The role of a vendor manager: a short conversation about the work that usually stays behind the scenes
In the translation industry, the most visible roles are translators and project managers.
But there are people you remember only when something goes wrong. One of them is the vendor manager.
We asked our colleague Victoriia to briefly talk about her work. Her answers best capture the essence of this role.
- What does a vendor manager do at KLS?
“Simply put: finding and selecting translators, testing and evaluating their skills, analysing the current database to ensure we have the needed resources, assembling teams for tender submissions.
Many tasks, but all with one goal - making sure the company always has the right specialists.”
- What is the main mission?
“To have a reliable pool of translators for different languages, specialisations and formats.
This allows the team to start quickly - especially with urgent or highly specialised projects.”
- Do you know the entire translator pool by heart?
“Not the entire pool - that’s impossible.
But I know very well the freelancers we work with most often: their strengths, subject areas, preferred pace, stylistic nuances.”
- Can choosing the wrong translator damage the company’s reputation?
“Yes. And very quickly.
One weak translation = client complaints = extra work = loss of trust.
The vendor manager is the first quality filter.”
We often talk about tools, processes and technology. But quality always starts with the people you choose