Localization Vendor Project Manager

As a trusted global transformation partner, Welocalize accelerates the global business journey by enabling brands and companies to reach, engage, and grow international audiences. Welocalize delivers multilingual content transformation services in translation, localization, and adaptation for over 250 languages with a growing network of over 400,000 in-country linguistic resources. Driving innovation in language services, Welocalize delivers high-quality training data transformation solutions for NLP-enabled machine learning by blending technology and human intelligence to collect, annotate, and evaluate all content types. Our team works across locations in North America, Europe, and Asia serving our global clients in the markets that matter to them. www.welocalize.com
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
OVERVIEW
The Vendor Project Manager provides leadership to Welocalize employees, for example, Localization Quality Assurance Testers and Reviewers, and ensures that projects are executed successfully and in a timely manner.
The VPM serves as a liaison between Welocalize and the client to most effectively meet the client’s needs and goals, and to report any updates or issues/concerns that arise onsite to the account management, recruiting and HR teams, as relevant.

Main Duties

• Work with the client and other project managers to coordinate testing efforts and schedule resources for projects in multiple labs/locations;
• Meet with the client to discuss and clarify briefs, policies and requests, deadlines, resource planning and allocation;
• Collaborate with project managers, testers and producers to keep testing schedules on track;
• Establish and maintain reliable internal tracking process to oversee attendance, schedules and performance as well as monitor the workload of testers/reviewers in different language groups;
• Receive new candidates from recruiters and make decisions to invite them for tryout or present them to the client;
• Guide candidates through tryouts, serving as the primary contact and escort for testers while onsite at client facility;
• Manage onboarding procedures for new testers/reviewers;
• Provide technical and general linguistic training, coaching and guidance to address performance concerns and improve speed and quality of testers and reviewers’ work;
• Compile and maintain training materials and operating guidelines;
• Respond to testers’/reviewers’ scheduling requests and other needs or issues;
• Gather information and feedback from testers/reviewers about performance, workload management, and any work-related issues;
• Actively seek feedback from the client about the team's performance; identifying challenges and inefficiencies in workflow and systems; and discussing areas of improvement;
• Work with the client company managers and producers to improve and streamline the localization/reviewing process, driving efficiency and effectiveness;
• Devise plans of action that engage multiple stakeholders to achieve desired results;
• Schedule team meetings as needed;
• Promote team-building activities during and after work hours;
• Report to Welocalize management about onsite activities, team performance, client feedback, requests and policy changes, short- and long-term planning;
• Report to Welocalize recruiters about immediate and anticipated language needs, upcoming projects, and the status of submitted candidates or testers/reviewers in training;
• Assist project managers and producers on various tasks;
• Ensure the safety and well-being of Welocalize employees on client premises (for example during emergency situations). 

Key Competencies

• 2+ years experience in the QA (quality assurance), localization or globalization industry;
• Natural leader who easily gains respect from and motivates team members;
• Ability to connect easily with colleagues and managers (both Welocalize and client) in a very diverse setting;
• Ability to communicate effectively with client company managers, linguists, onsite and offsite project managers, and testers across all vendors and language groups;
• People management experience;
• Excellent command of written and spoken English;
• High level of integrity and ability to handle information with discretion, discerning when confidentiality is important;
• High level of responsibility, ownership and accountability;
• Conflict management and mediation skills;
• Ability to stay calm under pressure and when facing conflicting demands from various stakeholders;
• Ability to address groups of 10 to 100 members;
• Ability to think strategically;
• Extreme attention to detail and great organizational skills for managing multiple tasks and project deadlines;
• Keen sense of judgment when prioritizing tasks and managing delivery of communications;
• Ability to troubleshoot and come up with solutions on the spot in a fast-paced, demanding environment;
• Experience providing trainings to people individually and in groups, in technical and other skills;
• Ability to present complex tasks in a simple and clear manner;
• In-depth knowledge of OS X, iOS, iWork, iCloud, iTunes, Windows, MS Office.

Other Relevant Skills

• Project management experience and/or training;
• Multilingual skills;
• Knowledge of basic HTML and Unicode;
• Basic computer networking knowledge (setting up IP addresses, connecting devices using proxy, etc.);
• Experience writing and editing Quality Assurance plans;
• Familiarity with photo editing and desktop publishing;
• Training in conflict resolution or mediation.

Educational Level

• Bachelor's degree in language, linguistics, HR, management, or related field, or equivalent work experience.

Beneficial Skills and Experience

• Project management experience and/or training 
• Multilingual 
• Knowledge of basic HTML and Unicode 
• Basic computer networking knowledge (setting up IP addresses, connecting devices using proxy, etc.) 
• Experience writing and editing QA plans 
• Familiarity with photo editing and desktop publishing 
• Training in conflict resolution or mediation