Transcreation Director

Job Description:

The role

Based on-site at the client’s office in Riyadh, the Transcreation Director will work closely with the local client, Tag’s Global Head of Language and Cultural Services, Operational Heads (UK), Client Service Department (UK) and Tech (UK) to provide the management of end-to-end translation, localisation, proofreading and editorial quality assurances for it’s multilingual digital content via Sitecore CMS and Tag’s CAT tools.

This includes materials for the client’s corporate website, social media platforms and marketing campaigns. The role will help to set the standard for and ensure linguistic accuracy, cultural relevance and consistency with the client’s branding and tone of voice, supporting their objective to expand its international visibility and investor communications.

The role will have have strategic oversight of transcreation quality and tone and have final review of high-impact editorial content. Working closely with our agency network partner and our internal team including a Transcreation Manager (India) and a Technical Delivery Manager (TBC) the role will coordinate quarterly performance and brand alignment reviews and be responsible for monthly and quarterly reconciliation of translation costs against project scope, whilst regularly managing client expectations if any forecast project creep results in additional budget requests.

The role will help to grow the Localization and Creative Production business and bring in new business, supporting the wider Tag business in developing service offering and providing overall strategic support. It requires someone who can think strategically, build strong relationships with the local clients, work well with colleagues across the business, establish connected, efficient ways of working, who understands how to drive a profitable business, and who has strong management skills.

They will need to be financially numerate, project a strong presence internally and externally, ensure deliverables meet or exceed client expectations, and help develop strategic, long term solutions for the account.

Responsibilities

Overall Description

On a day-to-day level you will manage, and take ownership of the team and act as the primary escalation point, including establishing any best practices to serve our client across various service offerings, whilst empowering and enabling your team to deliver superior service. The role focuses on client engagement, operational excellence, continuous improvement, and team development. This role establishes goals and success metrics that align with the overall business and client objectives while building client relationships at the operational level.

They will support the Transcreation team by monitoring and analysing the current production workflows and systems to check that they are efficient and effective in the development of briefed content. They will develop a strategy for improvements when necessary.

Translation/Transcreation/Language adaptation management

• Ensure creative excellence in projects by following set creative procedures including interpretation and consolidation of client briefs.

• Brief local copywriters on content to be adapted in their local languages. Brief translators on short and long copy translation projects.

• Manage and build trusting relationships with translators and copywriters to translate, adapt copy and proofread artwork.

• Assess quality of the adaptations received from copywriters, with assistance from the TM as and when needed. Ensure accuracy and reliability of copy and the consistency of messaging/positioning for the brands across all media and markets.

• Have understanding of AI-enabled language execution/management systems and how to decide upon the most appropriate path to completion.

• Analyse files and managing translation projects on the translation portal. Liaising with the localisation team for support on file processing and translation memory management.

• Liaise with internal teams to support production when needed

Project management

• Establishing and managing project deadlines (setting and enforcing deadlines with copywriters, translators and sometimes clients) and budgets (open job numbers, prepare estimates, send/obtain POs, billing).

• Keep the client appraised of any monthly and quarterly changes to budget during ongoing briefing requests, ensuring any additional cost is client covered

• Where required, accurately quote all out-of-scope requests

• Ability to efficiently manage multiple projects.

• Anticipate, identify and troubleshoot technological bottlenecks in workflow and/or asset management systems. Escalate issues to the Global Head as soon as they arise. Be proactive in finding proposed solutions to said problems and submit the proposed solutions to the client/client services team.

• Be commercially aware and highlight any costing errors immediately to the STM. Be responsible for own billing and have/develop an understanding of financial aspect.

• Ensure Best Practices are followed.

• With the assistance of the STM, be responsible for the line management of Transcreation Executive(s), including responsibility for growth (training, mentoring, identifying strengths/areas of development, conducting annual reviews, etc.).

• Be the first point of escalation for TEs. Ensure the STM is always aware of any issues in a timely manner.

Client management

• Taking briefs from clients, ensure that all information necessary to carrying out the job is obtained.

• Responsible for day-to-day client relationship management.

• Ensure all client/internal deliverables are met.

• Investigate issues related to projects, and identify areas to prevent repeat occurrences. Escalate issues and propose solutions to the Global Head.

• Building solid relationships with different clients/colleagues with the support of the STM.

• Focus on extending the client’s knowledge of Tag’s capabilities.

• Seek to identify where and how Tag could further support the client with their marketing production needs, cross-selling our existing capabilities

• Manages client expectations, and proposes solutions to challenging situations

• Establish high level of trust and credibility with clients

• Communicate effectively and regularly with GAD and all central shared service teams

• Take ownership of any strategic briefs, ensuring strategic solutions are delivered against objectives

• Receive any new campaigns briefed from client, ensuring relevant internal shared service teams are made aware

• Coordinate with Tag Technology and ensure the platforms that Tag use for the development of assets for the client is fully maintained

Skills and Experience required

Education: The successful candidate will have a college/university degree.

Experience: Minimum 8-year experience of project management/account handling within:

• a communications agency (ATL, BTL, TTL and/or interactive).

• the marketing services department of an advertiser (client-side).

• possibly a production facility or other relevant advertising industry supplier.

• translation/transcreation agency.

• ideally, an understanding of the investment landscape for Saudi Arabia.

Language skills

• Excellent written and spoken English.

• Excellent knowledge of another language is essential, preferably either French, Japanese, Spanish, German or Chinese • Excellent understanding of the application of translated copy to a website

• Have a deep passion for languages and strong semantic analysis skills.

Account management/Client servicing skills

• Be able to work in a fast-paced multi-cultural environment, based out of the client’s office and without local Tag office presence.

• Have a first experience working across global brands and international markets.

• Fantastic client servicing skills with a strong track record of building good relationships with clients.

• Strong track record of building close client relationships at a senior level.

• Be comfortable/experienced working in a creative and highly pressurised environment with tight deadlines.

• Be able to think through ideas and be proactive to pre-empt problems before they happen.

• Be a motivated and independent worker while also being able to work as part of a tight-knit but expanding team.

• Be flexible – ability to service day-to-day account requirements and take on additional tasks/accounts where necessary.

Project management skills

• Organised, client-oriented personality, strong time management skills and the ability to efficiently manage multiple projects simultaneously is a must.

• Very detailed focused in terms of language adaptation quality control/output and working within our processes to ensure central creative/transcreation brief is respected while the needs of the local language and culture are met.

• Good understanding of advertising production

• Proficient across platforms such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, DOMO, Google Sheets. Experience using Sitecore is beneficial

• Understanding of translation software and CAT tools.

Profile

• Passionate.

• Enthusiastic team player, approachable and friendly.

• Hard worker, driven and eager to progress.

• Flexible, diplomatic and calm under pressure.

• Extremely organized, proactive and thorough with an eye for detail

Location:

Riyadh

Brand:

Time Type:

Full time

Contract Type:

Permanent