The job title of the person who signs a document is, for the counterparty, a sign that shows what that person is authorised to do. For this reason the translation of a job title is not a matter of naming but a matter of stating authority.
The same job title may indicate different authority
A job title that carries wide authority in one organisation may be limited in another. Because the counterparty does not know this difference, it assumes the equivalent it knows itself.
The nearest rendering may not be the most accurate one
A job title that looks similar in the target language may point to a different position in that country's company structure. The result is a statement of authority that looks flawless but is wrong.
Authority is read from the document
Signing authority is proved not by the job title but by documents such as the signature circular or the power of attorney. The job title is only a sign, not a basis.
A descriptive rendering is an option
If there is no direct equivalent, an expression that describes the function of the job title can be used. This choice is put on record and applied in the same way in all documents.
An approved list is needed here too
The renderings of the job titles inside the organisation must sit in a single list. Otherwise the same person appears in a different position in different documents.
The grade structure carries meaning as well
The hierarchy between job titles allows the counterparty to understand whom it is dealing with. When the renderings are chosen, care is taken to preserve this ranking.
Public job titles are handled separately
In public posts the job title is the direct source of the authority, and its rendering cannot be chosen freely. If there is an established formal rendering, that one is used.
Counter-view: a job title is an approximate rendering anyway
It is true that finding an exact equivalent is more often than not impossible. Yet being approximate and being misleading are different; care is taken that the rendering chosen does not suggest a wider authority.
Differences of gender and form
In some languages job titles change form. These preferences need to be in line with the organisation's policy, and they are defined in the guide.
Abbreviations are spelt out
Job title abbreviations that are established inside the organisation cannot be read from outside. They need to be spelt out where they first occur.
The signature block is a separate field
The signature block at the end of the document is the place where the job title appears at its most critical, and it is reviewed separately.
Changes are tracked
When a job title changes inside the organisation, the list is updated. Using the old rendering in new documents gives wrong information about the person.
The level of detail varies by type of document
In a promotional text a short job title is enough; in a power of attorney the scope of the authority is stated explicitly.
The decision is made together with a lawyer
In documents that create authority, the rendering of the job title is determined with the approval of the legal department. This is not a language decision but a decision about liability.
Takeaway
A job title is not a name but, for the counterparty, a sign of authority. An approved list of renderings, preserving the grade structure, spelling out abbreviations and a lawyer's approval in documents that create authority; these four prevent a text that looks flawless from turning into a wrong statement of authority.