Interpreter

About Us

We don’t follow industry standards; we set them. We refuse to settle for being best-in-class because we constantly push to outperform expectations. Guided by our core values—radical candor, simplicity, organizational velocity, tenacious execution, and a commitment to winning—we maintain a fast-paced mindset focused entirely on delivering results. We are determined to remain the most trusted partner, manufacturer, and distributor within our sector. With a global presence, an innovative and expansive product portfolio, and an obsessive commitment to quality, our organization is entirely focused on driving excellence and achieving high-impact success.

Through an intentional, performance-driven culture fueled by a winning mindset and a relentless commitment to execution, our team remains bold, driven, and unapologetically focused on pushing past limits to redefine what is possible. Here, you will work alongside a team of relentless problem-solvers committed to making a tangible, global impact.

About the Role

This role acts as a critical bridge between Japanese and American operations, providing high-level interpretation, translation, and administrative support. The ideal candidate will manage corporate translation needs, coordinate international import logistics, and provide comprehensive relocation and lifestyle support to expatriate employees.

Location: Confidential (Manufacturing Environment), Red Wing, MN

Confidentiality: Strict NDA required; company name withheld for private search.

Responsibilities

Interpretation & Translation (65%)

• Written Translation: Translate emails, memos, handbooks, job descriptions, presentations, corporate forms, and training materials.
• Verbal Interpretation: Provide simultaneous and consecutive interpretation for board meetings, teleconferences, ceremonies, customer visits, and government audits.
• Expatriate Relocation: Guide Japanese employees through the onboarding process, including securing housing, social security numbers, driver's licenses, bank accounts, and utilities.
• Family Liaison: Act as the primary point of contact for expatriate families coordinating with landlords, doctors, schools, banks, and utility providers.
• On-Call Assistance: Answer and make urgent phone calls for Japanese employees and families as needed, including occasional weekends.
• Travel Management: Coordinate corporate travel arrangements and accompany executives on domestic or international business trips as required.
• Annual Board Support: Interpret for the annual Board of Directors meeting (typically February), translate all executive decks, and travel out of state if necessary.
• International Delegation: Accompany American engineering teams to the parent plant in Japan as an interpreter once per year (approximately 1 week).

Purchasing & Procurement (15%)

• PO Management: Submit purchase order requisitions through the internal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, secure approval numbers from the purchasing department, and issue final POs to overseas vendors.

Import Coordination & Logistics (15%)

• Freight Management: Collaborate with freight forwarders, customs brokers, and logistics providers to submit clearance documentation and expedite shipments.
• Tracking: Monitor international cargo status daily until final delivery at the domestic facility.
• Compliance & Records: Organize and archive shipping calendars, commercial invoices, packing lists, and customs documentation.
• Issue Resolution: Troubleshoot transit delays, customs holds, and supply chain disruptions.

General Administration (5%)

• Operations Support: Cross-train to back up the payroll processor and perform general administrative tasks (filing, phone management, office supplies).
• Agility: Complete other duties as assigned; responsibilities may evolve based on business needs.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Language Proficiency: Native or near-native fluency in Japanese and English. Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 level and/or TOEIC score of 900+ required.
• Experience: Minimum of 2 years of professional interpreting experience within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Cultural Competence: Demonstrated experience navigating Japanese corporate structure and business etiquette.
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and general ERP software familiarity.

Core Competencies

• Absolute discretion regarding confidential executive and payroll data.
• Calm, clear-headed problem-solving capabilities under high-pressure scenarios.
• Exceptional organizational skills with strict attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a team-first, collaborative mindset.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in simultaneous interpretation is highly desirable.
• Prior work experience or foundational knowledge in international logistics (Incoterms, customs clearance, import regulations).