Globalization Operation Director

POSITION SUMMARY

The Globalization Operations Director will be responsible for leading and building an internal Language Service Provider (LSP) within Tag, focusing on delivering high-quality language-only solutions and synergies across the wider dentsu family. This role will involve developing and overseeing language services to meet growing client demand, particularly in response to language-only Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Additionally, this position will drive operational excellence, establish best practices, and collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to deliver superior results.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in language services and operations, with a strategic vision for building synergies within a large, multi-disciplinary organization. They will act as a bridge between internal departments and external partners, ensuring language services are seamlessly integrated and aligned with the company’s overall globalization strategy. The ideal candidate will lead with an innovative mindset, driving both quality and efficiency while fostering strong client and internal relationships.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.  A combination of education and work experience can be substituted
• Minimum 10+ years’ experience in globalization, advertising, or a related field with at least 5+ years in senior leadership roles
• 6+ years people management experience
• Proven experience in building and leading operational teams for language services, including handling complex language-only RFPs.
• Strong understanding of translation and localization technologies, including TMS, CAT tools, and machine translation.
• Experience with P&L management and financial reporting for large-scale service operations.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and manage external vendors and partners.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proven track record of leading global teams and managing complex global accounts
• Strong strategic and operational leadership skills with a focus on client satisfaction and process optimization
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to build strong relationships with global clients and internal stakeholders
• Ability to drive new business & to develop and strengthen business relationships with global senior stakeholders
• Ability to have long-term vision and develop a new business unit from the ground up
• Bilingual
• Excellent presentation skills

JOB DUTIES

• Build and Lead Language Service Line:
  • Establish and grow a dedicated internal Language Service Provider (LSP) within the organization to address language-only RFPs.
  • Develop comprehensive language solutions for clients, leveraging internal capabilities and ensuring alignment with Tag/dentsu's broader service offerings.
  • Lead the implementation of scalable language services, optimizing processes for translation, localization, and interpretation across regions.
  • Identify key opportunities for synergy between the LSP and other service lines within the Tag/dentsu family, creating integrated solutions for clients.
  • Set and meet growth targets for the Business Line
• Operational Leadership:
  • Oversee all day-to-day operations of the LSP, ensuring efficient workflows, resource allocation, and adherence to project timelines and budgets.
  • Implement technology solutions to drive efficiency, including translation management systems (TMS), CAT tools, and machine translation technologies.
  • Monitor and improve quality control processes to ensure high levels of service delivery and client satisfaction.
  • Develop and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for language services, ensuring consistency across global teams and projects.
• Collaborate with Internal and External Stakeholders:
  • Work closely with internal teams, including sales, marketing, client services, and other globalization departments, to ensure language services align with client needs and business goals.
  • Establish strong relationships with external language service providers, freelancers, and technology vendors to ensure a flexible and scalable service offering.
  • Engage with senior leadership within the Dentsu family to drive cross-functional collaboration, ensuring that language services are fully integrated into broader client solutions.
• Strategic RFP Leadership:
  • Lead the development of responses to language-only RFPs, ensuring that proposals are competitive, aligned with client expectations, and reflect the company's capabilities.
  • Collaborate with business development and sales teams to identify and pursue new language service opportunities, both with existing clients and new prospects.
  • Establish pricing strategies, working with finance to ensure profitability and market competitiveness in all proposals.
• P&L and Financial Management:
  • Take ownership of the financial performance of the LSP, managing the P&L and ensuring profitability across all language service projects.
  • Prepare and present financial reports to senior leadership, highlighting performance, revenue opportunities, and cost-saving initiatives.
  • Implement strategies to reduce operational costs while maintaining high quality and service standards.
• Technology and Innovation:
  • Drive the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI-powered machine translation and advanced language processing tools, to enhance efficiency and quality.
  • Stay ahead of industry trends, continuously improving the LSP’s offerings to remain competitive in the evolving language services market.
• Team Leadership and Development:
  • Build and lead a high-performing team of language professionals, including project managers, linguists, and technology specialists.
  • Identify training and development needs, ensuring that all team members are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to deliver top-tier language services.
  • Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the language services team.