Location: Tokyo or Ota, Gunma
Work Style: Hybrid
Salary: Up to ¥11M
Position Overview
A global automotive technology supplier is seeking a Sales Specialist to support commercial activities, account management, and business growth for a major Japanese OEM.
This role will support sales activities across a broad portfolio of automotive electronics products, including Car Audio, TCU, IVI, Digital Cockpit, ADAS, and future technologies.
The position covers the full sales cycle, from pursuit and RFQ stages through contract close, ongoing change requests, and account development. You will work closely with customers while coordinating internally with Program Management, Engineering, business units, and other cross-functional teams.
In addition to supporting existing business, you will also contribute to future business development, competitor analysis, and long-term account growth strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Customer & Account Management
- Manage day-to-day commercial communication with assigned Japanese OEM customers
- Build and maintain strong customer relationships
- Understand customer requirements and communicate them effectively to internal teams
- Coordinate with Program Management, Engineering, business units, and other internal stakeholders
- Support account planning and long-term business growth activities
Sales & Commercial Activities
- Manage the full sales cycle from pursuit phase through contract close
- Support RFQ responses, customer workshops, and internal RFx decision processes
- Coordinate internal activities related to RFQ and new business opportunities
- Manage commercial aspects of ongoing change requests
- Support prototype delivery, pricing, tooling costs, and development cost reimbursement
- Maintain short-term sales plans and update opportunity information in Salesforce
- Support commercial negotiations and work toward solutions that are appropriate for both the customer and the company
Contracts & Business Development
- Support the negotiation, settlement, and amendment of NDAs, Development Agreements, Purchase Agreements, and other business contracts
- Work closely with the legal team on contractual matters
- Identify future business opportunities with existing and prospective customers
- Conduct competitor and market analysis
- Support business growth strategy and account development planning
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- At least 5 years of professional experience in the Japanese automotive industry
- Experience working directly with Japanese OEM customers
- Experience in sales, account management, business development, or another customer-facing automotive role
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills
- Ability to understand customer requirements and communicate them clearly to internal teams
- Strong negotiation skills
- Ability to manage business development activities independently and identify new opportunities
- Native-level Japanese
- Business-level English
- Willingness to work from Tokyo or Ota, Gunma
- Willingness to travel domestically and internationally, up to approximately 25%
Preferred Qualifications
- Sales experience at a Tier 1 supplier working with Japanese OEMs
- Experience with automotive electronics products
- Engineering background in software, hardware, or mechanical engineering
- Experience with RFQs, pricing, commercial negotiations, contracts, and change management
- Experience working with overseas engineering or program teams
Why This Opportunity
This position offers the opportunity to work directly with leading Japanese automotive manufacturers across a wide range of commercial and account management activities.
You will be involved not only in day-to-day customer communication, but also in RFQs, pricing, contract negotiations, change requests, business development, and long-term account strategy.
The role also provides exposure to a broad range of automotive electronics technologies, including Car Audio, TCU, IVI, Digital Cockpit, and ADAS.
By working closely with Engineering, Program Management, business units, legal teams, and international stakeholders, you can develop a broader understanding of the complete automotive business process while continuing to build your commercial career.
