Procurement Specialist

Acolad is the global leader in content and language solutions. Its mission is to support companies in every industry to scale across markets and enable growth through cutting-edge technology and localization expertise. Established in 1993, the group is present in 23 countries across Europe, North America, and Asia, with over 1.800 employees supported by a network of +20.000 linguists around the world.

At Acolad, every position is key to our global growth: we know that we will only succeed if our people succeed.

Joining Acolad means a unique opportunity for professional development through a collaborative global environment that promotes talent and creativity. We are continuously looking for new talent (like you!) to support our mission to drive growth and innovation across some of the world’s leading brands.

We are currently looking for a Procurement Specialist, to join our Procurement team, to be based in our office in the UK.

Main Purpose

As a Procurement Specialist, you will be working on expanding our pool of external partners, answering business needs in terms of services, profiles and capacity needs, focused on the Interpreting business line.

Next to identification and recruitment of suitable partners, you’ll drive cost control and cost-related analysis to ensure the profitability of Acolad Group’s interpreting vendor base.

Main Responsibilities

• Conduct market research and sourcing activities to identify and onboard qualified freelance interpreters for various language pairs and industries, ensuring the highest quality of language services.
• Negotiate and manage contracts with interpreters, including rates, terms, and conditions, to optimize cost-effectiveness and ensure compliance with company policies and standards.
• Collaborate with the operations team to fulfill interpreting requests from clients, including reviewing interpreter qualifications and availability.
• Monitor interpreter performance and address any issues or concerns, including language proficiency, professionalism, and adherence to company standards, to maintain a high level of service delivery.
• Stay current with industry trends, best practices, and regulations relevant to interpreting services, providing insights and recommendations to support continuous improvement and innovation within the procurement function.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as business administration, supply chain management, or linguistics, or equivalent work experience in procurement or language services.
• Proven experience in procurement, vendor management, or sourcing within the language services industry, with a focus on interpreting services.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with interpreters and language service providers.
• Strong analytical abilities, with proficiency in data analysis and cost management, to make informed decisions and optimize interpreting services procurement.
• 1-3 years of experience in language services or in similar roles/businesses.

Benefits

• Bupa health insurance post probation
• Pension 3% company contribution post probation
• Holidays: 24 days plus 8 Bank holidays
• Full training provided
• Yearly staff events (voluntary attendance)

Acolad is committed to creating a diverse and equitable workforce. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms - gender, age, disability, marital status, ethnic or social origin, religion, belief, or sexual orientation - enrich the workplace. It opens opportunities for individuals to express their talents, both individually and collectively, and strengthens our ability to adapt to a changing world. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their backgrounds.