Technical Editor

Organizational context: UN-Habitat, the UN agency for human settlements, promotes sustainable towns and cities. Its Canada Office, based in Montreal, focuses on partnerships, research, and policy engagement in North America to implement the 2026-2029 Strategic Plan. The office emphasizes knowledge and innovation to accelerate housing solutions and is currently undertaking a strategic housing initiative commissioned by CMHC.
Job purpose: This role serves to technically and substantively edit two UN-Habitat Issue Briefs on global housing supply systems for a Canadian audience. The purpose is to enhance clarity, structure, and narrative flow, ensuring complex research findings, lessons learned, and policy implications are communicated accessibly and precisely to non-specialist readers. The editor will refine the content to distinguish evidence-based insights, reduce technical jargon, and present strategic implications effectively, supporting the project's goal of informing Canadian housing actors and decision-makers while contributing to global housing discourse. The final output will be publication-ready documents that accurately reflect the research while meeting high editorial standards.
Responsibilities: The Technical Editor will undertake substantive and technical editing of two CMHC project Issue Briefs. This includes reviewing drafts and consolidated comments, identifying editorial priorities, and editing for logical organization, coherent argumentation, clear transitions, and consistent terminology. The role involves strengthening the presentation of findings, lessons learned, and practical implications, distinguishing evidence-based insights from background material without altering approved research. The editor will work with authors to incorporate insights from qualitative research, reduce technical language and repetition, and improve headings and key messages. Responsibilities also include checking internal consistency of facts, figures, and citations, flagging inconsistencies for the research team, and ensuring consistent editorial style across both briefs. The final tasks involve providing edited manuscripts with tracked changes and queries, participating in review calls, and incorporating feedback to produce clean, publication-ready versions by set deadlines.
Education: An advanced university degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Public Policy, Urban Studies, Housing Policy, or a related field is desirable. A first-level degree with two additional years of relevant experience may substitute. Excellent written English and demonstrated professional editing proficiency are required. Knowledge of French is desirable.
Work experience: At least 5 years of professional experience in substantive editing, technical editing, policy communications, or publication development, preferably for public-sector or international audiences. Demonstrated experience editing issue briefs, analytical reports, and research-based publications for clarity, readability, and accuracy is required. Proven ability to translate complex research into accessible content is essential. Experience with UN agencies or international organizations is desirable.
Skills: Substantive editing, Technical editing, Policy communications, Publication development, Clarity and readability enhancement, Translation of complex research, Plain language writing, Attention to detail, Consistency in style and terminology, Collaboration with researchers, Meeting deadlines.
Required languages:
Desired languages: French, English
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