CLEAR Global is hiring a
Contract Length: up to January 2025, possibility to extend depending on funding
Location: Bangladesh, preferred if located in Bandarban or Khagrachari districts
Hours: Full time
Travel: some, to communities in the Hill Tracts; non-travel time will be home-based
Reporting to: Program Manager
Remuneration: 113,00-119,00 BDT/month
Application Deadline: 8 May, 2024
CLEAR Global/Translators without Borders (TWB) is an equal-opportunity employer, committed to having a diverse team where individuals of all backgrounds collaborate and learn from one another. We believe we can be most effective with diverse experience and expertise in our team. We recruit on merit, actively seek diverse applicant pools and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, marital or parental status, or sexual orientation, and welcome all types of diversity.
We offer in addition to salary:
Background
Education in Bangladesh has historically been in Bangla, and there has been limited scope for indigenous children and adults to become acquainted with their mother tongue in written form. In 2010, the government recognised indigenous children's right to education in their respective mother tongues and updated the National Education Policy with activities to arrange indigenous textbooks and teachers. Since then various initiatives have been taken to implement the policies however the work has not yet reached the desired scale and reach.
CLEAR Global, commissioned by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), has undertaken to investigate language and communication challenges faced by speakers of indigenous languages, focusing on speakers of Marma language in the Chittagong hill tract region. The project is two-fold: a baseline study will be carried out to better understand the communication needs and challenges of the Marma people in Bangladesh, and in parallel the team will explore how language technology and inclusive digital solutions can improve access to government led initiatives (ICT tools) that aim to increase quality of education through online training and skill development for teachers.
The Role
The Marma Language Lead, under the guidance of the Program Manager, will be responsible for enabling the delivery of both project streams (baseline study and language technology development) through the provision of Marma language expert guidance and language services. The Language Lead will play an important role facilitating communication as a focal point with Marma communities participating in the project and through the provision of translations, interpretation and other language services. The Language Lead will also support the development of a Marma language technology prototype by supporting CLEAR Global’s tech team with expert inputs on the Marma language and content development in Marma.
Responsibilities
Language expert support across project activities
Delivery of translation and language services
Support to research and user testing
Support to language technology prototype development
Please note that these roles and responsibilities are approximate and will evolve as activities develop based on research findings.
Qualifications
The Language Lead should be a creative self-starter with a strong sense of initiative and enthusiastic about the importance of giving a voice to marginalized communities, improving access to knowledge through language. The right candidate is an energetic team player who agrees with CLEAR Global/TWB’s basic beliefs and values and who can work virtually with team members based throughout the world.
Required qualifications:
Fluent Marma speaker with excellent Marma writing skills, ideally Khagrachari or Bandarban based dialect
Ability to provide linguistic guidance around the various dialects of Marma, including script variation, tonality etc.
Knowledge of the Marma community in Bangladesh and understanding of challenges and language exclusion in the contemporary education system in Bangladesh
Experience in community engagement, communication and/or digital solutions
Proven experience in working with marginalized communities and speakers of minority or indigenous languages
Ability to work independently, flexibly and with remote teams
Excellent communication, interpersonal and representational skills
Excellent English oral and written communication skills and proficient knowledge in Bangla.
Desirable qualifications:
About CLEAR Global/Translators without Borders
CLEAR Global exists to help people get vital information, and be heard, whatever language they speak. We believe that everyone has the right to give and receive information in a language and format they understand. We work with nonprofit partners and a global community of language professionals to build local language translation capacity, and raise awareness of language barriers. Our network of over 100,000 linguists translates millions of words of lifesaving and life-changing information a year.
Core values
CLEAR Global/ Translators without Borders employees and volunteers are made of people who believe passionately about the value of this work and take personal responsibility for achieving the mission. Translators without Borders’ mission and organizational spirit embody the core values established in its strategic framework:
CLEAR Global/ TWB may re-advertise the vacancy, cancel the recruitment, offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration at its discretion.