Org. Setting and Reporting

The French teaching position is located in the Language Training Programme (LTP), Centre for Learning and Multilingualism (CLM), Human Resources Management Service in United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG).

Responsibilities

The duties of the French Language Teacher are as follows:
– teaches an average of 16 hours per week and devotes an equivalent number of work hours to course preparation and correcting learners’ work;
– develops and/or teaches regular or specialized French language courses;
– develops and/or teaches blended, distance and online French language courses, specialized language courses, including advanced language such as writing skills, in the context of United Nations;
– counsels learners; 
– in collaboration with the other French language teachers, organizes and administers the work of part-time French language teachers, sets programme objectives in line with the objectives of the LTP, prepares course schedules, prepares the construction and the marking process of language examinations and tests, recruits part-time language teachers as needed, and sets up teachers’ evaluation measures, processes and tools, develops the French language curriculum to target the needs of UN Staff;
– designs courses and workshops (including tailor-made courses) and ensures that appropriate methodologies are used;
– updates and creates learning material;
– works closely with the other language programmes on joint projects for development of the LTP;
– carries out other staff development activities when requested.

Competencies

Professionalism:
Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations; Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

Client Orientation:
Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients ” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Teamwork:
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; Is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Technological Awareness:
Keeps abreast of available technology; Understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in language area studies, language teaching, applied linguistics or education/pedagogy is required. Degrees should come from a university or equivalent institution at which French is the language of instruction. Degrees with special emphasis on the theory and practice of teaching French as a second or foreign language to adult learners are desirable. A minimum of 500 training hours (specific training courses, postgraduate courses, online training, etc.), in addition to the hours accumulated to obtain the university degree, in the areas of teaching French as a second or foreign language, curriculum development for adults, language examination design, course management and teachers’ support and training are desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of experience teaching French as a foreign or second language to adults in a professional setting is required. Of these, at least three years of recent experience in curriculum development, language examination design, or teacher training for adults learning French, is required. Working experience at international level in a multicultural environment is desirable. Experience with word-processing programmes is required. Experience with a variety of online tools, such as learning management systems (e.g. Moodle, Canvas); online collaboration tools (e.g. Google drive and Hangouts, WebEX,) and social media platforms to teach French as a foreign language is desirable. Experience in developing and/or teaching blended, distance or online French courses is desirable. Experience in developing, and/or teaching specialized courses with specific objectives is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in French, which must be the candidate’s main language, is required. Knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Applications will be screened on the basis of the criteria set forth above with regard to education, work experience and languages. All applications will be reviewed by an Assessment Panel.

Special Notice

Language teachers fall under the General Service and related categories and are locally recruited, regardless of their nationality and place of residence. The United Nations is not responsible for costs incurred during any stage of the examination or appointment.

The yearly schedule of work for language teachers consists of three terms of 13 weeks each. There is a summer recess of approximately eight weeks, and there are scheduled breaks between terms: approximately three weeks in December and two weeks in April.

Travel Expenses: Applicants should be aware that the United Nations is not responsible for costs incurred during any stage of the assessment or appointment.

Staff Members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.