Head of Vendor Management

Adaptive Business Group; Lille; À distance; EUR 80 000 - 120 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading company in the localization industry is seeking a Head of Talent Management. This role involves developing and optimizing vendor strategies, enhancing workflow through automation, and leading a specialized team. Ideal candidates will have over 7 years of experience, fluency in both French and English, and strong leadership skills to navigate complex vendor operations.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in vendor/talent management in localization industry.
• Strategic mindset with proven record of driving cost savings.
• Strong understanding of localization processes and vendor ecosystems.

Responsabilités

• Define and lead the global vendor strategy for scalability and profit.
• Drive automation initiatives and implement workflow optimization tools.
• Build and manage a team of specialists for vendor operations.

Connaissances

Fluency in French

Fluency in English

Negotiation skills

Leadership skills

Data literacy

Outils

TMS platforms

CAT tools

Workflow automation tools

BI tools

Description du poste

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