Localization Secrets: The Buyer Side roles powering global brand success

Part 1: All about Localization Buyer Side roles

Why is localization such a secret?

So far when explaining localization, we've been talking about concepts and best practices, embarrassing errors as well as myths and folklore.?But what about the secrets lurking behind the Localization Industry itself? Let's uncover some lesser-known facts and the roles that drive success, as ????????????????????????, ?????????????????? continues.

To clarify, there are a few differences in the roles of the Buyer Side (those who purchase language services) vs. the Vendor Side (those who supply language services). In this Part 1 article, we'll focus on Buyer Side. Then in Part 2 next time, we'll uncover secrets of the Vendor Side.

To many on the outside, localization?is a mysterious and hidden industry.

In the article Language Services: The biggest industry you've never heard of, the United Language Group blog laments that "When people think of up-and-coming (innovative) industries, they likely conjure up images of tech companies in Silicon Valley. What probably doesn’t come to mind is language services, but it should." (See the blog link, below)

In fact, if you look through an industry list or use an industry selector, localization does not appear.

However, as those on the inside know, the Localization Industry intersects with and gives substantial growth and prosperity to each of these main industries and many more, as they expand into global markets. This is one reason why the Localization and language services industry has grown so much and is extremely lucrative as it is valued in the billions of dollars.

As Nataly Kelly weighs in with her questions "Why does localization seem like a black box? How can we open it up and make it less elusive?" in her article Demystifying Localization Project Management, she proceeds to break down the many moving parts and complexities, and emphasizes the need to look at localization roles as partners building relationships.

The Localization Industry's secret to success? It's the people!

To help explain their roles, I spoke with friends and colleagues on the Localization Buyer Side. These three unique individuals are from very different companies, and as a testament to their work, you can clearly see their impact as a result:

• Thanks to Carrie Fischer and her teams, you can order a Subway sandwich in over 100 countries
• With Lucio Bagnulo and his team empowering Amnesty International, the NGO is able to work effectively in over 160 countries
• Because of Zak Haitkin and his crew at Netflix, viewers can enjoy international films and TV shows, dubbed and subtitled into many languages

Personal stories from the Buyer Side

I've asked each one to answer three basic questions. You can get a sense of the variety of the roles and requirements to do the job, as they explain in their own words…

CARRIE FISCHER, a Localization Centralization leader for Subway

What do you do in your role?

As a centralized function within my company, I am in charge of helping departments and regions get their content internationalized, localized, and translated into the required target languages. I am in charge of the localization strategy for the company and purchasing the tools and hiring Localization Service Providers (LSPs) and linguists to help me fulfill those strategies while budgeting appropriately.

Advice for those new to localization?

Audit a graduate class specific to localization, or even get a graduate degree from one of the universities that offer a program. Sign up for all the free loc industry newsletters from CSA Advisory, Nimdzi, and Slator. Attend free webinars and conferences (online) from loc industry LSPs. Join free loc (networking) groups such as LocLunch? and Women in Localization.?(See links below)

What do you love about the job?

What I love about localization: We are all birds of a feather, which is an expression in English to say that those of us in the loc industry share so much in common. We have a love of bringing the world closer together and that is a unique and precious perspective to have.

What I love about my job: Being the central guide for all departments to rely on with their translation/globalization needs. Also, I love partnering with all the different departments and regions and working together to find the best localization strategy for each. It benefits them as they can have confidence that they are getting the best service possible, and it helps me get exposure to more types of content. Win-win!

LUCIO BAGNULO, empowering human rights?for Amnesty International

What do you do in your role?

In my current capacity, I oversee the Amnesty International translation services to ensure the successful provision of high-quality translations to the organization. Of course, I don't do this alone – I am fortunate to rely on a highly skilled team of in-house translators and language coordinators, all operating from various locations worldwide (staff is located in Africa, Asia, Europe, and MENA), as well as our extensive network of freelance translators all over the world.

In more technical terms, I lead on the definition, management, and strategic direction of translation services for Amnesty International, providing a unifying organizational vision for global operational readiness and data-driven strategic localization efficiency; developing existing capacities in line with the allocated budget to meet the evolving demands of the movement; and continuously upholding the highest international standards and trends pertaining to the profession.

How to get hired for the role?

I believe an educational and professional background (the latter both as project manager and team manager) in translation/localization is fundamental. You should maintain a connection with the translation industry to keep abreast of any latest developments vis- à-vis industry standards and innovative approaches to translation. In addition, while it is not critical to be hired, I feel it is still important to have lived in different countries and have acquired a strong cross-cultural sensitivity that will allow you to lead a very diverse, multicultural, and multilingual team. Ideally, you should also speak at least two of Amnesty's core languages (Arabic, English, French, and Spanish). Last but not least, it might seem obvious, but I can guarantee this is not so common when interviewing candidates who apply for some of our vacancies: you must know what Amnesty International does, what its mission and goals are, etc. and your beliefs should be aligned with the underlying principles of the organization.

On top of the above, I think that some training in leadership and team management, as well as remote management, would be very useful too as you'd be managing a networked team, so it is key to know how to build a solid relationship and a team spirit despite the physical distance.

What do you love about the job?

I really enjoy that my role covers a vast array of responsibilities: every day is a new challenge, and I definitely don't get bored! But, more importantly, I am fortunate enough to wake up every day knowing that thanks to my work and the work of my team Amnesty International's all-important message will get far since Amnesty's translation function is a powerful organizational catalyst for inclusive and effective communication as well as a key contributor to achieving greater human rights impact worldwide. The strategic role of translation, therefore, contributes to challenging human rights abusers, bringing hope to their victims, and empowering human rights holders in their own language.

