General Manager, Japan
Leads Runway’s commercial expansion in Japan by defining go-to-market strategy, developing enterprise and distribution partnerships, localizing market strategy, and building a local team. The role requires 10+ years of relevant experience, Japanese and English fluency, and strong relationships across Japanese media, advertising, or technology organizations.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Design and lead the go-to-market strategy for Japan, focusing on high-value enterprise accounts in media, entertainment, advertising, brands, and technology.
- Identify enterprise and distribution partnerships and cultivate relationships with C-suite executives at major Japanese firms.
- Navigate Japanese business culture, organizational hierarchies, and long-term relationship building.
- Localize product and marketing strategy for the Japan market in partnership with Product, Creative, and Marketing teams.
- Advise on the Japanese and broader Asia competitive landscape, regulatory environment, and emerging AI trends.
- Build the Japan office by recruiting, leading, and mentoring a local team of enterprise account executives and growth and deployment leads.
- Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and in the media.
Requirements
- 10+ years of experience in enterprise software, media technology, or high-growth AI startups.
- Proven leadership track record building and cultivating high-performance teams.
- Native fluency in Japanese and professional fluency in English.
- Existing relationships within major Japanese media companies, advertising agencies, or technology conglomerates.
- Deep understanding of Japanese business etiquette.
- Comfortable with ambiguity during early-stage international expansion and able to close deals while building scalable processes.
Compensation and Benefits
- Compensation is determined based on market rates, experience, skill level, qualifications, and internal equity.
- Salary is one part of the overall compensation package.
- The stated salary range applies to candidates in the United States; ranges may vary for candidates outside the U.S.
Skills
Enterprise Software, Media Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Go-to-Market Strategy, Enterprise Partnerships, Product Marketing, Competitive Analysis, Regulatory Analysis, Team Building, Japanese Business Etiquette
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