Vendor and Quality Manager in London

Company Description: A Japanese global leader in the provision of ground-breaking and innovative technological and research solutions to the healthcare industry. The M3 Group operates in the US, Asia, and Europe with over 5.8 million physician members globally via its physician websites which include mdlinx.com, m3.com, research.m3.com, Doctors.net.uk, medigate.net, and medlive.cn. M3 Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with subsidiaries in major markets including the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, and China. The M3 Group provides services to healthcare and the life science industry, including market research, medical education, ethical drug promotion, clinical development, job recruitment, and clinic appointment services.

About the Business Division: This role is part of MED PLANET, a Lyon based fieldwork agency and wholly owned subsidiary of M3 Inc. MED PLANET is a leading provider of data-collection services for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, specializing in conducting both qualitative and quantitative market research in France.

Job Purpose: As a Vendor and Quality Manager, your role is to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery across language services operations by effectively handling vendor management, overseeing quality assurance and its processes, and driving continuous improvement in workflows.

• Vendor Management: Oversee and manage the vendor pool to ensure optimal size, coverage, and capability aligned with business needs. Ensure vendors possess the required skills and receive appropriate training on processes and tools. Lead contract negotiations, including rates and scope of services. Manage end-to-end vendor lifecycle, including onboarding and offboarding processes. Act as the primary escalation point for vendor-related issues.
• Quality Assurance: Oversee quality assurance processes to ensure translations/transcriptions meet client expectations and industry standards. Develop, implement, and monitor quality control procedures. Conduct regular audits and quality assessments.
• Process Improvement: Analyze existing workflows to identify inefficiencies. Develop and implement new procedures to improve productivity and enhance service quality.
• Training & Development: Provide training and guidance to internal teams on quality standards and best practices. Create and maintain training documentation.
• Collaboration & Communication: Work closely with project managers and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure smooth project execution. Facilitate clear communication between vendors and internal teams.
• Issue Resolution: Investigate and resolve quality-related or operational issues. Implement preventive and corrective measures.
• ISO & Compliance Support: Support the implementation and maintenance of ISO processes. Ensure operational procedures align with company ISO standards.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Linguistics, Quality Management, or a related field. A minimum of 3+ years’ experience in vendor management, quality assurance, localization, or operations management. Strong understanding of QA methodologies and process improvement practices. Familiarity with ISO 9001/17100 standards is an advantage.

Knowledge, Skill, Ability: Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. Strong attention to detail and quality standards. Proficiency in project management and reporting tools. Collaborative mindset with strong stakeholder management skills. Excellent knowledge of translation and transcription workflows.