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Daniel Finck
Localization Operations
Profile
Localization specialist focused on running localization as an in-house service that teams can rely on. Combines hands-on team management with technical know-how to design or improve interdepartmental content workflows.
Comfortable operating under pressure and adapting when conditions are far from best practice — making localization work in favor of the bigger picture.
Key Strengths
Team Management
Recruits, trains, and coordinates remote translator teams across languages.
Tool Integration
Connects TMS, CMS, and PM systems to reduce manual handoffs.
Cross-Functional
Aligns engineering, product, and language teams around shared priorities.
Process Design
Builds request systems and reporting that stay in use long after setup.
Experience
Loquatics
Localization Consultant
Jun 2015 – present
Providing localization consulting from an embedded in-house perspective for product-driven companies across games, SaaS, and e-commerce. Lead localization operations end to end, covering team setup, tooling, workflows, and vendor coordination, while working closely with product, engineering, and marketing to establish sustainable localization practices.
FA
fabric
Localization Manager
Jan 2024 – Present
Remote
Role
Ensure continuity of localization operations for medical AI platform following acquisition, integrating existing workflows into new technical infrastructure.
Milestones
- Maintained seamless localization delivery across 4 languages during post-acquisition transition to new infrastructure
- Managed 6 remote translators supporting hospital software localization with consistent quality standards
Languages
German
Portuguese (BR)
Spanish (LatAm)
Arabic
Tools
Crowdin TMS
Phrase TMS
Confluence docs
Jira tracking
Localize integration
Harvest billing
TY
Trendyol
Localization Executive
Jun 2022 – Aug 2023
Hybrid
Role
Build a secure, centralized localization infrastructure for e-commerce platform, from TMS selection and implementation to API integrations connecting multiple proprietary CMS systems while meeting strict source code security requirements.
Milestones
- Selected and implemented Crowdin as centralized TMS; designed secure API connections between proprietary CMS systems and TMS without exposing source code
- Built an intelligent request system from scratch, enabling standardized submission and automated routing, handling ~20 requests/day
- Eliminated manual handoffs and enabled performance tracking where none existed before
Tools
Crowdin TMS / admin
Figma design workflow
ClickUp PM
Contentful CMS
Jira tracking
WordPress CMS
PR
Preply
Localization Engineer
Jul 2021 – Apr 2022
Hybrid
Role
Establish scalable localization infrastructure for a language learning platform that had outgrown its original setup, replacing hardcoded strings with a proper i18n architecture and enabling seamless design-to-development handoffs.
Milestones
- Built a string library with clear maintenance protocols, eliminating hardcoded content across the platform
- Delivered a Crowdin-based content management solution with API connections to engineering systems
- Defined i18n guidelines and trained engineering teams on internationalization best practices
- Integrated Figma with the localization workflow, allowing engineers to receive design and localization as a single deliverable
Tools
Crowdin TMS / admin
Figma i18n workflow
ClickUp PM
Phrase TMS eval
Confluence docs
GY
Gyant
Localization Manager
Jan 2019 – Jul 2021
Remote
Role
Build a localization function from scratch for a medical AI platform, replacing a 10,000+ row Excel sheet with proper infrastructure and recruiting remote language teams to support multi-platform content delivery.
Milestones
- Recruited, trained, and managed 6 translators across 4 language teams (German, Portuguese-BR, Spanish-LatAm, Arabic) for medical assistant AI
- Built a web-based collaboration framework for localization, resource management, billing, and bug tracking — still in use today at fabric
- Centralized content from Alexa, mobile apps, Facebook chatbots, and hospital software into Crowdin as the de facto CMS for all localized content
- Developed localization standards for medical terminology balancing clinical accuracy with natural, culturally appropriate patient communication
Languages
German
Portuguese (BR)
Spanish (LatAm)
Arabic
Tools
Crowdin TMS / de facto CMS
Phrase TMS
Confluence docs
Monday PM
Jira tracking
BN
Bandai Namco Entertainment America (BNEA)
Localization Consultant
Sep 2018 – Apr 2019
Hybrid
Role
Rescue a stalled MMORPG localization project where internal processes had collapsed, requiring a full assessment, vendor replacement, and new infrastructure to get the delayed release back on track.
Milestones
- Assessed situation across all stakeholders; recommended and executed replacement of the failing internal setup with a new vendor structure
- Deployed self-hosted MemoQ on Paperspace for version control and security, enabling one-click distribution of correct test builds with integrated bug reporting
- Recruited and equipped a new remote LQA team with streamlined workflows
- Built a transparent budgeting and request management interface to restore client confidence and provide visibility into localization progress
- Game shipped successfully
Tools
MemoQ CAT / self-hosted
Paperspace infrastructure
Phrase TMS
Confluence docs
O7
Outfit7
Localization Consultant
May 2018 – Aug 2018
On-site
Role
Coach the localization team to scale for increased game releases, mediating between engineering, project management, and localization to replace bottlenecked workflows and relieve a team struggling under growing demand.
Milestones
- Replaced proprietary CAT platform with Phrase, enabling faster turnarounds and precise scheduling
- Eliminated email-based freelancer management by integrating the TMS with a PMS for centralized task assignment, reporting, and budgeting
- Connected the PMS to a standardized request system without disrupting ongoing processes
- Enabled the localization team to handle increased game release volume with existing resources
Tools
Phrase TMS / replacement CAT
MemoQ CAT prev.
