Job Description

Job Advert Summary

The HSRC produces leading-edge policy research, through engaged scholarship, to utilise in understanding and explaining social conditions and informing social change for inclusive growth in communities. Dissemination of research findings and promotion of research activities, are done through various public events including conferences, workshops, launches, public dialogues and seminars.





The Communication and Engagement (C&E) unit within the HSRC is responsible for strategically translating, disseminating, and communicating the organisation's research findings to a broad range of audiences locally and internationally. The unit plays a central role in increasing the visibility, accessibility, and impact of HSRC research by leveraging traditional and digital media platforms, organising public dialogues and stakeholder engagements, and curating content for policy briefs, newsletters, and other knowledge products. The unit also manages the HSRC's corporate branding, publications, internal communications, events coordination, and digital presence to ensure coherent and impactful storytelling across all channels.





To ensure that communication engagement will be prioritised to foster dialogue that is nuanced, inclusive, and reflective of the institution's diverse ecosystem, sign language interpretation will now be a standard feature at all public events of the HSRC. C&E therefore requires a panel of Freelancers for the provision of sign language interpretation services at HSRC hosted public events.

Minimum Requirements

Key Requirements:

The candidates are expected to have sufficient experience in providing Sign Language Interpreting Services to the Public Sector (Research Institutions, Universities and other Government Departments)

In addition:

Candidates will be required to be registered with a nationally recognised South African Sign Language (SASL or similar) and be in good standing;

Candidates must demonstrate a proven track record substantiated by recent reference letters for which interpreting services have been rendered to during the past five (3) years;

Candidates must have an applicable Degree or Diploma & Experience with a minimum of 5 years' experience;

Candidates must be based across any of the 9 provinces where the HSRC conducts research;

High personal motivation, self-management, and detail-orientation;

Temperament to cope with a pressurised, deadline driven work environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

The scope of work and expectations of the Sign Language Interpreters will include the following:

a) To provide Sign Language Interpretation Services for the hearing impaired / deaf members of HSRC audience and partners, during events which includes but are not limited to HSRC conferences, workshops, meetings and seminars as requested by the HSRC Event Organiser;

b) To interpret facilitators and participants' comments, questions, tasks, etc. to deaf participants voice to sign;

c) To translate / interpret communication products including presentations and posters in sign language;

d) To interpret deaf participants' comments, questions and responses to the facilitator and participants sign to voice;

e) To provide a brief report (two pages maximum) at the conclusion of an event, giving a broad overview of the service provider's participation in the event, any challenges / issues encountered during the service provision, and recommendations for future events.