Job Description: Trilingual Translator (Filipino/English/Chinese)

Job Title: Trilingual Translator & Interpreter

Employment Type: Full-Time / Freelance / Contract

NOTE: THE CANDIDATE MUST BE PROFICIENT IN BOTH ORAL AND WRITTEN CHINESE.

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled Trilingual Translator to facilitate communication across Tagalog (Filipino), English, and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese). The ideal candidate will act as a linguistic and cultural bridge, ensuring that technical documents, marketing materials, and verbal communications are accurately conveyed across these languages.

Key Responsibilities

Translation & Localization (Written)

· Translate a variety of documents from English to Filipino (Tagalog), English to Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), and vice versa.

· Localize marketing content to resonate with Filipino and Chinese-speaking audiences, adapting idioms and cultural references appropriately.

· Proofread and edit translations produced by other team members or automated tools to ensure accuracy, consistency, and brand voice.

Interpretation (Verbal)

· Provide real-time interpretation during business meetings, conference calls, and site visits between Filipino, English, Mandarin, and Cantonese speakers.

· Handle consecutive or simultaneous interpretation as required for negotiations or training sessions.

Cultural Consulting

· Advise management on cultural nuances and etiquette when dealing with Filipino and Chinese counterparts.

· Flag potential cultural misunderstandings in communications or business practices.

Cantonese Specialization

· Specifically manage interpretation/translation for Cantonese-speaking stakeholders, ensuring clarity between Cantonese and Mandarin documents/audio when required.

Qualifications

Must-Have Requirement

Proficient in oral and written Chinese is a must.

Candidates must demonstrate full professional proficiency (oral) in Mandarin or Cantonese.

Candidates must demonstrate full professional proficiency (written) in Chinese.

Education & Experience

· Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, Translation, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).

· Minimum [2-3] years of professional translation/interpretation experience.

· Native or near-native proficiency in Tagalog and English.

· Professional working proficiency in Mandarin (Simplified) and Cantonese.

Skills & Competencies

· Linguistic Excellence: Deep understanding of grammar, syntax, and idioms in all four language variants.

· Dialect Awareness: Must be able to distinguish between and accurately translate Cantonese and Mandarin where they diverge.

· Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with CAT tools (e.g., Trados, MemoQ) is a plus. Proficiency in MS Office and Google Workspace.

· Soft Skills: Excellent active listening, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm under pressure (especially during live interpretation).

· Cultural Sensitivity: Deep understanding of Philippine, Chinese, and Western business etiquette.

Preferred (Nice to Have)

· Experience in Legal and Finance 

· Certification from a recognized translation/interpretation body.

• · Experience with subtitling or voice-over coordination