Confluence docs
Jira PM integration
VN
VEON
Localization Manager
Jan 2017 – Mar 2018
Hybrid
Role
Build a continuous localization operation from scratch for VEON's unified mobile app, recruiting and managing remote translator teams across 11 languages while coordinating across multiple subsidiary telecom companies (Wind, Beeline, Kyivstar), each with their own engineering departments.
Milestones
- Recruited and managed 16 translators across 9 remote language teams, organized via Slack and task tracking tools
- Worked with engineering and Phrase to customize API integrations for seamless connectivity between systems
- Established cross-functional workflows connecting VEON HQ with subsidiary engineering teams across Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Armenian, Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Bengali, Tajik, French, and Italian versions on iOS and Android
- Built flexible content pipelines accommodating market-specific variations while maintaining overall consistency
Languages
RussianUkrainianGeorgianArmenianKazakhUzbekKyrgyzBengaliTajikFrenchItalian
Tools
Phrase TMS / API custom
MemoQ CAT
Slack team coordination
Confluence docs
AN
Anakan
Localization Consultant
Jan 2016 – Nov 2016
On-site
Role
Build a client-facing collaboration platform for an LSP, improving how localization managers interact with clients and making it easier for game publishers to return for repeat business.
Milestones
- Developed a custom client frontend integrated into Salesforce, giving clients a single point of access for project communication and retaining their data for future requests
- Planned and structured audio recording and translation workflows for both Indie and AAA game clients, accommodating different needs while supporting agile release cycles
- Established collaboration standards that balanced quality, efficiency, and market-specific requirements across diverse projects
Tools
Salesforce custom client frontend
MemoQ CAT
WordPress CMS
Plunet financials
WO
Wooga
Localization Consultant
Oct 2015 – Dec 2015
Hybrid
Role
Replace an abandoned proprietary CMS (built by a departed engineer, unusable by the team) with a proper localization infrastructure, unifying 6–8 internal game studios that had been operating independently and overwhelming the localization team.
Milestones
- Selected and implemented Crowdin as the new TMS, migrating content from the legacy system via custom scripts to automate data extraction from a tool never built for integrations
- Set up Podio as centralized PMS with Slack integration for request intake and project tracking
- Unified all internal studios under one localization workflow — system still in use today
Tools
Crowdin TMS / migration
Podio PMS / custom
Slack request intake
PHP migration scripts
AG
ProSiebenSat.1 Media / Aeria Games
Team Lead / Head of Localization
Nov 2010 – Sep 2015
On-site
Role
Joined Aeria Games during its startup phase as Team Lead, managing translators and building foundational localization processes. Following the acquisition by ProSiebenSat.1, promoted to Head of Localization with responsibility for scaling the department from a small team to a 30-person operation with dedicated translation leads and localization managers, overseeing all internal and external localization efforts worldwide.
Milestones
- Built and led a localization department handling 2M+ base word count plus continuous monthly updates across multiple MMORPGs in 7 languages (DE, ES, FR, PT, EN-US, RU, IT)
- Progressed from managing 15 translators directly to overseeing translation leads and localization managers
- Introduced KPIs and ROI reporting for a metrics-driven company that needed to benchmark localization against other functions
- Implemented CAT tools (MemoQ, DejaVu), project automation, and standardized file preparation and segmentation workflows
- Negotiated framework contracts with LSPs and tool developers
- Trained in-house teams on technical processes and localization best practices
Languages
GermanFrenchSpanishPortuguese (BR)RussianItalianEnglish (US)
Tools
MemoQ CAT / admin
DejaVu X2 CAT
Memsource CAT
Clarizen PM / budgeting
Plunet financials
* Abbreviated selection of relevant positions; full experience list available upon request.
Education
University of Leipzig — Japanese & American Studies (MA)
2004–2010
Magna cum laude. Thesis: "To Mask a Ninja: Cultural Transfer and the Localization of Cultural Elements on the Example of Japanese Anime Exports for the US Market"
GLOW — Game Localization & QA Management Workshop
2015 – present
Founded and organized independent conference series bringing together localization managers from the gaming sector. Facilitates academic exchange and industry knowledge sharing through 2–3 annual events hosted by participating publishers.
Presentations
Podcast
Build Scalable Localization Systems Without Becoming an IT Bottleneck
— The Agile Localization Podcast (Interview)
2024
Keynote
The Q-Factor Turnabout — Adapting Localization Alongside Changing Attitudes Toward Quality and Quantity in a Maturing F2P Industry
— Localization World Barcelona (Keynote & Panel)
2017
Symposium
L10n of F2P, ROI, DAU & Co — The Emergence of the Quality KPI in the Metric-Driven Free-2-Play Games Business
— University of Leipzig
2016
Keynote
Mobile Games Localization: Challenge Accepted — Reinventing Workflows and Systems for Rapid-Release Free-to-Play Titles
— Localization World Berlin
2015
Keynote
L10n Goes F2P — Making In-house Localization Work at Aeria Games
— Localization World London
2012