Translator

Role Purpose: To translate museum/exhibition content for books and exhibition guides. Translation from English to Modern Standard Arabic or vice versa ensuring meaning and context is maintained. To liaise with internal and external stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Translation.

• Translate written material from source language into the target language – English to Modern Standard Arabic or vice versa.
• Translate complete books for exhibition catalogues, collection books, gallery guides etc.
• Proofread and edit working drafts and final translated versions.
• Retain and develop knowledge on specialist areas of translation – culture, art history, museum interpretation.
• Set project priorities and schedules.
• Develop glossary with exhibition, museum, art and culture terminology in Modern Standard Arabic.
• Contribute to the development of the translation style-guide in alignment with other departments/museums.
• Closely liaise between departments to ensure consistency and relevance of all content related to publications.
• Assist editorial team in outsourcing translators for languages other than English and Arabic and ensuring their deliverables are up to the standards.

2. Quality Control.

• Verify facts, dates and statistics using standard reference sources.
• Ensure all content produced meets the stakeholders’ objectives and precisely reflects their tone and intent.
• Ensure all translated content is consistent and follows style guides.
• Liaise with design team on the best way to deliver content and information hierarchy.
• Quality control over all text before production.

3. Communication.

• Support editorial team in liaising with content providers (authors / curators / artists) to ensure accurate text delivery and style consistency.
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with key internal (museums, centralized departments) and external (content providers, graphic designers, publishers) stakeholders.

• Good communicator with exceptional verbal and writing skills in English and Modern Standard Arabic languages.
• Ability to work with complex art concepts.
• The ability to use specialist dictionaries, thesauruses and reference books to find closest equivalents for terminology and words used.
• Produce daily translation output of at least 1000 words.
• Detail-oriented and performs well under deadlines.
• Good organizational and time-management skills.
• Technically savvy with strong skills in MS Office.
• Ability to present ideas in user-friendly language.
• Self-starter, ability to work independently and with an entrepreneurial attitude.
• Passion for creating and implementing new initiatives.
• Commitment to working collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, board members, volunteers, program participants, and other supporters.
• Bachelor, preferably master’s degree in English or Arabic Literature/Language, Translation.

• At least 6 years of experience in translating museum/art related content.

• Experience in translating exhibition/art material from English to Modern Standard Arabic and vice versa.

• Proof of translated cultural publications produced by respected global institutions or presses.

• Understanding of Publications translation requirements.