GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
NIS America, Inc., publisher of video games in both North America and Europe, is looking to add a Localization Manager to our Localization team. The Localization Manager collaborates closely with various departments, such as development, marketing, and quality assurance, to ensure a seamless and culturally appropriate gaming experience for players globally. They are responsible for creating and implementing localization strategies, managing budgets and timelines, and maintaining consistent communication with stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality, localized gaming content. The ideal candidate possesses strong project management skills, a deep understanding of global gaming trends, cultural nuances, and language proficiency, along with a passion for delivering an immersive gaming experience to a diverse international audience.
Duties and Responsibilities:
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Localization Project Management:
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Oversee the end-to-end localization process for video games, from planning to final delivery, to meet product release timelines and quality standards.
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Collaborate with project managers, developers, and creative teams to ensure all localized content aligns with the original vision and maintains consistent quality.
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Ensure the effective integration of localized assets, including text, audio, and graphics, into the game's user interface.
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Allocate tasks based on individual strengths and expertise, ensuring a balanced distribution of responsibilities that leverages each team member's skills and promotes a collaborative work environment.
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Goal Setting and Task Allocation:
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Set clear and measurable goals for the team, outlining key performance indicators (KPIs) such as translation accuracy, adherence to deadlines, and effective communication within the team and with other departments.
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Establish standardized localization guidelines and best practices that outline the preferred linguistic style, tone, and cultural adaptation requirements for different game genres and target markets.
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Budget Management and Cost Control:
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Estimating localization costs, creating budgets, and effectively managing resources to ensure that the localization process remains within the allocated financial constraints.
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Identifying cost-saving opportunities without compromising the quality of localized content and ensuring that financial resources are utilized efficiently throughout the localization project.
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Team management:
- Maintain team members to keep motivated and let them keep good attitude in good faith.
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Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback to team members, acknowledging their achievements and addressing any areas for improvement.
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Foster an environment of open communication and transparency, encouraging team members to share their insights, challenges, and innovative ideas to continually improve the localization process and achieve the set goals.
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Quality Assurance:
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Implement and enforce rigorous quality assurance processes to maintain accuracy, cultural relevance, and linguistic integrity in all localized content.
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Work with QA teams to address any localization-related issues and ensure they are resolved promptly.
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Language and Cultural Expertise:
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Stay up-to-date with industry trends, gaming terminology, and linguistic developments to provide valuable insights to the localization team.
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Utilize cultural expertise to adapt content, including humor, references, and idiomatic expressions, to resonate with target audiences.
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Vendor Management:
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Build and maintain relationships with external localization vendors to ensure timely delivery and high-quality service.
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Negotiate contracts, review proposals, and manage the budget for localization projects.
Required Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree in Translation, Linguistics, Computer Science, or a related field discipline; or 7+ years of Localization experience in entertainment industry (including Gaming industry).
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Strong project management skills, including the ability to create and execute comprehensive localization strategies, manage budgets, allocate resources effectively, and ensure timely delivery of localized game content.
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Proficiency in using project management tools and software to streamline workflows, track progress, and coordinate tasks across different teams and departments.
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Prior experience in managing voice recording sessions for video game localization, including directing voice actors, coordinating recording schedules, and ensuring that the voiceovers align with the game's narrative and character portrayals.
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Strong understanding of cultural sensitivities and the ability to adapt content accordingly.
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Familiarity with localization tools and software.
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders effectively.
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Leadership skills with the ability to motivate and mentor a team.
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Passion for video games and a deep appreciation for global gaming communities.
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Experience with Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Proven track record of several years of experience in managing video game localization projects, preferably in a leadership capacity, showcasing a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges of the localization process within the gaming industry.
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Proficiency in utilizing advanced localization tools, software, and technologies specific to the gaming industry, enabling the effective management of complex localization workflows and ensuring the seamless integration of localized content into video games.
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Business level speaking and writing skill in Japanese is plus.
Other Requirements:
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Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
Key Attributes:
Candidate should demonstrate these skills
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Strong passion to introduce our game titles to the market
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Solid verbal and written English communication
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Good time management / Ability to meet schedules and deadlines
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Good negotiation
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Good sense for numbers / mathematics
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Critical thinking and problem-solving
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Planning and organizing
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Team participation with respect
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Multi-tasking
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Vendor relations
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A person of integrity
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Stress tolerance
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Detail Oriented
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Steady and prudent
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A love for Japanese games!
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
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Work is typically performed either in an office environment with a moderate noise level or at your home.
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While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to frequently sit and occasionally must stand, walk, use hands and fingers, and may lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
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Specific vision abilities include the ability to read and analyze data in hard copy and on a computer screen, measure, or identify using eyesight and adjust vision focus.
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Abilities to communicate verbally and in writing to individuals and groups.
