Cyfieithydd a Swyddog y Gymraeg / Welsh Language Officer and Translator

Food Standards Agency

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 14th July 2024

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Details

Reference number

359032

Salary

£32,505

£32,505 (National) £34,647 (London) Salary will be pro rata if working part time or as part of a job share partnership. If applying on a job-share basis, the expectation is that you are already in an established job-share partnership. Applicants who wish to work part time / compressed hours are welcome to apply - however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Temporary

Length of employment

Temporary – from 01/09/2024 up until 01/06/2025

Business area

FSA - UK and International Affairs Wales - Comms, Welsh Language and Business Support

Type of role

Administration / Corporate Support

Working pattern

Full-time, Homeworking, Job share, Part-time, Compressed hours

Location

We offer great flexible working opportunities, and have offices in Belfast, Cardiff or York. Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas. Travel across the UK will be required on an occasional basis, possibly with overnight stays.

About the job

Job summary

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) works to keep food safe across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. One of the best ways we can support consumers in Wales is to ensure that everybody has access to the information we share. Our Welsh Language Unit plays a vital role in offering accessible messaging to everyone in Wales, helping us deliver our work in the Welsh language.

We are looking for a Welsh Language Officer and Translator who can champion the Welsh language in the FSA and help us deliver our world class messaging to speakers across the UK.

Whether engaging with consumers, food businesses or other stakeholders, your ability to effectively translate will help us ensure the language stands on an equal footing with English in all our activities across Wales.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

Job description

You’ll offer written and simultaneous translation, proofreading, editing and more as we seek to ensure consistent high-quality delivery that spans the FSA’s work in Wales. As well as collaborating internally with colleagues, you’ll work with others across the Welsh translation sector to help standardise new terminology.

This is an exciting opportunity to engage with incredibly varied translation work that not only seeks to champion the usage of the Welsh language but also supports important work that benefits public health, as carried out by the FSA.

If you are a Welsh translator who’s keen to develop their skills in a busy, supportive and proactive Welsh Language Unit, we’d love to hear from you. This role will allow you to make a real difference in an area that touches all our lives, every day. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to apply for our Welsh Language Officer and Translator role.

Please read before applying

This post is a temporary Fixed Term/Loan appointment from 1 September 2024 up until 1 June 2025 with the possibility, but no guarantee, of extension or permanency.

Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.

Note for FSA employees

You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy, this includes applying for a new post during an existing temporary posting. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion – you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

Person specification

Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process.

We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Languages

• Fluent Welsh language skills
• Listening: Understand all spoken Welsh, including complex discussions.
• Speaking: Able to speak at length about complex issues, present arguments and lead discussions even on unfamiliar topics.
• Reading: Understand all types of texts.
• Writing: Able to write fluently, correctly and precisely, adapting style according to the audience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Managing a Quality Service
Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,505, Food Standards Agency contributes £9,417 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Our candidate pack details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack.

Application and shortlisting

You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

Technical: You will be asked a question to confirm that you meet the Technical requirements of the role.

If you cannot answer yes to this question – you will not be able to proceed further with your application.

You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.

Essential criteria

Experience

Proven experience of translating and proofreading (English > Welsh) to the highest, publishable quality, adhering to the principles of Clear Welsh and ensuring that the translated content is appropriate for the target audience.
Has successfully used Cysgliad, Byd Term Cymru, Porth Termau. Geiriadur yr Academi, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru.

Technical

Fluent Welsh language skills (please refer to level 5 descriptors in the skills matrix at this link):
Listening: Understand all spoken Welsh, including complex discussions.
Speaking: Able to speak at length about complex issues, present arguments and lead discussions even on unfamiliar topics.
Reading: Understand all types of texts.
Writing: Able to write fluently, correctly and precisely, adapting style according to the audience.

Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the interview stage which will consist of a Welsh speaking interview and unseen English > Welsh Translation test. You will be assessed against the criteria below.

Behaviours (Level 3)

Managing a Quality Service
Delivering at Pace

Full details of the positive indicators being assessed for each Behaviour can be found in the Candidate Pack.

Technical

Fluent Welsh language skills (please refer to level 5 descriptors in the skills matrix at this link):
Listening: Understand all spoken Welsh, including complex discussions.
Speaking: Able to speak at length about complex issues, present arguments and lead discussions even on unfamiliar topics.
Reading: Understand all types of texts.
Writing: Able to write fluently, correctly and precisely, adapting style according to the audience.

Experience

Proven experience of translating and proofreading (English > Welsh) to the highest, publishable quality, adhering to the principles of Clear Welsh and ensuring that the translated content is appropriate for the target audience.

Assessment exercise

As part of the interview process, you will be asked to undertake an unseen English > Welsh Translation test during the 60 minutes prior to your interview. Further information will be provided to you on the invitation to interview email and on the day.

Expected Timeline

Advert closes: 14 July 2024 (23:55)

Sift: Expected to take place during week commencing 15 July 2024

Final panel interview: Expected to take place during week commencing 29 July 2024

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application.)

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.

Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview, but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications and we are unable to provide any advice about visas.

If you wish to raise a complaint then please email hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk in the first instance.

Os ydych am wneud cwyn, anfonwch e-bost at hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk yn y lle cyntaf.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Lisa Pugh
Email : lisa.pugh@food.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk

Further information