LV Technical Services Supervisor (Linguistic Validation)

 

Primary Purpose

Working within the LV Technical Services department under the direct supervision of the Director of Linguistic Validation Technical Services, to assist in administering the functions and operations of the LV Technical Services Department, ensuring the efficient, accurate and timely completion of all client projects and deliveries. Supervise the employees under direct supervision towards achieving the overall objectives of the LV Technical Services Department.

 

The LV Technical Services Supervisor’s primary responsibility is to monitor and assign work across the LV Technical Services department appropriate to each team member’s skill level and work capacity. The LV Technical Services Supervisor evaluates complex project materials and instructions, assess the most efficient and cost-effective DTP service processes to be used as well as content reuse strategies, and implements these processes with primarily outsourced and at times in-house resources. The LV Technical Services Supervisor must ensure the appropriate level of cost, quality and timeliness are met as detailed by LV Project Planning, LV Project Management and the client’s specifications. The LV Technical Services Supervisor also works with the Director of LV Technical Services to identify, vet, on-board and manage external DTP production suppliers as well as direct the use of external suppliers by the LV Technical Services team. The position tracks overall project Profit & Loss reporting related to DTP tasks and analyzes ways to improve margins.

 

The LV Technical Services Supervisor will be forward thinking by staying abreast of trends and technologies and will provide a valuable basis to discuss those trends with the Director of LV Technical Services. The position works with outsource service providers, Vendor Relations, LV Project Planning and LV Project Management on queries, will monitor and mitigate project risks, will support team members in the planning or update of a projects and the overall associated costs. The LV Technical Services Supervisor will create, update, and revise work instructions and SOPs as required.

 

The LV Technical Services Supervisor may have direct communication with clients and will oversee the scheduling and kick-off meetings to discuss processes, will support sales on new solutions for new clients, or process improvements for ongoing clients, and will support and sustain RFP’s where appropriate.  The position will provide coaching to other team members on different tools and workflows and will participate in the creation and implementation of LV Technical Services team strategies and will serve as a point of escalation for issue resolution.

 

The role will allocate and monitor the required project resources, will ensure the quality and timeliness of the deliveries, and will prepare regular reports to the internal team on the status of the projects, internal/external resource utilization, production quality and efficiency. The LV Technical Services Supervisor will perform root cause analysis, identifying the source of problems and will set corrective and preventive actions, will suggest, coordinate, record and implement process improvements. The position will provide feedback to the vendor management team on the performance of vendors, and will contact, train, and work with vendors directly to solve any issues.

 

In addition, the LV Technical Services Supervisor will have a team of direct reports, and will execute performance reviews, set team goals, resolve conflicts and approve time off and timesheets. The LV Technical Services Supervisor will serve as the backup for the Director of LV Technical Services when needed.

 

Essential Functions

Production Operations

• Understands and adheres to company Quality Management System (QMS) requirements including but not limited to all certified ISO standards.
• Completes assigned production coordination and technical tasks in an efficient, accurate, and timely manner utilizing outsourced DTP providers or executing the work directly when appropriate.
• Creates and implements strategies for utilization of automation technology and CAT tools to increase production efficiency and quality of deliverables.
• Regularly interacts with LV Project Planning, Project Management and Traffic to help resolve and improve production issues.
• Reviews, analyzes, develops and implements changes to DTP processes and procedures to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness, as approved by the LV Technical Services Manager or Director.
• Independently reviews, prepares and processes, and assists others with processing documents of different file types and varying complexity (e.g., xml, json, ivt, Excel, etc.) using appropriate programs/tools as specified by clients in a wide range of languages, making sure that the original design and layout is maintained as near as possible.
• Troubleshoots and problem-solves document or file issues such as fonts, artwork or other depictions, graphs, tables, etc., determines best course of action and communicates findings to the team.
• Troubleshoots and problem solves production automation and translation memory issues such as extraction and reintegration of translatable content, translation leveraging, and communicates finding to the team.
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date client files, databases, archives, or records as needed.
• Evaluates LV DTP task requirements and suggest best resources to accommodate task time and budget requirements.
• Researches, recruits, vets and on-boards new technical production outsource providers for LV DTP work.
• Manages the relationships of outsource providers and monitors quality and performance of these providers proactively taking action when appropriate to maintain capacity, quality and efficiency.
• Directs the LV Technical Services team in managing outsourced DTP work in adherence to agreed terms, conditions and expected levels of quality.
• Performs in-house DTP tasks utilizing advanced document formats, and high levels of complexity.
• Reviews, analyzes and provides feedback related to internal and outsourced DTP work through sampling of deliverables to insure expected levels of quality are met prior to task completion and hand-off.
• Prioritizes personal, team member and vendor workload. Proactively communicates overutilization or underutilization to the Director of LV Technical Services, LV Management and the LV DTP team, and reallocates work as needed.
• Completes LV Technical File Reviews, project risk analysis and defines and implements mitigation actions of the risks identified.
• Creates project plans and schedules for complex projects based on internal SOPs and client-specific requirements including applying appropriate contingencies in the planning and resourcing.
• Performs root cause analysis by identifying the source of the problem, setting corrective and preventive actions, and evaluating their effectiveness.
• Organizes, assigns, measures and monitors the work of internal and external DTP resources according to project plan and ensures compliance with standards, practices, and policies.
• Tracks overall project Profit & Loss reporting related to DTP tasks and is responsible for ways to improve margins.
• Communicates directly with clients to consult on process creation or improvements.
• Organizes and leads meetings, records and distributes meeting minutes and monitors delivery of agreed action items.
• Participates in the review and discussion of client feedback to support investigations and response generation.
• Performs complex research related to queries made by Linguists or internal LV teams and provides timely response.
• Serves as point of escalation for issue resolution.
• Completes special projects as required.

