Translation Manager-TMS Expert

We are seeking a highly articulate and detail-oriented Translation Manager / TMS Expert to support the evaluation and selection of Translation Management Systems (TMS) and localization vendors. This role requires someone who can confidently guide internal stakeholders through the TMS landscape, align product capabilities with business needs, and clearly communicate recommendations.

• Evaluate and compare multiple TMS platforms and localization vendors based on features, scalability, and integration capabilities.

• Partner with internal teams to gather requirements, assess workflow needs, and define critical success criteria.

• Map business processes to TMS functionality to ensure alignment with organizational goals.

• Lead feature-gap analyses and present vendor/product shortlists with clear justifications.

• Act as a subject matter expert to guide stakeholders in making informed decisions.

• Prepare and deliver clear, concise presentations and documentation for executive-level audiences.

• Collaborate with vendors for demos, technical deep dives, and proof-of-concept evaluations.

• Proven experience working with or evaluating TMS platforms such as XTM, Phrase, Smartling, Memsource, or similar.

• Strong understanding of localization workflows, file handling, and translation lifecycle.

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills - ability to translate technical features into business value.

• Experience working cross-functionally with product, engineering, content, and localization teams.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to perform feature comparison and vendor scoring.

• Prior experience leading or supporting a TMS/tooling evaluation process is highly desirable.

• Experience in vendor management and contract negotiation.

• Familiarity with CMS, CAT tools, MT engines, and API integrations.

• Previous involvement in localization tech rollouts or global content programs.