My job
I manage the Translation and Interpreting team, which consists of 16 people, five of whom report to me directly. We offer a translation and interpreting service covering more than 50 languages in total. On the translation side, we have an in-house team of 11 translators and an external team of some 80 freelancers. For the purposes of interpreting, we act as an agency, arranging the services requested by our customers with our panel of freelance interpreters.
In addition to supporting and developing the team as a whole, I am responsible for the business management of the unit and its relationship with the rest of the organisation. This includes overseeing the day-to-day operation of the unit, including the allocation, management and delivery of jobs. I manage contracts, ensuring that we have a good spread of customers, that our customers are happy with our service and that we are attracting new business. Maintaining good customer service is vital and I make a point of dealing with any problems or complaints that arise. My financial responsibilities include making sure that we maintain a positive trading position and reporting our figures to the Board.
I continue to use my professional translation skills, mainly in the form of checking or revising translations produced by in-house or freelance translators. Quality control is prescribed in customer contracts, and our work for our EU customers is subject to further scrutiny by internal EU revisers.
My experience and qualifications
I translate from four languages. I became interested in languages at school and went on to do a joint degree in French and Spanish, then a post-graduate diploma in Translation and Interpreting. I find the structure of language fascinating, and the precision of translation has always attracted and suited me more than the very different skills required for interpreting. I worked as a Staff Translator at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for three years before taking a year out to do a teaching qualification (PGCE). Returning to the FCO, I learned Portuguese to gain progression and started learning German, initially at night school. I was promoted to Head of Unit in 2006.
Working for FCO Services
The variety of subject matter has to be one of the best things about working in the unit. You could be translating a legal document one day and a post-mortem the next. You find yourself working with people with extensive experience and our on-the-job training is second to none. You also have access to feedback on your work from people at the highest level of the profession. The team members here are very mutually supportive and the training opportunities are excellent, including further language tuition and subject-specific courses.
Top tip for someone coming new into a similar job
You need attention to detail and a willingness to extend your knowledge through on-the-job training. You need to be open to, and be able to learn from, constructive criticism. A thirst for knowledge other than languages, for example an intellectual curiosity to research your subject matter, is very important.