A day in the life of an Acclaro project manager: Daiana Siri
Hello there! I’m a senior project manager at Acclaro, and I wrote this post to detail my typical work day. I’m currently working with an agile team that’s spread among different time zones. This is great because it helps us keep the ball rolling even if one of us is gone for the day.
A typical day for Daiana
To prepare for my workday and to ensure my clients’ translation work runs smoothly, I start by catching up on internal messages and notes my colleagues might have left for me overnight.
Reviewing my colleagues’ messages and our to-do list first helps me stay in the loop and avoid any delays caused by back-and-forths over email. It also helps me answer questions that might have been open-ended if I checked only email first. Next I move to my most urgent tasks or prioritize everything that’s time sensitive due to short deadlines or time zone differences.
In addition to more time-sensitive work, I also participate in regular team and client meetings, project deliveries, kick-off meetings to discuss a client’s new translation needs, as well as general administrative tasks.
As much as my day involves planning for what’s ahead, the nature of my job, however, is that things can change suddenly. I believe that being able to reorganize your priorities at the last minute while staying focused and organized is the key to success.
Highlights of Daiana’s job
One of the favorite aspects of my work is the surprise factor. It doesn’t matter how many years of experience I might have or how many languages I’ve managed, there’s always a new challenge. Whether it’s a new subject to learn about, a new language to tackle or a new skill set to develop, you never know what to expect and I just love it!
I also enjoy the assortment of cultures and nationalities spread across our in-house and freelance teams. Working with a large, open-minded and friendly team is amazing, and in every team call I get to see or experience different settings, seasons and cultural nuances.
Advice for new localization project managers
My advice for anyone considering joining this field would be to stay open-minded, never take anything personally, and stay humble because there’s always something to learn. There’s an almost unlimited array of skills you’ll be required to learn and develop along the way.
You’ll constantly be on a learning curve because clients evolve and explore new markets and opportunities. In order to thrive, you should be able to evolve and explore with them. So have an adventurous and curious mind, and you’ll definitely find your spot!
Interests outside of work
I’m a curious 16-year-old teenager trapped in the body of a 40-year-old woman. I share my house with my husband and an ever-changing list of dogs and cats. Working from home gives me time to foster abandoned pets and help them recover while they wait for a new family. Sometimes these pets stay for a couple of days, while others stay forever.
I’m creative and curious, and I’m obsessed with new creative projects that will take most of my free time (and money). Whenever I’m not working or taking care of my pets, I’ll experiment with a new texture for one of my mosaicism art pieces, learn a new knitting pattern or explore home design ideas.
