Language Lead

Language Lead – CEMEA

The Company:

Hogarth is the Global Content Experience Company. Part of WPP, Hogarth partners with one in every two of the world's top 100 brands including Coca-Cola, Ford, Rolex, Nestlé, Mondelez and Dyson. With a breadth of experience across an extensive range of sectors, Hogarth offers the unrivalled ability to deliver relevant, engaging, and measurable content across all channels and media - both established and emerging.

The number of channels at our fingertips; the need for speed; and the drive for mass personalisation, all mean that brands need different solutions.

Our global team of over 6,000 craft and technology experts brings together creative, production and innovation to help clients navigate this exciting and ever-changing world of today's content experience.

The Role:

This is an exciting opportunity to work on a prestigious technology brand putting a passion for language and culture into everyday practice. The Language Lead is responsible for leading language services the newly formed CEMEA region. This involves bringing together a talented team of Creative Directors, Editors and Project Managers and inspiring them to produce at the highest standard.

The Language Lead will support the Business Director (BD), along with Hogarth senior leadership, to deliver world-class marketing communications through knowledge, strategy, and exceptional planning. This role requires strategic thinking - the willingness to drive improvements, initiatives, and innovation as well as set and deliver best practice.

Key measures of success:

• Continuous delivery of all CEMEA language projects, striving for excellence at every step.

• Ensure language quality is maintained at all times.

• Develop and own a strong strategic partnership with our client teams.

• Effective team leadership across multiple locations.

• Implementation of global initiatives, delivering against the business and client needs.

• Ability to change and influence, ensuring CEMEA is leading the way on the global stage.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership

• Manage a team of Transcreation Account Managers and linguists to ensure an efficient localization set-up to produce high-quality output.

• Lead by example, to build an inclusive team culture, where collaboration, fresh thinking, a can-do attitude and Hogarth values are embedded within the team DNA.

• Review team requirements on an ongoing basis and, with the help of data, ensure the client is serviced appropriately whilst maintaining agreed profitability.

• Inspire and empower, ensuring work is effectively delegated and individuals take full ownership and responsibility for their projects.

• Identify and lead any Language recruitment requirements.

• Plan and coordinate training/onboarding for incoming and existing teams.

• Ensure the team are well utilized and performing to the high standard.

Collaboration

• Successfully establish a trusted and strong partnership with key clients, and with senior management.

• Possess a strong understanding of and consistently deliver against all contractual obligations, commercial arrangements, KPIs and SLAs with our client.

• Build strong internal relationships across Hogarth and ensure successful collaboration of the Language team with other Hogarth functions – essential to Hogarth's success.

• Remove barriers and find solutions to meet client needs. Communicate clearly with clients on recommendations and solutions as part of planning, briefing and review sessions.

• Excellence in operational planning and execution.

• Deep understanding of Language project workflows and processes.

• Confidentially provide recommendations using knowledge, experience and data-driven insights.

• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Hogarth business model, services and technology.

• Ensure Business Director and Global SME informed on all matters relating to Language.

Innovations, initiatives, and best practice

• Continuously work on development and implementation of process improvements.

• Work with global Language SME to enhance process/tools and implement efficiency initiatives.

• Work closely with Hogarth global counterparts to share best practices.

• Understanding of Language technology and the ability to apply to our clients' needs.

Team and resource management

• Overall responsibility for the Transcreation Account Managers and linguists to ensure an efficient localization set-up to produce high-quality output.

• Identify and lead any Language recruitment requirements.

• Plan and coordinate training/onboarding for incoming and existing teams.

• Conduct and manage performance appraisals for direct reports.

• Assist with one-to-one management / mentoring.

• Able to create and maintain strong relationships with freelance talent – talent engagement via newsletters, orientation decks, regular check-ins.

• Review team structure and resource on an ongoing basis, and with the help of data, to ensure client is serviced appropriately whilst maintaining agreed profitability.

• Ensure the team are well utilized and performing to the high standard.

• Point of escalation for Hogarth internal teams.

Finance management, reporting and business growth

• Contribute to quarterly budget planning, re-forecasting, reconciliation and analysis.

• Monitor budget utilization across teams and flag issues to key stakeholders.

• Manage resourcing across teams by monitoring data-led utilization and productivity.

• Report regularly on linguistic team performances and productivity.

• Ensure full compliance with all financial procedures and policies.

• Manage and maintain a continual focus on cost and revenue.

• Lead and deliver regular business reviews to Director level (and above).

Requirements:

• Proven experience in a lead client servicing role with deep understanding of language processes, transcreation and localization, preferably from a linguistic or creative background.

• Experience in budgeting and forecasting.

• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, including confidence in presenting and storytelling to drive change and improvement.

• Experience working in a fast-paced environment, ideally from the Language or creative industry, whilst keeping a keen eye for detail.

• Focus on continuous improvements, delivering excellent quality and high levels of customer service.

• Agency experience managing international clients in multiple markets with multiple stakeholders.

• Experience of running an account team including resource planning.

• People management experience.

• High level of organization and attention to detail.

• Fluent written and spoken English – a second language is preferred but not a must.

• Aligned to our values.

• Must be able to travel as required.

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