Our client, a global leader in material handling and automation solutions, is seeking a Head of Sales for its Japan entity. This role is a key leadership position that not only drives commercial success but also serves as a succession pathway toward the future Managing Director position. Operating in a growing and strategically important market, the selected candidate will play a central role in strengthening customer relationships, expanding market presence, and preparing the organization for its next phase of growth.

About the Role

The Head of Sales, Japan will lead the local commercial organization, overseeing revenue generation, market development, and customer engagement. This role requires a blend of hands-on sales leadership, strategic thinking, and operational management. As the designated successor to the Managing Director, the individual will gradually take on broader business responsibilities, ensuring sustainable growth and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a cross-functional team spanning sales, service, engineering, and administration.
• Achieve and exceed annual revenue and margin objectives through strong commercial execution.
• Drive new business acquisition through proactive prospecting, relationship building, and solution-based selling.
• Manage full sales-cycle activities including opportunity development, proposals, negotiations, and project handover.
• Strengthen pipeline management, forecasting accuracy, and overall commercial discipline within the organization.
• Collaborate closely with regional and global teams to ensure alignment in strategy, pricing, and operational standards.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance responsiveness and operational efficiency.
• Monitor controllable costs and optimize resource allocation to ensure profitable business growth.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and accountability across the team while fostering cross-functional collaboration.
• Represent the company at industry events, trade fairs, and key customer engagements to elevate brand visibility.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of experience in B2B industrial or technical sales, ideally within logistics automation, material handling, or related sectors.
• Proven track record of leading teams and driving market expansion in competitive, relationship-driven environments.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate strategic goals into tangible action.
• Entrepreneurial, hands-on mindset suited to both customer-facing and operational management responsibilities.
• Native-level Japanese fluency and business-level English proficiency.
• Bachelor’s degree required; backgrounds in Engineering or Business preferred.



Why Apply

• Opportunity to lead commercial strategy and shape the future direction of a globally recognized industrial technology brand in Japan.
• Clear succession pathway toward the Managing Director role, offering significant leadership growth.
• High degree of autonomy combined with strong support from regional and global leadership.
• Work in a stable, people-centric organization that values innovation, integrity, and long-term success.
• Make a measurable impact in a strategically important and fast-growing market segment.