ZAK HAITKIN, driving localization and rising to the localization stage at Netflix

What do you do in your role?

I am a facilitator and executor first. It's my job to make sure that all the dots are connected for any localization task within my domain. Specifically for Netflix, I oversee the translation quality and execution of translation requests for the product UI space on the member side (iOS, Android, Web). I also have other initiatives/products that are related to the Netflix UI that I partner with internal stakeholders to ensure timely, high-quality translation. The most visible of these is Netflix Games, where I work closely with product and engineering as well as the Games team to make sure all strings related to the discovery of mobile gaming within the Netflix app on iOS and Android are properly translated within the timelines set forth by those teams.

How to get hired for the role?

I think the most important aspect of the Project Manager position is relationship-building. Localization isn't a product or a feature, it's every product and every feature. Having strong connections with your internal stakeholders is your key to success. Make sure to communicate that during an interview.

Knowing another language besides English is also a great skill to have to get hired into a Project Manager role. This is more relevant for smaller localization programs at an earlier stage of development where scrappiness is needed on a more regular basis. Even if you're not a professional translator in that language, being able to turn around a translation almost immediately comes in handy quite a bit, more than you'd think.

The last thing I'd say to really shine in localization interviews is goal alignment. As I mentioned before, localization touches almost every aspect of the business. It's crucial to understand other teams' goals in order to be a good partner. The best Project Managers (PjMs) and Program Managers (PgMs) are able to align the goals of their stakeholders with their own team's goals in order to produce a positive outcome for everyone involved.

What do you love about the job?

I view Localization as an accessibility feature. The more languages you support, the more people from around the world will be able to interact with your product/platform and grow the business. I think a common mistake that companies make is looking at Localization as a cost center rather than a growth unlock. I love convincing people otherwise because when they eventually come around (and they usually do ??) their new outlook and opinion of Localization is a wonderful thing. You've then created an ally within the company to advocate for your team and goals which makes it that much easier to execute localization-related projects.

My passions are Spanish language and tech, and I've been able to channel that into a career in Localization. Localization is this beautiful intersection between language and technology so I feel like I'm in the right space to really grow and thrive in my career. One of my favorite things to do is when I'm taking a Lyft ride and I see the driver has their Lyft app in Spanish (or Portuguese if I'm feeling frisky), I'll ask them how they feel about using the app in their preferred language. I've yet to receive a negative response and the overwhelming majority are extremely thankful that they are able to use the app in that language which they feel makes it easier for them to be successful and make money on the platform. Knowing that I had a part in creating a positive experience for those drivers is truly a rewarding experience.

The Moral of the Story

Localization as a career path

Hearing stories of roles and careers that allow passion, challenges, and a mission to bring the world together, it's no secret that the Localization Industry is a good career choice for many colleagues.

And it looks like the industry will still be a good choice for some time. The future of localization seems bright with a constant stream of global products and entertainment in demand by worldwide consumers. And then with the dazzling new lineup of opportunities that will (supposedly) come from exponential technologies, Web3.0, and spatial tech, localization might always be a good career choice. (See The Future of Localization, and Get Ready for Your Future in Translation/Localization, in the links below)

Coming up in the next article

In this article, we learned a lot (with great insider info!) from colleagues on the Localization Buyer Side. In the next article Part 2, let's peek into localization roles on the Localization Vendor Side, (also known as LSPs).

Translation and Localization Vendors are most commonly known within the industry as Language Services Providers (LSPs)

As many colleagues have shared, to really learn about localization it's most useful to work for an LSP. Get ready for more stories, insider info, and well-kept secrets, all from the wonderfully technical side of the business!

See you in the next article, Localization Secrets: The LSP roles you might not know

References

Language Services: The biggest industry you've never heard of (United Language Group)

Size of the translation and interpreting market and five-year growth projection (Nimdzi.com)

All about Sizing the Language Industry, March 2021 Update (CSA Research)

Demystifying Localization Project Management by Nataly Kelly (Born to be Global blog)

Learn more about localization roles

Gita Timofejeva gives information about job tasks, requirements and tips for Understanding the vital role of a localization project manager (Lokalise.com)

Miguel Sepulveda's tips for localization professionals and How to develop a strategy for a life of meaningful work in the localization industry (Yocalizo.com)

Jordan Night's article describes roles in localization in detail, Are You Interested in a Career in Localization? (Vistatec.com)

Zak Haitkin from Netflix explains What's the difference between a Localization Project Manager and Product Manager? in this snippet from A Day in the Life of a Netflix Localization Project Manager, with Zak Haitkin (Part 1) (Youtube video)

To hear about detailed on-the-job experiences at Netflix, check out my other Youtube video with Zak, A Day in the Life of a Netflix Localization Project Manager, with Zak Haitkin (Part 2–Q&A)

The Future of the Localization Industry (Multilingual Media)

Get Ready for Your Future in Translation/Localization (Marina Gracen-Farrell and Carrie Fischer)

Recommended resources mentioned in the article

LocLunch?, localization networking lunches online and around the world

Women in Localization, ?a Global Community for the Advancement of Women and the Localization Industry

CSA Research, Localization industry reports, data, advisory and consulting

Nimdzi, Localization research and information

Slator, Language Industry Intelligence for everyone

Copyright ? 2023 Marina Gracen-Farrell