Vendor Project Manager

The Vendor Project Manager provides leadership to Welocalize employees, such as localization QA testers and reviewers, working onsite at client premises to ensure projects are executed successfully and on time.

The VPM acts as a liaison between Welocalize and the client to effectively meet the client’s needs and goals, reporting any updates or issues to the account management, recruiting, and HR teams as needed.

Job Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with clients, other project managers, producers, and onsite teams to coordinate testing efforts, schedule resources across multiple labs/locations, and maintain testing schedules.
• Meet with clients to discuss and clarify briefs, policies, requests, deadlines, and resource planning and allocation.
• Establish and maintain reliable internal tracking processes to oversee attendance, schedules, and performance, while monitoring workloads of testers and reviewers across language groups.
• Receive new candidates from recruiters and make decisions on inviting them for tryouts or presenting them to the client.
• Guide tester/reviewer candidates through tryouts, serving as the primary contact and escort for testers onsite at client facilities.
• Manage onsite components of onboarding new testers/reviewers, including setting up accounts/credentials, reviewing I9s, and welcoming employees to the team.
• Provide technical and general linguistic training, coaching, and guidance to improve the speed and quality of testers’/reviewers’ work, addressing performance concerns.
• Compile and maintain training materials and operating guidelines.
• Respond to scheduling requests and other needs or issues from testers/reviewers.
• Gather information and feedback from testers/reviewers regarding performance, workload management, and work-related issues.
• Actively seek feedback from clients about team performance, identifying challenges and inefficiencies in workflows and systems, and discussing areas for improvement.
• 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, policy changes, and 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.
• Ensure the onsite team knows their management structure and whom to contact for specific issues.
• Understand joint employment (co-employment) and mitigate associated risks.
• Report to Welocalize HR about any issues or concerns onsite, directing employees with HR questions to the appropriate personnel.
• Assist project managers and producers with various tasks.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of Welocalize employees on client premises, especially during emergency situations.

Additional Job Details:

• Must be a natural leader who easily gains respect and motivates team members.
• Ability to connect easily with colleagues and managers from both Welocalize and the client in a diverse setting.
• Excellent communication skills with client managers, linguists, onsite and offsite project managers, and testers across vendors and language groups.
• Experience in people management.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English.
• High level of integrity and discretion, with an understanding of when confidentiality is important.
• Genuine team player who prioritizes team needs.
• High level of responsibility, ownership, and accountability.
• Conflict management and mediation skills.
• Ability to stay calm under pressure and manage conflicting demands from various stakeholders.
• Ability to address groups of 10-100 people.
• Strategic thinking skills.
• Extreme attention to detail and strong organizational skills for managing multiple tasks and project deadlines.
• Keen sense of judgment when prioritizing tasks and managing communications.
• Ability to troubleshoot and provide solutions on the spot in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience providing trainings to individuals and groups in technical and other skills.
• Ability to present complex tasks in a simple and clear manner.
• 2+ years of experience in the QA, localization, or globalization industry.
• Bilingual proficiency required.
• In-depth knowledge of OS X, iOS, iWork, iCloud, iTunes, Windows, and MS Office.
• Bachelor's degree in language, linguistics, HR, management, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.