Resource Coordination

• Works closely with LV Project Planners, LV Project Managers, Vendors and DTP team to accomplish project tasks.
• Evaluates vendor performance including quality, delivery and technical capability.
• Utilizes electronic performance monitoring system to provide feedback to Vendor Relations on external resource performance.
• Provides training to vendors in processes that reflect RWS process requirements and client needs.
• Proactively alerts all stakeholders of task problems to include incorrect scoping, vendor delays and scheduling inconsistencies and recommends corrective course of action.
• Ensures that vendors and Project Managers have necessary information to successfully complete tasks within timelines, budgets and levels of quality or are made aware of problem for corrective actions to be implemented.
• Leads teams of vendors to complete complex or high volume production tasks.

 

Teamwork

• Coordinates the completion of high volume and/or complex client projects on a regular basis and provides direction to internal and external resources.
• Coaches and mentors LV Technical Services team members and provides support to others as needed.
• Reviews, analyzes, and approves time sheets and considers and makes determination related to approval of time-off requests.
• Sets specific and measurable goals for direct reports and ensures their measurement and review.
• Allocates workloads across team members for maximum capacity utilization.
• Conducts regular performance reviews with direct reports and manages required follow-up.
• Monitors the DTP industry and client industry trends and shares insights and best practices with the team.
• Recommends to the Director of LV Technical Services process and procedure changes to improve efficiency, quality and cost effectiveness.
• Reviews and updates QMS documentation to ensure process specific information is recorded and shared by the LV Technical Services team.
• Coordinates and leads the implementation of process changes.
• Provides and records constructive feedback in a timely manner to LV Project Managers, LV Project Planners, other LV Desktop Publishers, and vendors to improve efficiency, effectiveness and cost.
• Collaborates with Human Resources in the selection and hire of team members.

 

Additional Duties

• Performs other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective completion and shipment of projects.

 

Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

 

Equipment

• Uses standard office equipment such as personal computer, scanner, copier, fax machine, telephone/headset.

 

Work Schedules

• Twelve months per year standard work schedule as needed to successfully meet individual and department goals and objectives, and meet employee and client needs, including a reasonable number of additional hours as necessary.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to provide leadership for employees and provide clear direction, goals and objectives in a respectful manner.
• Ability to communicate with, train and lead employees through changes in procedures, client’s requirements, and other production processing issues.
• Ability to make decisions and lead employees through solving problems on job-related issues.
• Master-level knowledge of desktop publishing procedures.
• Excellent proofreading and QA skills.
• Strong organizational skills in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to prioritize and coordinate competing work demands and maintain composure under pressure.
• Fluent communication skills of written and verbal English.
• Ability to report work orally and in writing as required.
• Ability to understand, apply and use personal computers and software applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, CRM/AURORA/other production software, CAT Tools, Office 365/Skype).
• A team player who can collaborate effectively with a diverse group of individuals.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.
• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment in relation to performance of work responsibilities, working with minimal supervision.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information regarding company financial and other information.
• Ability to resolve customer service and production issues in a professional and efficient manner.
• Quality focus and detail oriented.
• Ability to determine root cause through analysis.

 

 

Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards

• Works in standard office building environments.

 

See the Summary of Physical, Sensory and Environmental Requirements Needed to Perform Essential Job Duties for this position.

 

Qualification Profile

Any combination of education and experience providing the required skills and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to:

• Two-year Associate degree or equivalent technical certification in related field. 
• Demonstrated advanced skills and successful experience with desktop publishing applications including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Illustrator, minimum six year(s).
• Minimum four years’ experience with XML and JSON
• Minimum three to five years’ experience creating and utilizing production automation such as batch or PowerShell scripting.
• Successful customer service experience, generally a minimum of five years.
• DTP experience within the localization or translation industry, minimum of five years.
• Experience with DTP outsourcing, scheduling and external vendor QA management, minimum of four years.
• Experience with translation memory (TM) and localization tools (CAT), minimum of three to five years.
• Demonstrated successful leadership, training and mentoring experience minimum two years.
• Verbal and written fluency in at least one foreign language a plus.