RWS team spotlight
1. How long have you been working with RWS?
I joined the company back in January 2012.
2. How long have you been working as a Supply Chain Knowledge Management Specialist?
Almost 5 years now.
3. Can you tell us more about your role and what does a day in the life of a Knowledge Management Specialist at RWS look like?
Our team works on various strategic initiatives in collaboration with cross-functional teams to implement sustainable improvements on a client, language, or vertical level. Always looking at ways to streamline processes, reduce inefficiency, and identify and remedy knowledge gaps to raise the quality of our deliveries. By fostering a culture of learning, we empower our people to grow their expertise and stay current with the latest industry developments.
On a typical day, I could be drafting a project plan to revamp training for our internal and external colleagues, analysing the root cause of a quality issue with our language and project management teams or facilitating learning sessions to train the next generation of leaders in the company. There is no boring day!
4. What was your path into Knowledge Management?
Formerly working as a proofreader in another localization company, I joined RWS as an English into Turkish linguist, later becoming the line manager of the Turkish Life Science team. I had a keen interest in language quality related processes and oversaw quality tasks and training in the Turkish office. In 2021, I had the opportunity to join the Knowledge Management team and now have a chance to work on a global scale and learn from an extended group of truly knowledgeable colleagues every day.
5. What do you like the most about your role?
Enabling our people to learn, grow and get better at what they do, and learning a lot myself in the meantime.
6. And what do you find the most challenging about it?
Knowledge and training need to be in all shapes and sizes to be relevant and digestible, there is no single approach that fits all. Various roles across our internal divisions and external community have different priorities and needs, and they need to work and learn at a different pace. It is part of our job to look out for the business needs, and ensure our people have what they need (in time and in suitable format) to stay ahead and deliver the best they can.
7. Tell us a little bit more about your background. Where are you from, where are you located, any interesting facts you would like to share.
I studied (and tremendously enjoyed) English Literature and teaching English as a second language at university (maybe this gives a hint of why I am drawn to roles that include enabling knowledge). I have an interest in learning Lean Six Sigma and currently training for yellow belt level, which covers the basics of Six Sigma and Lean, such as project management basics, data analysis, improvement techniques and more.. I also enjoy learning about business coaching (any training/book suggestions welcome). I work remotely based at my home in İstanbul, where I was born and raised. Each year I find it more challenging to cope with the city crowd and dream of moving to the countryside one day (being a remote worker should help with that).
8. What changes in the industry are you observing?
Like everywhere else, the environment and requirements of business are changing rapidly, and the role of people change with it. Artificial Intelligence technology majorly affects how we work. It’s created an environment in which roles in localization must evolve to a deeper level than ever before. We need to stay ahead, understand how to adapt and reposition our role, and seize the opportunities that come with change.
9. How do you see your role in the future?
Change is integrated into the fabric of our industry and our people need to transform and grow in alignment with it. The Knowledge Management team’s functional expertise in enabling and facilitating knowledge to improve the overall quality of RWS services is more essential than ever. I look forward to the years to come where my team continues to look out for the best ways to grow and progress the business. At the end of the day, our strength is dependent on how we support each other to keep up with the fast-paced environment, make the best use of our potential, and stay relevant and strong together.
10. What do you like the most about working at RWS?
Definitely the people! Colleagues across the company that I connect with every day, working together to bring the business forward, to progress and to excel – they are the best part of all of this. We partner to progress together.