Localization Program ManagerLocation: Burbank, CA
Job Type: Contract
Schedule: Full-Time, Standard Business Hours
Work Arrangement: Hybrid, onsite approximately 1-2 days per week based on business needs
Level: Manager-Level Individual Contributor, Non-People Manager
Position OverviewOur client, a leading global media and entertainment organization, is seeking an experienced Localization Project Manager to support global content localization and distribution operations.
This is a hands-on project management role responsible for coordinating complex metadata and artwork localization workstreams, managing international timelines, working with creative and localization vendors, and ensuring assets are prepared, validated, and ready for global distribution.
The ideal candidate brings direct entertainment localization experience and can manage multiple workstreams, competing priorities, vendors, territory requirements, and cross-functional stakeholders with minimal ramp-up.
Prior localization industry experience is required.Key Responsibilities- Manage multiple localization projects and workstreams simultaneously, with primary responsibility for artwork and metadata localization.
- Oversee projects from initiation through final delivery, including schedules, priorities, responsibilities, dependencies, and project status.
- Validate and certify localization readiness, ensuring required assets, metadata, artwork, specifications, and reference materials are complete and accurate.
- Coordinate asset preparation and facilitate localization workflows through final delivery.
- Manage international timelines and territory-specific delivery requirements across global markets.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned titles and workflows.
- Coordinate with internal departments, international territory teams, localization vendors, creative partners, and other stakeholders to maintain order and delivery alignment.
- Communicate project health, title-level status, risks, dependencies, and delivery updates to internal and external stakeholders.
- Partner with product and platform technology teams to ensure delivery systems and workflows are appropriately supported.
- Identify potential delays or challenges and proactively escalate issues that could impact delivery deadlines.
- Troubleshoot workflow and delivery issues, perform root-cause analysis, and develop solutions to prevent recurrence.
- Identify patterns, process gaps, and opportunities for workflow improvement.
- Create, maintain, and update departmental standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Support financial administration, including vendor invoice validation and submission.
- Develop statistical metrics and operational reporting that enable leadership to evaluate performance, identify trends, and make informed decisions.
- Balance stakeholder requirements, delivery timelines, and operational demands while maintaining creative and qualitative integrity.
- Apply practical and creative solutions to complex localization and project-management challenges.
- Maintain strong organization and documentation across multiple concurrent projects.
Job Requirements
Required Qualifications- Minimum 3 years of project management experience within localization.
- Minimum 1 year of direct experience managing content localization workflows.
- Demonstrated knowledge of language localization and territory-specific content delivery requirements.
- Strong understanding of localization workflows within the media and entertainment industry.
- Experience supporting international territories or global markets.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects and workstreams simultaneously.
- Ability to organize complex tasks, coordinate stakeholder deliverables, and shift priorities quickly.
- Experience working with internal teams, external vendors, creative partners, and international stakeholders.
- Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis capabilities.
- Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide concise project-health updates to broad audiences.
- Ability to learn new workflows quickly and operate independently following initial training.
- Strong judgment and ability to recognize risks, dependencies, and potential delivery issues before they escalate.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience within media, entertainment, streaming, or digital content distribution.
- Experience with metadata localization.
- Experience with artwork or key-art localization.
- Experience supporting theatrical or other entertainment localization workflows.
- Digital media and content distribution experience.
- Experience working with global content delivery platforms and international territory teams.
- Exposure to the development or implementation of ISO 9000 quality-management strategies.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and professional experience.
Project Management ExpectationsProject management capability is a
critical requirement for this position. Successful candidates should be able to:
- Manage several active workstreams without losing visibility into individual deliverables.
- Establish and maintain timelines, priorities, dependencies, and ownership.
- Coordinate complex workflows across multiple internal and external stakeholders.
- Quickly reprioritize when business or delivery requirements change.
- Track project health and communicate risks proactively.
- Drive projects forward independently rather than waiting for direction at each stage.
- Maintain accuracy and attention to detail in a high-volume production environment.
Ideal CandidateThe ideal candidate combines
localization expertise with strong project management discipline. You understand how localized content moves through global entertainment workflows and can confidently coordinate metadata, artwork, vendors, territory requirements, timelines, and delivery dependencies.
You are comfortable working in a fast-moving environment where several titles and workstreams may be active simultaneously. You communicate clearly, anticipate problems, maintain meticulous attention to detail, and can quickly become self-sufficient after initial workflow training.
Candidates with recent experience supporting
streaming platforms, global entertainment companies, content distribution organizations, localization vendors, or international media operations are particularly well aligned with the position.
