Interpreter I (Amharic)

IRC BACKGROUND: Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. One aspect of the IRC is to assist refugees resettling in the United States. The IRC opened a Denver office in 2016 to provide reception and placement services to newly arrived refugees. The office is slated to resettle more than 600 refugees in the coming federal fiscal year. Wraparound program services and holistic supports aim to realize positive impact in clients’ safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and power. Some services are limited to refugees and other Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible populations, while others are open to a broader population of refugees, immigrants, and forcibly displaced people. The IRC in Denver’s approach is client-centered, empowerment-focused, trauma-informed, and multigenerational. Advancing racial equity and narrowing the gender gap are priorities for the IRC in Denver.

JOB OVERVIEW: On an occasional, on-call basis, the Amharic Interpreter provides language assistance services for clients to support stabilization and integration. They work in close coordination with IRC staff to provide in-person and/or remote interpretation to facilitate services provided under the Reception & Placement (R&P), Matching Grant (MG), and Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP) Reach Program guidelines. The Pulaar Interpreter adheres to standards of professional conduct for interpreters, assuring accuracy, impartiality, and confidentiality in their efforts to meet the language needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals and service providers, both internal to IRC and external in the community. Activities include providing professional interpretation services, supporting clients with community navigation and resource connections as assigned, tracking information and data in software systems as requested, and participating in service coordination, trainings and assessments as requested. The Amharic Interpreter may also assist in other instances in which a client requires an interpreter, as determined in consultation with the Interpretation Coordinator.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as communication liaison between staff and clients to ensure accurate, impartial, and confidential interpretation is available for LEP individuals and service providers in a variety of settings, such as clinics, hospitals, schools, community-based organizations, and government agencies. Services may be rendered in-person or via telephone, videoconference, or other virtual means.
• Support IRC staff in relaying important deadlines, instructions, questions, and other communication to clients in their native language.
• Assist clients in communicating any concerns, questions, or other information to staff when clients are not fluent or comfortable speaking English.
• Aid in transporting clients and orienting them to community resources as requested.
• Adhere to standards regarding protection of client data and information, in accordance with IRC policies and protocols.
• Translate documents from English into clients’ native language as requested.
• Assist staff with building client rapport and understanding cultural context.
• Participate in training, assessments, and professional development opportunities offered by the IRC.
• Consistently track and report assignments and hours worked within designated software systems.
• May support special projects and initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to: Interpretation Coordinator
Position Directly Supervises: N/A