We recruit sales directors and strategic account directors for foreign enterprise technology vendors in Japan. The role decides whether large Japanese accounts are won and kept, so the search turns on evidence rather than on a strong interview.
What we look for
Evidence of how deals were won. A strong candidate can take a won deal apart, using a framework such as MEDDPICC, and show what they personally changed in it. A list of logos and quota attainment is the start of the conversation, not the end of it.
Credibility at the executive level. Enterprise deals in Japan usually start with a department head (部長, bucho) or business-unit director, but they close with executives. Japan is a highly networked market, and the directors who close consistently are known and trusted at that level in large Japanese companies. That trust comes from a record of doing what they said they would do.
Building consensus. Large Japanese companies decide by consensus. Informal groundwork (根回し, nemawashi) comes before a written proposal that circulates for approval (稟議, ringi). A good director builds the internal champion and gives them what they need to carry the proposal through.
Staying with the account. Japanese buyers value a long-term relationship and expect commitment beyond the contract. The directors we place keep the executive relationship going after signature, rather than handing the account wholly to customer success. They also stay long enough to see their deals through.
Developing people. At director level, we look for a record of bringing the people around them up, not only of personal numbers.
Getting the brief right
Hunter or farmer. Some excellent sellers are account managers by nature. They are very good at expanding large enterprise accounts, but opening new doors is a different skill. Japanese sales organisations tend to separate new business and existing accounts more strictly than many markets do, so a candidate's history usually shows which they are. Neither profile should be discounted. The brief should say which one the role needs.
English is not the same as selling ability. A director needs to work with a regional vice president or CRO in English, and that matters. But some candidates are far more effective in Japanese than they appear in an English interview, and their rapport with Japanese customers is what wins the business. The question to ask is whether they can sell in Japanese and communicate well enough with the region, not whether they could sell in the US or Australia. We weight that accordingly, and we would ask hiring managers to do the same.
Pay
For current ranges and base-to-variable splits for account directors and sales leaders, see our pay article on enterprise technology roles in Japan.
How we run the search
Every search starts with an intake call on your Japan go-to-market: the SIers, distributors and resellers you work with, and who your competitors sell through. We then reach candidates who are not actively looking, and test their track record and senior relationships before a shortlist reaches you.
Frequently asked questions
How much English does a sales director in Japan need?
A sales director needs enough English to work with a regional vice president or CRO and report on the business. Selling ability in Japanese matters more, because that is where the customer relationships are built.
What is the difference between a hunter and a farmer in Japanese enterprise sales?
A hunter opens new accounts, and a farmer grows existing ones. Japanese sales organisations tend to separate the two, so the brief should say which the role needs.
What does a sales director earn in Japan?
Ranges for account directors and sales leaders at foreign enterprise technology vendors are set out in our pay article.