A day in the life of a translation project manager

When you change the language on a website or stream a video with perfectly timed subtitles, you’re witnessing the work of many invisible hands. One of the most crucial among them is the localisation project manager. These professionals are the silent orchestrators behind multilingual content, ensuring that the global user experience feels effortlessly local.

What does a translation project manager do?

At its core, translation project management is all about coordination, communication, and consistency. Project managers are responsible for steering a localisation project from scoping to delivery, acting as the central point between clients and linguists. Here’s what their typical day might involve:

Client communication

Clear, proactive communication is central to a project manager’s role. As the primary point of contact, they bridge the gap between clients and internal teams. Whether it’s guiding a first-time customer through the localisation process or solving last-minute emergencies, PMs keep stakeholders confident and informed.

Scoping and planning

Every successful localisation project begins with thoughtful planning and precise scoping. The project manager ensures a clear understanding of goals, constraints, and expectations from the very beginning.

Their first task is to analyse the source content and localisation requirements, paying attention to format, tone, technical complexity, and target audience. From there, they define the project scope, including target languages, timelines, budget, and required services such as translation, review, or proofreading.

At this stage, the project manager also identifies potential challenges such as scheduling, unusual file formats, or sensitive subject matter. If a client provides technical documentation and requests fast turnaround in multiple languages, the project manager might evaluate whether the text is suitable for machine translation (MT) and whether post-editing is a viable option. This decision depends on factors such as content type (repetitive technical manuals vs. creative marketing copy) and language pair (English to German vs. English to Japanese), as some combinations yield better machine translation quality than others.

Resource coordination

Once the project is approved, it’s time to bring the right people on board. The project manager plays a key role in selecting and assigning linguists and reviewers, tailoring the team to fit the project’s content type, complexity, and timeline. PMs coordinate resource availability across multiple time zones and manage workloads strategically, balancing efficiency with quality.

For a highly specialised medical document, the project manager will choose a linguist with proven experience in that field, aiming for both accurate terminology and full regulatory compliance. Conversely, for a large-scale marketing campaign with a tight deadline, the project manager might decide to split the content across several linguists and set up additional review steps to maintain consistency across the translation.

Tool and platform management

Localisation project managers keep every project running smoothly by setting up workflows, assigning tasks, and tracking progress. They also maintain and update translation memories (TMs) and term bases, promoting consistency and quality across all content. Additionally, they confirm the correct use of style guides and reference materials, allowing the project team to work with the most up-to-date and relevant resources.

For instance, when localising a software UI update, the project manager sets up the project with the appropriate file filters, assigns translation and review stages, and pre-populates the content using the existing client TM within a translation environment (CAT tools). They also add client-specific terminology to the term base and share it with the linguists. When a client style guide is updated – for example, to adopt a more conversational tone – the project manager notifies the team to maintain consistency in translations across all languages.

File and content handling

Before, the project manager prepares the source files for the process. This involves preparing and converting files, particularly when they arrive in complex formats, and ensuring that only the relevant content is translated.

When a client sends a file in InDesign (INDD) format, the project manager first converts it into a format compatible with the translation tools. If some parts – like design elements or embedded layers – don’t need translation, the project manager pre-processes the file to exclude them. After the content is translated, the project manager reviews the final version to ensure that the layout, formatting, and design are consistent with the original, guaranteeing that the translated content appears and functions exactly as intended.

Quality assurance

Quality doesn’t happen by chance – it’s built into the localisation process. And it’s not only about the content being correct but also about it being culturally relevant, consistent with brand voice, and technically sound.

The project manager is responsible for implementing quality checks, both for the language and functionality of the final content. This includes running quality checks, reviewing feedback from clients and reviewers, and collaborating closely with the language teams to resolve any issues. Whether it’s a typo in a user manual or a broken link in a localised website, the project manager makes sure it’s addressed quickly. They also track patterns in feedback to improve future projects and deliver a final product that meets the highest standards.

Why the project manager’s role matters

Nowadays, content that resonates locally is a business essential. But going global is more than just translation – it’s about precision, planning, and cultural intelligence. Localisation project managers ensure that your product doesn’t just speak another language but belongs in another market.

Looking for a translation partner you can trust?

At SwissGlobal, our experienced translation project managers are the backbone of every successful project. They combine linguistic know-how, technical fluency, and solid project management skills to bring your content to the world. Contact us today to learn how our project management team can turn your localisation challenges into success stories.