Sales Manager, Japan

The Sales Manager, Japan will be responsible for driving sales growth and expanding market presence in Japan. This role will focus on developing new business opportunities, identifying and engaging potential customers, maintaining strong client relationships, and building and managing distributor and channel partnerships in the Japanese market.

The position will also work closely with the local technical team in Japan to support pre-sales and after-sales activities, ensuring customers receive timely and effective solutions. The ideal candidate should have strong sales capabilities, market development experience, and the ability to bridge customer needs with internal technical and operational teams.

Key Responsibilities

1. Sales Development and Execution

• Drive sales activities and business growth in the Japan market.

• Identify, target, and develop new business opportunities with potential customers.

• Manage the full sales cycle, including lead generation, customer engagement, proposal development, negotiation, and contract closing.

• Develop and execute sales plans to achieve revenue and business targets in Japan.

2. Customer Acquisition and Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective customers.

• Understand customer needs and provide appropriate product and solution recommendations.

• Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction through effective communication and ongoing account management.

• Act as a key point of contact for customers and coordinate with internal teams to address customer requirements.

3. Channel and Distributor Management

• Identify, develop, and manage sales agents, distributors, and channel partners in Japan.

• Support channel partners with product information, sales tools, and business collaboration to improve sales performance.

• Monitor channel effectiveness and provide regular feedback and improvement plans.

4. Pre-sales and After-sales Support Coordination

• Collaborate with the Japan technical team to provide pre-sales support, including product introduction, solution explanation, and customer communication.

• Coordinate internal resources to support after-sales service and ensure timely response to customer needs.

• Facilitate communication between customers and technical teams to ensure smooth project delivery and issue resolution.

5. Market Intelligence and Business Insights

• Conduct market research and collect market intelligence on customer needs, industry trends, and competitor activities in Japan.

• Provide market feedback and business insights to support product positioning and sales strategy.

• Identify new market opportunities and recommend actions to strengthen the company’s presence in Japan.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or a related field.

• Minimum 3 years of sales, business development, or account management experience, preferably in technology, robotics, automation, or related industries.

• Proven experience in developing business and managing customer relationships in the Japan market.

• Experience in channel development, distributor management, or partner management is highly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong sales, negotiation, and business development skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust with customers and partners.

• Strong understanding of the Japanese business environment and customer expectations.

• Ability to work cross-functionally with sales, technical, and operational teams.

• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Good organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple customers and projects simultaneously.

Language Skills

• Japanese: Fluent (Business Level)

• English or Chinese: Fluent

Technical / Industry Knowledge

• Experience in technology-driven products or solutions is preferred.

• Basic technical understanding and the ability to communicate product and solution value clearly to customers.

• Experience working with technical teams to support pre-sales and after-sales activities is a plus.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in robotics, service robotics, automation, AI, or related sectors is highly preferred.

• Established customer or channel network in Japan is a strong advantage.