ICON plc
Team Lead, Language Services
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Team Lead, Language Services
UK, Poland, Czechia or Spain.
Home or office based
ICON is a global healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation united by a mission to bring new medicines and treatments to patients faster.
As a values-driven organisation, integrity, collaboration, agility, and inclusion are at the heart of how we work and interact with each other, customers, patients, and suppliers.
About the Role
The Team Lead, PCS, Language Services is responsible for overseeing a team of project and/or operations staff within the Language Services department of ICON. This role ensures high standards in training, risk management, and resource allocation, while also serving as a subject matter expert in localization workflows, language technology tools, and the clinical/pharmaceutical industry.
The Team Lead fosters team development through active coaching and knowledge-sharing, ensuring that team members are equipped not only with project management skills but also with a deep understanding of regulatory, scientific, and clinical trial contexts. The Team Lead plays a key role in driving operational excellence, quality, and compliance in a fast-paced, client-focused environment.
Job Requirements
- 6+ years of experience in translation, localization, or language services project management, including team mentoring or coordination.
- Strong expertise in Life Sciences translation (e.g., pharmaceutical, clinical trials, biotech).
- Solid understanding of localization workflows, quality management practices, and industry standards (e.g., GxP, ISO).
- Hands-on experience with quality investigations, root cause analysis, and CAPA implementation in localization.
- Proven ability to support strategic client relationships and contribute to sales efforts through solution-focused thinking.
- Skilled in coaching and developing team members’ expertise in both localization and clinical content.
- Advanced proficiency with CAT tools, TMS platforms, and structured content formats (XML, PDF, etc.).
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and organizational skills.
- Able to thrive in a deadline-driven, regulated environment with minimal supervision.
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Job Description
Strategic
- Actively supports the growth and integration of language services within ICON’s Clinical & Scientific Research (PCS) division.
- Builds and maintains deep expertise in localization, language technology, and clinical/pharmaceutical industry trends and regulatory landscapes.
- Guides junior staff in understanding evolving client needs, industry developments, and service delivery challenges specific to Life Sciences.
- Drives awareness among project teams on client relationships, supporting strategic engagement and contributing to client retention and sales initiatives.
- Leads the development of new project management practices and operational systems that improve efficiency, consistency, quality, and risk mitigation.
- Oversees a functional team of project and/or operations staff, ensuring optimal resourcing and training aligned with team and departmental goals.
- Mentors and develops staff through coaching, knowledge-sharing, and creation of best practice materials, including process guides and training tools.
- Responsible for team-level human resource management, including performance development, staffing, engagement, and recognition.
Functional
- Ensures the delivery of high-quality, compliant language services across all projects, in line with industry standards and client expectations.
- May manage a portfolio of complex or strategic projects, acting as a senior escalation point.
- Proactively identifies and manages project risks; supports proposal development with realistic assumptions to mitigate those risks.
- Drives a culture of continuous improvement by capturing client feedback, addressing issues, and promoting operational learnings across the team.
- Represents the department in internal and external meetings, including client reviews and strategic discussions.
- Leads or contributes to CAPA investigations, ensures adherence to quality control procedures, and champions best practices in localization QA.
- Oversees staff onboarding and development, ensuring alignment with training plans and mentoring objectives.
- Maintains and updates department-specific project tools, checklists, and documentation to ensure operational consistency.
- Ensures team compliance with all applicable SOPs, policies, and procedures.
- Performs additional duties as reasonably assigned to support departmental goals and service excellence.
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Employment with ICON
Employment with ICON is contingent upon having the legal right to work in the country where the role is based.
Rewards & Benefits
ICON offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and career development.
Benefits may include:
- Competitive base salary and performance-related incentives
- Health and wellbeing programmes including medical, dental, and vision coverage where applicable
- Retirement and pension plans
- Life assurance and disability coverage
- Employee assistance programmes and wellbeing resources
- Learning and development opportunities through structured training and career pathways
Benefits may vary depending on role and location.
Visit our careers site to read more about the benefits ICON offers.
Inclusion and Accessibility
ICON is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.
If you require reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know or submit a request here.
Are you a current ICON Employee? Please click here to apply.
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