Associate Director, Linguistic Services

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Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director, Shared Services, the incumbent provides leadership and strategic oversight for the delivery of high-quality translation, editing, and language services across the University. The role ensures that institutional communications are accurate, accessible, inclusive, and aligned with linguistic, regulatory, and brand standards in a bilingual environment.  Working closely with the Director, Shared Services and Communications and Institutional Relations, the Associate Director leads the implementation and day-to-day execution of the strategic vision for linguistic services, ensuring alignment with CIR and institutional priorities, as well as with the University’s evolving legal, reputational, and regulatory obligations.

The incumbent sets ambitious institutional translation objectives, benchmarks performance against peer institutions, and evaluates and adopts emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence) where appropriate to support their achievement. They manage the Linguistic Services team, oversee service delivery, and ensure a high level of productivity and quality. The role includes establishing standards and processes, driving continuous improvement, translating key materials, and ensuring timely support for McGill’s Faculties and administrative units.

The Associate Director also proactively monitors evolving institutional translation needs and designs tailored solutions—such as full-service translation, revision, AI-assisted workflows, training, and terminology guidance—to ensure these needs are effectively met.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and periodically review the mandate of Linguistic Services in alignment with the Director, Shared Services’ priorities. Ensure a proactive, strategic approach to identifying and prioritizing translation needs across the University.
• Conduct benchmarking and environmental scans to maintain alignment of translation programs, policies, processes, and tools with sector best practices.
• In collaboration with CIR’s Digital Communications team, establish criteria to prioritize websites within the McGill.ca ecosystem for translation. Work with Faculties and administrative units to ensure timely optimization, translation, and ongoing maintenance of bilingual content.
• Monitor developments in translation technologies, including artificial intelligence. Lead evaluations, pilot initiatives, and the implementation of tools that enhance service quality and efficiency.
• Provide institutional guidance on terminology, language standards, and compliance with University policies and applicable Québec legislation, in collaboration with relevant units.
• Oversee the development and implementation of operational plans, ensuring alignment with CIR objectives and the University’s strategic priorities.
• Provide senior expertise in the development and application of policies related to the use of French at McGill.
• Assess evolving institutional translation needs and implement service models, processes, and resource strategies to address them effectively. Improve intake, prioritization, and delivery processes to ensure timely and efficient service.
• Direct and supervise professional and administrative staff within Linguistic Services.
• Oversee staff development to ensure ongoing alignment with emerging practices, tools, and technologies in the field.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators, setting clear expectations and benchmarking outcomes against peer institutions to support continuous improvement.
• Provide guidance to Faculties and units engaging external translation services to ensure adherence to institutional standards.
• Translate key communications and high-priority materials, as required.
• Participate in senior-level discussions and ensure Linguistic Services effectively supports institutional bilingual communications priorities.

Other Qualifying Skills and/or Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Translation, Linguistics, Communications, French Studies, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in translation, editing, localization, or linguistic services.
• Professional certification with OTTIAQ (Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec) is considered an asset.
• Excellent command of French and English, both written and spoken, with exceptional editing, proofreading, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency with translation and localization technologies, including MemoQ and other computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools.
• Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and strategic planning abilities, with proven capacity to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Experience supervising or managing translation teams, workflows, and external linguistic service providers is considered an asset.

As one of Montreal's Top Employers, here is what we offer:

• Competitive benefits package (Health, Dental, Life Insurance) (if eligible)
• Defined contribution pension plan (with employer contribution up to 10%) (if eligible)
• Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)
• Competitive vacation policy
• Two (2) personal days
• Two (2) floating holidays
• Nine (9) "Summer Fridays" - paid days off between the St-Jean Baptiste holiday and Labour Day
• Paid time off over the December holiday period
• Tuition waiver for regular employees and their dependents
• Up to two (2) days of remote work per week where the position permits

Before applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.

Knowledge of English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level #4 on a scale of 0-4.

For a definition of our language proficiency levels, please click here.

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