Head of Vendor Management

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Direct message the job poster from Adaptive Business Group

Your friendly translation industry recruiter

Head of Talent/Vendor Management

Location: Remote, but to be considered you need to be based in France, Belgium or Canada

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer / Director of Operations

The Role

As Head of Talent Management , you will lead the global strategy for sourcing, managing, and optimizing external linguistic resources. You will drive cost-efficiency, workflow innovation, and future-proof our vendor operations through automation and AI-enabled solutions. You’ll build and lead a team that delivers scalable, high-performing vendor capacity, with a strong focus on productivity and quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and lead the global vendor strategy to ensure scalability, agility, and profitability
• Drive cost optimization initiatives by refining rate models, reducing agency dependency, and negotiating strategic agreements
• Improve productivity through process optimization and vendor performance governance
• Lead implementation of workflow automation tools to reduce manual effort across the vendor lifecycle
• Evaluate and integrate AI-driven solutions (e.g., smart matching, quality prediction, automated onboarding, LQA automation)
• Build and manage a team of specialists in sourcing, relationship management, QA, and vendor analytics
• Create a strong talent forecasting and capacity planning model in collaboration with PM and Sales
• Own vendor KPIs, dashboards , and reports to track progress, performance, and efficiency
• Foster strong vendor relationships while maintaining accountability and performance standards
• Champion innovation and drive cross-functional collaboration on future-facing solutions

What You Bring

• Fluency in French AND English
• 7+ years of experience in vendor/talent management within the localization or multilingual content industry
• Strategic mindset with a proven record of driving cost savings and operational efficiency
• Knowledge of workflow automation tools , productivity platforms, and AI in the localization space
• Strong negotiation and leadership skills with the ability to influence cross-functionally
• Familiarity with TMS platforms and CAT tools (e.g., Plunet, MemoQ) and QA tools would be a plus
• Experience with large-scale vendor ecosystems and managing hybrid freelance/agency models
• Data-literate and comfortable leveraging dashboards, BI tools, and KPI frameworks
• Strong understanding of localization processes, pricing models, and resourcing needs
• Strong communication skills and crisis management experience would be a plus
• M&A integration experience for talent teams would be a plus

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with LLM-based AI tools for translation, QA, or vendor matching
• Knowledge of ISO 17100, 9001 or other quality standards
• Experience working with in-house linguist teams alongside freelancers and vendors
• Multilingual or multicultural background

What Success Looks Like

• Significant reduction in vendor costs while maintaining or improving quality
• Seamless automation of manual vendor workflows
• Successful integration of AI and predictive tools in vendor operations
• Highly engaged, responsive, and performance-driven vendor community
• Strong cross-departmental alignment on sourcing and capacity planning

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Supply Chain

• Industries

  Translation and Localization

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