Job Requirements

Manager, Language Services Group (LSG)

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Japanese-English interpretation professional to lead our Language Services Group supporting Walt Disney Attractions Japan and Walt Disney Imagineering Japan, and its business partnership with Oriental Land Company (OLC).

This position combines people leadership, hands-on senior-level interpretation, language-service operations, and cultural/business partnership. The Manager will lead and develop a team of professional interpreters while personally supporting complex, confidential, and strategically important discussions involving senior leaders.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, manage, coach and develop the LSG interpreter team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
• Set team priorities and allocate interpreter resources based on business needs, complexity and interpreter capabilities.
• Provide regular feedback, coaching and development opportunities, manage performance, and support the career and professional development of team members.
• Partner with HR and business leaders on recruitment, selection and onboarding of interpreters.
• Foster effective communication and information sharing across the LSG team.

Interpretation & Translation

• Provide high-quality simultaneous and consecutive Japanese-English interpretation for complex business meetings, backed by knowledge of specific fields relevant to Disney work including architectural design, engineering, project management, entertainment, and ability to interpret for negotiations in finance and legal matters.
• Support senior executive-level, highly confidential and sensitive meetings requiring a high degree of judgment, accuracy and discretion.
• Ensure that interpretation accurately conveys not only language but also business context, nuance and intent.
• Provide translation and other language support across different lines of business as required.

Resource & Assignment Management

• Oversee interpreter scheduling and assignments across the organization, balancing business priorities, interpreter capabilities and resource availability.
• Anticipate interpretation needs and develop appropriate resource plans to ensure effective coverage.
• Coordinate and distribute translation assignments.
• Manage external and agency interpreter resources when additional capacity or specialized support is required and develop contacts with service providers in regions outside of Japan for global assignments as the need arises.
• Resolve scheduling or resource conflicts and identify appropriate solutions to meet business needs.

Business Partnership & Executive Support

• Build strong working relationships with Disney, OLC and other key stakeholders to understand business priorities and anticipate language-service requirements.
• Support effective communication between senior Disney and OLC leadership.
• Navigate linguistic and cultural nuances and provide cultural and business context to senior leaders when appropriate to support mutual understanding and effective decision-making.
• Develop a strong understanding of the Disney-OLC business relationship, organizational environment and relevant business history.

LSG Operations

• Maintain effective processes and standards for delivery of interpretation and translation services.
• Monitor business demand and recommend appropriate internal or external resourcing solutions.
• Identify opportunities to improve service quality, team effectiveness and operational efficiency.
• Ensure LSG services continue to meet evolving business and stakeholder needs.

Qualifications

Required

• Significant professional Japanese-English interpretation experience, including simultaneous interpretation.
• Strong Japanese and English language proficiency, with the ability to interpret accurately in complex business settings.
• Demonstrated ability to support senior executives and highly confidential or sensitive discussions.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to manage, develop and lead professional employees
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple and competing business requirements.
• Strong judgment, discretion and commitment to confidentiality.
• Ability to operate effectively in a multicultural and international business environment.
• Minimum of approximately 7 years of directly related professional experience.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience leading an in-house corporate interpretation or language-services team.
• Experience working within a Japanese/global business environment.
• Experience managing external interpreters, agencies or other language-service providers.
• Knowledge of the theme park, entertainment or related industries.
• Familiarity with Disney, Tokyo Disney Resort and/or OLC business operations and organizational environments.

Leadership Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Balance hands-on interpretation responsibilities with people-management and operational leadership responsibilities.
• Establish strong partnerships with senior business stakeholders.
• Anticipate business needs and proactively develop language-service solutions.
• Demonstrate sound judgment when handling confidential, sensitive and complex matters.
• Create an inclusive, collaborative environment that supports high performance and professional growth.
  

This position is with Walt Disney Attractions Japan, Ltd., which is part of a business we call Tokyo Disney Resort.

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