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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Transcreation Manager

💰 $95,000 - $135,000

MarketingLocalizationContent StrategyProject Management

🎯 Role Definition

As a Transcreation Manager, you are the crucial link between our global brand strategy and local market success. You will own the entire process of adapting our creative and marketing content, ensuring it is not just translated, but culturally and emotionally resonant in every target market. This is a highly cross-functional role that requires a unique blend of creative sensibility, project management rigor, and deep cultural understanding. You will be the guardian of our brand's voice across borders, working with a network of linguists, copywriters, and regional teams to deliver compelling and effective campaigns that feel truly local.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Localization Project Manager
  • Senior Copywriter (with multilingual focus)
  • Global Marketing Coordinator
  • Language Lead / Senior Linguist

Advancement To:

  • Senior Transcreation Manager / Head of Transcreation
  • Director of Global Content Strategy
  • Head of Localization

Lateral Moves:

  • Localization Program Manager
  • Global Content Strategist
  • International Marketing Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the end-to-end transcreation lifecycle for high-impact global marketing campaigns, from initial creative briefing and stakeholder alignment to final asset delivery and in-market validation.
  • Develop and maintain a world-class global network of freelance transcreators, copywriters, and creative linguistic talent, overseeing recruitment, onboarding, rate negotiation, and ongoing performance evaluation.
  • Act as the central point of contact for all transcreation projects, expertly managing communication and expectations with internal stakeholders including brand, creative, product marketing, and regional teams.
  • Create detailed and insightful creative briefs for linguistic partners, providing them with the necessary context, brand guidelines, and strategic objectives to produce high-quality, culturally adapted content.
  • Establish and enforce rigorous quality control frameworks, including multi-step linguistic review processes, in-country stakeholder validation, and formal Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA) to ensure excellence.
  • Oversee project timelines, resource allocation, and budget management for all transcreation initiatives, proactively identifying risks and implementing mitigation strategies to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery.
  • Develop, maintain, and evangelize market-specific style guides, tone-of-voice documents, and terminology glossaries to drive consistency and quality across all localized content.
  • Collaborate with creative teams during the initial concepting phase to provide cultural consultation, identify potential localization challenges, and ensure global-readiness of core campaign assets.
  • Champion the use of localization technology and tools (TMS, CAT, CMS) to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and maintain robust linguistic asset management.
  • Analyze the performance of transcreated content in local markets, gathering qualitative and quantitative feedback to derive actionable insights and continuously refine our global content strategy.
  • Lead review sessions and feedback loops with in-country marketing teams and language experts to ensure final copy aligns perfectly with local market nuances and campaign goals.
  • Educate internal teams and stakeholders on the value and best practices of transcreation, acting as a subject matter expert and advocate for a "global-first" mindset.
  • Manage the localization and cultural adaptation of various asset types, including video scripts, social media content, website copy, email marketing, and paid media ads.
  • Partner with the legal and compliance teams to ensure all transcreated content adheres to local regulations, advertising standards, and cultural sensitivities.
  • Drive the strategic selection and management of external language service providers (LSPs) and creative agencies, defining SLAs and monitoring their performance against key metrics.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory analysis to measure the ROI of transcreation efforts.
  • Contribute to the organization's global content strategy and long-term localization roadmap.
  • Collaborate with product and UX teams to ensure linguistic and cultural appropriateness within the user interface.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies where marketing and localization efforts intersect.
  • Stay current with global marketing trends, cultural shifts, and innovations in localization technology to continually improve processes.
  • Mentor junior members of the localization or content teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Transcreation & Localization Expertise: Deep understanding of transcreation theory and practice, distinguishing it from standard translation.
  • Vendor & Talent Management: Proven ability to recruit, onboard, and manage a global network of freelance linguists, copywriters, and agencies.
  • Project Management: Mastery of project management methodologies to handle multiple complex projects with competing deadlines and budgets.
  • Technology Proficiency: Hands-on experience with Translation Management Systems (TMS) like Smartling, WorldServer, or MemoQ, and Content Management Systems (CMS) like AEM.
  • Quality Management: Expertise in designing and implementing Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA) programs and feedback loops.
  • Budgeting & Financial Acumen: Experience creating and managing project budgets, tracking costs, and reporting on financial performance.
  • Creative Briefing: Skill in writing clear, concise, and inspiring creative briefs for linguistic and creative partners.

Soft Skills

  • Cultural Intelligence: Exceptional cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity, with an innate ability to understand and navigate cultural nuances.
  • Stakeholder Management: Outstanding ability to communicate, influence, and build strong relationships with a diverse range of cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and persuasively.
  • Problem-Solving: A creative and strategic thinker who can proactively identify issues and develop effective solutions.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail, especially concerning linguistic accuracy, brand consistency, and creative intent.
  • Adaptability: Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and can pivot quickly in response to changing priorities.
  • Negotiation & Influence: Strong negotiation skills for managing vendors and influencing internal decisions to prioritize global content quality.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree in a relevant field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Marketing or International Marketing
  • Communications or Journalism
  • Linguistics or Translation Studies
  • International Business

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5-8 years of professional experience in localization, transcreation, or international marketing.
  • At least 3 years in a management role, directly overseeing transcreation projects and vendor relationships.

Preferred:

  • Experience working within a global advertising agency or a fast-growing, consumer-facing tech, e-commerce, or entertainment company.
  • Professional fluency in at least one language other than English is highly desirable.
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