Manager - Localization

The Manager - Localization enables the organization's content to reach a wider audience by managing the localization of content to language, cultural context and theatrical expectations of various territories. This may include re-creating content or making minor modifications to cater to local flavors and preferences. He/ She sets quality standards for localized assets and manages the internal localization efforts as well as outsourced localization processes with external vendors. The work involves managing multiple internal and external projects involving several stakeholders. He is required to participate in discussions with content as well as distribution teams to align localization efforts with content expectations. He should be an effective planner and project manager to be able to deliver effectively within given resource constraints. He ought to be proficient in stakeholder management as well as workflow management in order to manage localization projects and processes.

Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills & Competencies

Customer Behaviour Analysis
Proficiency Level
"Manage activities to carry out customer behaviour analysis and present findings and recommendations pertaining to possible changes in marketing activities to influence target consumers."
4
Customisation and Localisation
Proficiency Level
"Develop recommendations for the localisation and customisation of content in line with audience's language preferences, social and cultural norms and the organisation's standards."
4
Research
Proficiency Level
"Lead comprehensive research and analyse research findings to generate insights and recommendations."
3

Generic Skills & Competencies

Decision Making
Proficiency Level
Make decision in a complex setting to achieve intended goals using a structured process and multiple sources of available information.
Intermediate
Communication
Proficiency Level
"Articulate and discuss ideas and persuade others to achieve common outcomes "
Intermediate
Problem Solving
Proficiency Level
Identify less perceivable problems and use problem solving tools and techniques to solve the problems.
Intermediate
Developing People
Proficiency Level
Use demonstration and explanation to teach a familiar task to inexperienced co-workers.
Basic
Leadership
Proficiency Level
Demonstrate professionalism to set a good example at peer level. Support others through own initiative and enthuse others through own positive and energetic approach.
Basic

Critical Work Functions and Key Tasks

Plan localisation operations

• Develop plans to ensure high quality content for new territories and foreign languages while delivering against creative expectations
• Develop the localisation plan for specific territories and content by collaborating with the relevant teams involved in localisation operations
• Evaluate in-house efforts versus outsourcing content for specific territories and determine the best option
• Define tactical and strategic metrics to evaluate localization performance across territories

Develop localization standards

• Develop best practice guides for content and brand translation as well as the organization's localization policy
• Define quality standards for all secondary language assets including subtitles, dub audio, captioning, audio description and forced narratives
• Develop the localization management platform to plan and organize the localization process workflow for both internal and external 
localization processes and projects
• Design a scalable approach for communicating quality standards to in-house localization professionals and localization vendors across 
territories

Execute localization projects and processes

• Approve vendor selection for localization based on track record and commercial considerations
• Negotiate commercial and technical terms and conditions for outsourcing selected localization processes with selected vendors
• Allocate responsibilities to internal subtitlers, translators and linguists
• Prioritize contingent localization requirements and allocate responsibilities internally or to the vendor
• Develop templates and storage norms for localization project documentation
• Provide creative guidance to the internal content localization team and localization vendors to ensure consistency of content themes such as 
humor and characters
• Oversee the project management of outsourced localization processes 

Evaluate localization processes

• Review key tactical and high-level metrics to identify and diagnose trends, patterns and problems around the localization quality of shows, 
partners, vendors and translators
• Review performance of localized content to determine the best option regarding localization vendors as well as inform leadership to take 
content-related decisions 
• Address gaps in the cross-functional localization processes
• Improve the quality of language assets by utilizing automation and technology

Manage teams and/or departments

• Communicate common goals, direction and accountability among staff 
• Develop staff by coaching, mentoring and engaging in career discussions
• Exhibit effective performance management practices within department in accordance with organizational policies and procedures
• Monitor budgets, forecasting, work allocations and staffing of the various departments 

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