Localization Manager - Simplified Chinese

Job Summary

The Localization Manager is responsible for the end‑to‑end delivery, quality, and continuous improvement of localization programs supporting CFA Institute products and services. This role combines linguistic expertise with program management, ensuring that localized content is accurate, timely, and aligned with CFA Institute standards and regional requirements. Acting as a subject matter expert in workflows, tooling, and linguistic quality, the Localization Manager translates business needs into scalable solutions and drives operational excellence across the localization lifecycle.

This position is based in the UK and reports to the Director, Localization Management.

• Own end‑to‑end delivery and content quality of localization projects across products, languages, and releases.
• Ensure alignment with key stakeholders on scope, timelines, and resource requirements in alignment with business priorities across assigned projects.
• Manage the full localization project lifecycle, from requirements intake through final delivery and validation.
• Ensure localized content meets quality, regulatory, and market‑specific requirements.
• Monitor delivery performance against timelines, quality benchmarks, and cost considerations.

• Facilitate cross‑teams coordination in the management of the localization platform (Phrase).
• Design and maintain segmentation rules, filters, and automation to maximize translation memory leverage.
• Evaluate and optimize machine translation (MT) usage, including configuration and performance assessment.
• Partner with technology teams to support system integrations and workflow enhancements.

• Perform hands‑on linguistic review within Phrase and during LQA of all localized content for accuracy, consistency, and fitness for purpose.
• Govern translation memories, glossaries, and termbases to ensure consistency and reuse.
• Execute QA processes, interpret results, and implement corrective actions with a focus on root‑cause resolution.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for linguistic quality and localization standards.

• Collaborate with external language service providers to ensure quality and adherence to standards.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders (product, SMEs, content, technology) to align delivery plans and priorities.
• Provide clear guidance, feedback, and issue resolution to maintain delivery quality and timelines.
• Build effective working relationships to support seamless localization execution.
• Monitor and manage vendor performance against quality, cost and SLA commitments.
• Drive continuous improvement through structured vendor feedback and performance tracking.

• Ensure transparency and control of localisation costs, including oversight of word counts, translation memory (TM) analysis, discount application and invoicing across assigned projects.
• Validate that negotiated pricing and savings are consistently applied and auditable across vendor delivery.
• Ensure adherence to agreed standards for financial reporting, cost tracking and financial governance.
• Identify and mitigate risks across localisation delivery, quality, timelines and compliance.

• Ensure all content submitted to the language vendor is processed through approved, secure platforms and workflows.
• Ensure strict controls are being adhered to by the language vendor in prohibiting the use of public AI tools, public MT engines, personal accounts or unmanaged environments.
• Ensure cross‑functional alignment to maintain compliant, secure and auditable localisation operations.

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 4–6+ years of experience in localization, translation, or project/program delivery.
• Native‑level fluency in Simplified Chinese is necessary, with demonstrable professional translation, review and LQA experience.
• Proven experience translating and reviewing documentation, ideally in the financial, educational or regulated content domains.
• Proven experience creating, maintaining…