Editor
Organizational Context
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) promotes sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in Asia and the Pacific. As a regional development arm of the UN Secretariat, ESCAP supports member states with research, analysis, and capacity-building. This Editor role is situated within the Editorial Unit of the Conference and Documentation Services Section.
Job Purpose
The Editor is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, clarity, and conformity of documents with United Nations standards. This involves meticulous editing of specialized and technical texts, including correcting grammar, punctuation, and terminology, and ensuring appropriate style for the intended readership. The role requires extensive editing, potentially involving rewriting, abridging, and restructuring content for improved readability and logical flow. The Editor will collaborate with author departments, conduct research to resolve ambiguities and factual errors, and verify information such as facts, figures, references, and quotations. Additionally, the position involves advising authors on editorial policies, utilizing and suggesting improvements for language technologies, identifying and submitting new terminology, and contributing to data collection and analysis. The incumbent is expected to continuously develop their skills and may undertake cross-assignments for other language functions.
Responsibilities
The Editor will meticulously edit documents, including specialized and technical texts, to ensure accuracy, clarity, cohesion, and adherence to United Nations standards, policy, and practice. This includes correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar, verifying terminology, and ensuring the style is appropriate for the readership, all while meeting workload standards and deadlines. The role involves performing more extensive editing tasks such as rewriting, abridging, and restructuring texts to enhance readability and logical sequence. Collaboration with author departments and research will be necessary to clarify ambiguities and rectify substantive errors, including verifying facts, figures, references, and quotations. The Editor will also provide guidance to authors on editorial policy and practice, assist in document preparation, and effectively utilize language technologies and tools, suggesting improvements. Furthermore, the position requires identifying new terminology for approval, actively seeking feedback for skill development, undertaking cross-assignments for other language functions, contributing to data collection and analysis, and performing other related duties as required.
Work Experience
A minimum of two years of editing experience within the United Nations is required. Proficiency with web-based applications, electronic editing tools, software, and reference systems is also necessary. Experience editing in-session documentation (e.g., resolutions, outcome documents) and delivering client training or outreach activities are considered desirable.
Skills
Professionalism, Teamwork, Client Orientation, strong writing skills, accuracy, consistency, attention to detail, subject matter expertise, research skills, ability to work under pressure, versatility, judgment, discretion, effective communication, and proficiency with editing tools and technologies.