Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide interpretation services in French, both in person and through remote technology, to all levels of courts, ensuring that such services are delivered in a professional, competent manner.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Provide a full professional level of interpretation for all levels of courts on a regional basis, in proceedings, through simultaneous, consecutive and sight interpretation from both English to French and French to English by:
' Ensuring that the meaning, feeling and intent of the original and often technical words of testimony spoken are accurately transmitted, without distortion, omissions or additions;
' Ensuring that submissions such as those of counsel and other parties are fully and accurately interpreted without distortion so as to ensure fairness to all parties;
' Ensuring that the proceedings are fully transmitted to all parties who are entitled to and require interpretation;
' Ensuring that appropriate legal terminology is used;
' Traveling to various court sites will be required;
' Providing interpretation services remotely by video or telephone, as required.
2. Assist in the training and recruitment of freelance interpreters and participate in providing effective interpretation services by:
' Assisting courts, in locating and scheduling freelance interpreters (in any language) by using the Registry of Accredited Freelance Court Interpreters or by making contact with various external organizations i.e. universities, community colleges, religious institutions, community groups, private interpretation companies for scheduling or, in assisting the Division, for recruitment purposes;
' Providing on-the-job training and mentoring to freelance interpreters of all languages on the workings of the Court by assisting new Interpreters in understanding procedural processes and protocols and general performance standards;
' Participating as course instructor in delivery of segments/modules of training courses for freelance interpreters when necessary;
' Administering the Ministry's test preparation session for French and Indigenous court interpreters, when necessary;
' Administering the interpretation testing of court interpreters in the Ministry's Bilingual Court Interpreting Test; English Court Interpreting Test and Indigenous Court Interpreting Test;
' Providing technical guidance on procedural matters or interpretation problems, informing/clarifying directives, instructional memoranda, etc. regarding such matters;
' Assisting with the preparation of lexicons and co-operating in the maintenance of a terminology bank alongside the Division's corporate office;
' Providing input on terminology and French usage to judges, court officials and staff;
' Assisting with the maintenance of the Registry of Accredited Freelance Court Interpreters by informing the Division's corporate office of any updates to the contact information, availability and/or travel restrictions of its freelance court interpreters.
' Assisting with the preparation and maintenance of the list external organizations that supply and refer interpreters to the Ministry.

Staffing and Licensing :

Job requires ministry accreditation in English and French, in accordance with ministry accreditation testing, training, practices and standards.
Job requires valid driver's license for travelling to/from court locations for interpreting assignments.

Knowledge :

Job requires fluency in English and French to provide interpretation services for/to all levels of court e.g. Criminal, Civil, Family, Provincial Offences Court, Small Claims Court. Job requires knowledge of legal terminology to ensure accurate rendering of legal terms and ideas, and knowledge of related areas/matters e.g. firearms, narcotics. Job requires knowledge of interpretation methods, both simultaneous e.g. working with headset, providing interpretation as originator is speaking and consecutive e.g. listening to originator and providing interpretation when speaker finished and sight translation. Job requires knowledge of ministry policies regarding confidentiality and interpreter conduct, the Court Services Division's Professional and Respectful Workplace Initiative and Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Prevention as well as courtroom proceedings. Job requires knowledge of Ministry's Quality Service Standards.

Skills :

Job requires analytical and evaluative skills to listen to original statements and render a message, which ensures that the meaning, intent and feeling of the originator's statement is conveyed. Job requires ability to research and acquire knowledge of terminology of subject matters not immediately known for upcoming trial situation e.g. trial involving insurance or car industry requires researching, identifying and developing understanding of industry terms/language. Job identifies an refers to the Court language problems which impact on interpretation and understanding of the parties involved. Job requires superior oral communication skills, both in terms of vocabulary and facility with grammar and sentence structure, in English and French, in order to provide oral interpretations of courtroom proceedings on a variety of subjects, including testimony of witnesses providing specialized, technical and scientific opinion and evidence and legal terms. Communication skills are also required to convey meaning, feeling and intent of original words. Job requires cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the target culture/language which is being translated. Job requires interpersonal skills to interact with officials of court, legal counsel and the parties to an action and gain/maintain the confidence of those for whom the interpretation is provided, and strive to ensure that individuals for whom interpretation is provided understand the message rendered. Job requires good organizational skills and the ability to work under pressure. Job requires the ability to deal with challenging situations/difficult justice participants demonstrating a high degree of emotional intelligence, professionalism, respect and integrity.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working within established procedures and practices of courtroom and within ministry policies/procedures for delivery of interpretation services and in accordance with procedures, progress of proceedings and requirements of presiding judicial official. Job requires decision-making in translating one language to another in courtroom and ensuring that message is as accurate as possible (e.g. as close to original statement in meaning and intent, use of comparable level of language). Incumbent's work is overseen in courtroom by presiding judicial official who monitors/reviews delivery of interpretation services during proceedings, although may not be able to review actual content of interpretations into other language. Job refers problems/issues, which have an impact on delivery of interpretation services within courtroom, to attention of presiding judicial official.