage assigned resources to provide timely and effective service delivery.
Establish, monitor, and report on annual performance for Department staff, ensuring appropriate distribution of workload and adjusting priorities, as required, in order to meet operational needs.
Evaluate staff performance within the Department. Provide individuals with regular coaching and training to enhance skills and, where appropriate, address skills gaps.
Supervise and assess the work produced by the staff of the Department and by external language service providers. Review the quality and quantity of work produced, considering the difficulty of the texts concerned. Ensure that quality standards are maintained and that texts are in keeping with the terminology and style used within the Organization.
In consultation with the other Heads of Language Departments, provide instructions to the staff of the Department for dealing with translation challenges to ensure uniformity across all four language versions.
Participate as required in training, visits, and international meetings on specialist topics and for language professionals.
Achieve and maintain full proficiency in the main IT, CAT, AI and other tools and resources available in Language Services.

2: Outsourcing and administrative management

Assess needs and make recommendations for the outsourcing of the Department’s work. Monitor the work accomplished by external language service providers and deliver regular feedback, accordingly, ensuring that contractual responsibilities are upheld and making recommendations on suitability according to performance.
Perform administrative and management tasks related to outsourcing, including leading all steps of the call for tenders process on behalf of the Department.
Suggest improvements related to staff, workflows, and procedures aimed at ensuring the smooth running of the Department. Participate in meetings or working groups to contribute to collaborative tasks and specific projects within Language Services.
Liaise with the General Secretariat’s client units. Obtain feedback from clients and other stakeholders on the quality of the services provided and adapt accordingly, making recommendations on the improvement of the work of the Department.
Take part in every stage of the recruitment of staff, whether temporary or permanent, for the Department: terms of assignment, vacancy notice, shortlist, written assessments, panel composition, interviews, and making recommendations concerning appointments. Lead onboarding efforts appropriately and ensure newcomers are continually guided, coached, and monitored throughout the probation period and beyond, ensuring that appropriate quality, productivity, and conduct standards are met and maintained.

3: Translation, revision, quality control, and terminology management

Translate, review or edit originals drafted in the language of the Department, review translations into the language of the Department, perform minute-taking, and/or draft summary records of proceedings according to established KPIs (translation: 1,800 words within a working day; revision: 5,000 words within a working day), including when on mission (i.e. abroad) or when performing on-call duties for Notices (translation outside of normal working hours).
Lead the Department’s terminology work and provide guidance on appropriate language and terminology use to Department staff, Language Services staff in general, and the wider Organization as required. Create, modify, and edit terminology term base records as required, or provide guidance to that effect.
Counsel and assist staff of the Department and brief them on the procedures and practices of Language Services, terminology, and a broad range of subjects. Act as a mentor and coach and provide guidance to other units on institutional matters as required.
Liaise with all staff within Language Services to oversee the quality of outputs and ensure harmonized workflows.
Keep abreast of developments in translation and terminology technologies, including AI and related tools, by participating in professional meetings and maintaining regular contacts with Heads of Language Services in other organizations, notably for benchmarking purposes.

**4: **Language technologies and innovation

Define and implement the Language Department’s technology strategy according to guidance from the Global Head of Language Services, including the governance and deployment of CAT tools, machine translation, and AI-based solutions, with a view to enhancing quality, consistency, efficiency, and data security.
Maintain operational proficiency in relevant language and terminology technologies, and model their effective use through established standards, workflows, and best practices.
Train, instruct and support other staff in the appropriate use of language and terminology technologies, including by providing guidance to resolve technical and workflow-related issues.
Formulate evidence-based recommendations on tool selection, configuration, and evolution, and ensure the ethical, compliant and sustainable use of technology and AI within the Department.

** **

5: Perform such other duties as may be required.

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QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

** **

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION REQUIRED:

A master’s degree in Languages, Translation, Translation Technologies, or in a relevant discipline complemented by advanced management and translation experience.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

At least eight years of experience in translation, editing, revision, and (where appropriate) minute-taking, preferably in an international organization;
Knowledge of working methods and procedures in international organizations;
Demonstrable experience in managing small teams;
Advanced experience in the use of language technologies and tools.

LANGUAGES:

Perfect command of the language of the Department as a mother tongue.
Excellent knowledge of two of the Organization’s other languages, one of which must be English if this is not the mother tongue.

SKILLS REQUIRED:

Management skills, including:
Leadership
Managing performance
Motivating staff
Actively supporting career development
Decision-making
Change management and organizational behaviour skills
Knowledge-transfer and teaching skills;
Ability to grasp and deal with a wide variety of subject matters (law, IT, forensics, etc.);
Excellent general knowledge given the wide range of areas covered;
Advanced proficiency in the use of CAT tools, machine translation and AI-based language solutions, as well as standard computer-based applications;
Openness to new ideas and innovation.

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SPECIAL APTITUDES REQUIRED:

Personal and professional maturity;
Strong communication and persuasion skills;
Ability to maintain objectivity and apply logical, specifically inductive, reasoning;
Ability to work in teams as well as individually;
Ability to work persistently and under pressure, including outside of normal working hours;
Exceptional social skills, particularly in a multicultural environment;
Initiative, creativity (original thinking) and intellectual curiosity;
Ability to develop and maintain professional networks;
Ability to synthesize ideas.

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