Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To promote corporate terminology standards and linguistic usage standards for French-language communication within the OPS by: providing corporate terminology services and expertise through the GTS terminology hotline service to Ontario government ministries and agencies, translation suppliers, other governments, private organizations and the public at large; creating and disseminating official government names and collecting and disseminating preferred program-related terms; and assisting in maintaining the Ontario Government's bilingual corporate terminology database and Web site.

Duties / Responsibilities :

GTS, part of Ontario Shared Services (OSS), is responsible for promoting the OPS-wide standardization of French-language government terminologies by ensuring the creation and dissemination of official government names and the collection and dissemination of preferred program-related terms through cooperation with all ministries and agencies, particularly the Ministry of the Attorney General, which translates acts, bills and regulations. In that context, the position's duties and responsibilities are:

1. Providing corporate terminology services and expertise through the GTS terminology hotline to members of the OPS, translation suppliers, other governments, private organizations and the public at large, including: answering questions and advising clients regarding French or English equivalents of official government names, slogans, signage, statute titles, preferred program-related terms in any field or discipline, as well as answering questions concerning grammar and other language issues; referring clients to other appropriate resources if necessary; advising clients on terminology or linguistic tools and resources; assisting clients with difficulties in consulting the corporate terminology Web site.

2. Promoting the quality and standardization of official government terminology in French through the creation of appropriate equivalents of Ontario government official names including names of ministries and their organizational units, names of agencies, boards and commissions and other entities, program names and position titles and through recommending preferred program-related terms by analyzing context, identifying concepts, researching, evaluating and deciding on or recommending appropriate equivalents, and informing ministry and agency clients and stakeholders of new official government terminology.

3. Updating the Ontario Government's bilingual corporate terminology database and Web site by preparing terminology records for new government names and terms, modifying the content of records and deciding on deletions as required, for all three processes ensuring that internal protocols and guidelines are adhered to.

4. Managing sets of tasks, under the supervision of the Senior Terminologist, for the terminology component of projects such as PACE, Public Accounts and Annual Reports.

5. Compiling and maintaining terminology files on complex terms or issues.

6. Assisting in developing corporate quality standards for creating official government names and researching preferred program-related terms, and for linguistic usage. Contributing to the development of internal guidelines and procedures.


7. Training translation suppliers working on-site on internal terminology guidelines and procedures and use of specialized electronic tools. Assisting in the training of in-house students, occasionally supervising them directly.

8. Participating in committees, playing a leadership role as terminology expert by chairing terminology sub-committees, providing advice on terminology theory and methods, revising terminology records and facilitating workshops.

9. Assisting in the preparation of lexicons for ministry and agency clients and linguistic usage and style guides for members of the OPS communicating in French and assisting on other special projects.

10. Acting as back-up in the absence of the Senior Terminologist by managing the Terminology Hotline service and the terminology component of translation projects, as well as monitoring the corporate terminology Web site and referring technical problems to appropriate IT technicians.

11. Assisting in maintaining the 8,500-volume GTS reference library and GTS information resources including assisting users in finding information, deciding on classification of reference material and publications for cataloguing and coding purposes, recommending acquisitions and compiling and maintaining inventories of terminology resources and subject field specialists.


12. The Manager may have the right to assign additional responsibilities, as required.

Staffing and Licencing :

Position requires Ontario government accreditation at the superior level for oral and written French and English language skills.

Knowledge :

Position requires knowledge of terminology theory and principles, thorough knowledge of specialized terminology methods, techniques, procedures and industry practice and superior level of oral and written French and English language skills in order to: provide expert advice to clients on issues relating to French-language terminology in a broad range of disciplines and relating to linguistic usage by: conducting in-depth terminology research, analyzing concepts, interpreting the intent of in-house terminology guidelines and precedents in order to apply them to identifying or creating French equivalents of official government names and recommending French equivalents of preferred program-related terms while ensuring that equivalents accurately convey content and level of language of original message and ensuring consistency of French terminology throughout the OPS; prepare terminology records for government names and terms by analyzing information found through research in order to identify pertinent data to be recorded, using this data to create new records and to modify the content of records and decide on deletions to reflect changing realities in government and justifying choices and decisions; participate in the elaboration of terminology record guidelines and protocols; compile files on complex terms or issues such as feminization by carrying out extensive in-depth research, analyzing concepts, and drafting reports detailing nature or complexity of issues; assist in developing corporate quality standards and guidelines for terminology and linguistic usage; participate in translation committees, playing a leadership role as terminology expert by chairing terminology sub-committees, providing advice on terminology theory and methods, revising terminology records and facilitating workshops; train students, trainees and translation suppliers working on-site on internal terminology guidelines and procedures and use of specialized electronic tools; assist in the preparation of terminology lexicons by researching and analyzing concepts and deciding on terms for inclusion in lexicons and in the preparation of linguistic usage and style guides by analyzing linguistic issues and drafting guidelines explaining usage. Position also requires knowledge in library methods and keeping abreast of new publications and terminology tools to assist in maintaining the 8,500-volume GTS reference library and GTS information resources by assisting users in finding information, deciding on classification of reference material and publications for cataloguing and coding purposes, recommending acquisitions and compiling and maintaining inventories of terminology resources and subject field specialists. Position requires knowledge of OPS policies and guidelines concerning the French Language Services Act and Visual Identity Directives as well as keeping abreast of new Ontario Government legislation, programs and services in order to assist clients efficiently in any area of government activity. Position requires knowledge of security procedures to ensure security of highly confidential government material. Position requires thorough knowledge of search capabilities of terminology databases, CD-ROMs, on-line library catalogues and Internet search engines in order to carry out complex terminology searches using these tools. Position also requires skills and capability for using word processing programs and electronic-mail in order to carry out daily tasks.

Skills :

Position requires considerable analytical skills to: assess the nature of an incoming request, determine its level of priority and urgency and the level of research it requires, as well as to address specific client needs and any broader issues or implications not necessarily perceived by the client (i.e., importance of accuracy of information, potential legal implications, need for consistency in terminology both within individual ministries and across the government); research names and terms which may sometimes be of a highly complex or technical nature and analyze the concepts they represent, then evaluate results of research and recommend or create appropriate equivalents; assist in developing corporate quality standards for the creation of official government names. Position requires problem-solving skills to: provide clients with solutions to complex issues, negotiate deadlines, address frequent shifts in priority or differences of opinion on choice of terminology. Position requires logic and method to record results of terminology research and participate in the elaboration of guidelines for terminology records. Position requires flexibility and versatility to address linguistic and terminology questions in almost any field of activity of the Ontario government. Position also requires judgement in answering and advising clients particularly when confidential, sensitive or high-profile issues may be involved.

Freedom of Action :

Position requires working within ministry policies and procedures related to government terminology and translation. Incumbent exercises latitude in decision making in carrying out terminology research activities to promote corporate terminology standards and linguistic usage standards for French-language communication within the OPS. Work is reviewed by Senior Terminologist for progress and results. Incumbent consults with Senior Terminologist on unusual issues and extremely complex or ambiguous terms.