Country Manager, Japan

About Audiokinetic

Audiokinetic is the leading provider of cross-platform audio solutions for interactive media and gaming, and sets new standards in interactive audio production for location-based entertainment, automotive, consumer electronics, and training simulation. A trusted and strategic partner to the world’s largest interactive media developers and OEMs, Audiokinetic has a long-established ecosystem of allies within the audio industry and amongst platform manufacturers. The company’s middleware solutions include the award-winning Wwise® and SoundSeed®, as well as Wwise Automotive™ and Strata™. 

Audiokinetic, a Sony Group Company, is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, and has subsidiaries in Tokyo, Japan, Shanghai, China, and Hilversum, The Netherlands.

Join our team and help shape Audiokinetic’s presence in Japan!

As Country Manager, you will lead Audiokinetic's operations in Japan, driving business growth, managing a dedicated and multidisciplinary local team, and building strong partnerships. Reporting to the Head of Operations and collaborating closely with the leadership team, you will align local strategies with global objectives while tailoring efforts to the unique needs of the Japanese market.

Success in this role depends on your ability to build trust-based relationships with clients and partners while fostering Audiokinetic’s collaborative and approachable culture within the team. As a dynamic leader, you’ll strike the right balance between professionalism and adaptability, ensuring the local team and customers experience the same innovative and personable ethos that defines Audiokinetic globally.

This is a unique opportunity to make an immediate and lasting impact on the world of Interactive Audio in Japan as part of a collaborative, forward-thinking company.

Key Responsibilities

The work involves, but is not limited to, the following:

• Business development: Drive business growth by identifying opportunities, building relationships with key decision-makers, and establishing strategic partnerships in the Japanese market.

• Team leadership: Develop and guide a cohesive, motivated local team by fostering a collaborative environment aligned with company goals and values.
• Strategic alignment: Work closely with leadership to ensure local initiatives are in sync with Audiokinetic’s global vision and mission while adapting to the unique needs of the Japanese market.
• Market insights: Analyze and share market trends, customer feedback, and competitive activity to inform strategic decisions and enhance business development efforts.
• Budget ownership and cost optimization: Take full responsibility for managing the Japan budget, including revenue and expense planning and forecast, cost control, and identifying opportunities to optimize costs and improve financial performance.
• Negotiations: Lead discussions and negotiations with local partners in collaboration with our executive and legal team, ensuring agreements align with both local and global objectives.
• Brand representation: Serve as a public-facing representative of Audiokinetic, attending industry events and cultivating brand visibility in Japan.
• Customer relationships: Strengthen trust-based relationships with clients and partners, ensuring a consistent and positive experience while maintaining accurate and up-to-date customer information in the CRM system.

This position requires occasional travel (domestic and international).

Requirements

What do you bring to the team?

• Relevant experience: A strong background in the audio, gaming, or enterprise technology industries, with familiarity with the industries targeted by Audiokinetic.
• Business development skills: Proven experience driving partnerships, managing budgets, and supporting strategic growth.
• Leadership ability: Experience managing small teams and aligning local priorities with global objectives.
• Versatility and communication: Comfortable operating across diverse industries and engaging effectively with stakeholders, with fluency in both Japanese (ACJS>9 or equivalent) and English (TOEIC>945 or equivalent).
• Strategic mindset: The ability to analyze market trends and contribute to actionable plans.

Benefits

Why join the Audiokinetic team?

We are looking for people passionate about interactive audio in games, virtual reality, and interactive experiences. We value creativity, curiosity, attention to detail, collaboration, autonomy and initiative. We cultivate an inclusive work environment, creating a space where every collaborator is invited to express themselves.