Translation Services Specialist III

Job Summary

The Translation Services Specialist III works closely and collaboratively with Cultural and Linguistic (C&L) Manager, various internal C&L team members, client departments and vendors by fostering and maintaining a team-oriented, continuous quality improvement culture. The Translation Services Specialist III manages overall translation/alternative format operations, including processing and overseeing organization-wide translation and alternative format requests and ensuring quality and timely delivery of all requests.

The Translation Services Specialist III monitors vendors’ performance and compliance with contractual obligations including addressing any operational and performance gaps in a timely manner to ensure continuity of quality and timely services. The Translation Services Specialist III is responsible for conducting oversight of internal business units’ compliance with the regulatory agency requirements (Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)) related to translations/alternative formats for all product lines and address any gaps.

The Translation Services Specialist III ensures that processes and functions are effective and efficient by identifying and making recommendations on areas to enhance and streamline the end-to-end translation/ alternative format process and engages with cross functional areas and vendors to implement interventions. Acts as a Subject Matter Expert, serves as a resource and mentor for other staff.

Duties

Oversee completion of the end-to-end translation/alternative format requests cycle submitted through Plunet and Language Vault and all tasks associated including invoice review. 

Maintain translation memory, glossary and style guides for optimal translation outcomes and review periodically. 

Monitor and manage vendors’ performance through observation, monthly performance and quality reports, and joint operation meetings. 

Address any operational and performance issues/gaps in a timely manner. 

Applies subject expertise in evaluating business operations and processes. Identifies areas where technical solutions would improve business performance. Consults across business operations, providing mentorship, and contributing specialized knowledge. Ensures that the facts and details are correct so that the project’s/program's deliverable(s) meets the needs of the department, organization and legislation's policies, standards, and best practices.

Train/educate internal and external staff on the translation/alternative format processes and provide technical assistance as a subject matter expert. 

Develop and improve internal and external educational materials based on the identified needs. 

Participate in applicable workgroup meetings representing C&L Services Unit including the annual mailing workgroups.

Conduct oversight of internal business units’ compliance with the regulatory agency requirements (DHCS, DMHC, CMS) related to translations/alternative formats. 

Duties Continued

Document internal monitoring activities in the manner by which C&L is able to demonstrate compliance to the regulatory agencies (e.g. reports, meeting agenda/minutes, corrective action plan).

Address any compliance gaps/issues in a timely manner, including but are not limited to corrective action plans and escalating issues, as appropriate. Support audit documentation and serve as liaison as needed.
 
Prepare translation/alternative format sections of reports (e.g. utilization reports and annual evaluation), including but are not limited to utilization, quantitative and qualitative analysis. 

Identify opportunities for improvement related to translation/alternative format services, make recommendations for relevant operational and process/system enhancements to the leadership and implement them in collaboration with appropriate stakeholders, including C&L staff, cross functional areas and/or vendors.  

Develop projects/programs to support C&L services.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Education Required

Education Preferred

Experience

Required:
At least 3 years of experience in overseeing and leading written translation projects in various foreign languages including good track records of delivering large and complex projects (e.g. multilingual manuals) in a fast-paced environment. 

Preferred:  
Translation/localization vendor experience including coordinating written translation, desktop publishing, audio recording, and braille projects in a language service provider setting or its equivalent.

Managed care/health care experience including working in a health plan and/or with Medi-Cal, under-served and culturally diverse populations.

Experience building relationships with organizations and business partners.

At least 3 years of experience in leading, overseeing, and/or mentoring program/project teams.

Skills

Required:
Able to multitask a high number of projects.

Excellent verbal and written skills in English. 

Ability to work within tight deadlines within a fast paced environment.  

Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.

Excellent critical thinking and problem solving, time management abilities, and interpersonal skills.

Ability to take initiative and produce timely and quality work. 

Ability to analyze qualitative and/or quantitative data. 

Strong data/statistical analysis background.

Preferred:
Bilingual in one of L.A. Care Health Plan’s threshold languages is highly desirable. English, Spanish, Chinese, Armenian, Arabic, Farsi, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese.

Knowledge of translation industry trends and technologies (workflow/content management system, translation memory, machine/AI translation, etc.).

Knowledge of managed care language assistance regulations.

Licenses/Certifications Required

Licenses/Certifications Preferred

Required Training

Physical Requirements

Additional Information