Manager, Sales Operations

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

The Japan Commercial Operations Manager is responsible for leading the regional Global Commercial Operations (GCO-R) team to ensure operational excellence, strong customer and stakeholder support, and effective execution of bookings, revenue, and cash-related activities.This position provides day-to-day leadership, drives team performance and employee development, and serves as a key business partner to Japan Sales, Service, Finance, and other cross-functional stakeholders. The manager is also responsible for identifying operational improvements, managing escalations, and aligning Japan's commercial processes with global GCO objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage daily Japan GCO-R operations, ensuring timely, accurate, and high-quality support for Sales, Service, and customers.
• Establish clear expectations, monitor performance, and drive achievement of KPIs related to quotations, order booking, invoicing, service contract renewals, tender support, and stakeholder responsiveness.
• Oversee commercial activities supporting bookings, revenue execution, and cash, proactively identifying risks and coordinating timely resolutions.
• Develop and motivate employees through coaching, performance management, training, and career development while fostering a positive, accountable, and collaborative team culture.
• Partner closely with Japan Sales and Service leadership, Finance, Manufacturing, Logistics, and other stakeholders to align priorities, manage escalations, and support customer commitments.
• Ensure effective workload management, resource planning, process compliance, and business continuity.
• Provide timely operational reporting, KPI analysis, and business updates to regional and global leadership.
• Lead continuous improvement (PPI), process optimization, and automation initiatives to improve productivity, quality, and customer experience.
• Represent Japan GCO-R in global strategy discussions, operational reviews, and cross-regional initiatives to support standardized processes while addressing local business requirements.
• Ensure team activities comply with company policies, contractual obligations, internal controls, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Typically 10+ years of experience in commercial operations, sales operations, service operations, order management, or a related environment.
• Minimum 4 years of people management experience, with demonstrated success in employee development, performance management, and team leadership.
• Strong understanding of quote-to-cash, order management, customer support, and commercial business processes.
• Professional proficiency in Japanese and strong written and verbal English communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage operational performance, business-critical escalations, and cross-functional relationships.
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, and organizational skills, with demonstrated accountability and follow-through.
• Experience working effectively in a global, multicultural organization.
• Working knowledge of ERP and CRM systems, Microsoft Office applications, and KPI reporting.