Japan Growth Lead

Job description

Replit is the agentic software creation platform that enables anyone to build applications using natural language. With millions of users worldwide, Replit is democratizing software development by removing traditional barriers to application creation. We're looking for a Japan Growth Lead to establish and scale Replit's commercial presence in Japan. This is a high-impact, externally-facing role that sits at the intersection of enterprise business development, channel sales, and market strategy. You'll own how Replit shows up in the Japanese market, building partnerships with enterprise and government customers, activating reseller and channel partner networks, and representing Replit at major industry events and conferences. This role is ideal for someone who has deep roots in Japan's business landscape, understands how to navigate enterprise and public-sector sales cycles in Japan, and knows how to build trust with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. WHAT YOU'LL DO ENTERPRISE & GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS - Own end-to-end partnership development with enterprise accounts, government agencies, and public sector institutions in Japan - Identify, prospect, and close strategic partnerships with large Japanese enterprises across technology, finance, manufacturing, retail, and more - Navigate complex, multi-stakeholder procurement processes typical of Japanese enterprise and government accounts - Build long-term relationships with key decision-makers, executives, and procurement leads CHANNEL & RESELLER ACTIVATION - Identify, recruit, and activate resellers, system integrators, and channel partners who can distribute Replit's products in Japan - Develop enablement programs, co-selling motions, and joint go-to-market strategies with channel partners - Negotiate partnership agreements, reseller terms, and co-marketing arrangements - Monitor partner performance and iterate on programs to maximize channel revenue EDUCATION (EDU) PARTNERSHIPS - Build partnerships with Japanese universities, coding bootcamps, and educational institutions to drive adoption of Replit in learning environments - Work with Ministries of Education and government digital transformation initiatives to position Replit as the platform for coding education - Design programs that give educational partners meaningful access to Replit's tools, curriculum resources, and credits PRODUCT-LED GROWTH (PLG) & COMMUNITY - Drive bottom-up adoption among Japanese builders through community engagement, developer relations, and PLG initiatives - Partner with Replit's Product, Marketing, and Community teams to surface Japan-specific use cases and advocate for localization features - Build and nurture a community of Replit power users and advocates in Japan MARKET REPRESENTATION & PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT - Represent Replit at major Japanese technology conferences, trade shows, and industry events (e.g., SusHi Tech, Japan Tech Week) - Build and manage a robust deal pipeline, tracking opportunities from prospecting through close - Report on partnership and growth metrics, ensuring activities convert to measurable business impact - Collaborate with Replit's global Partnerships team on cross-functional initiatives across enterprise, education, and international expansion REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE - 8+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, enterprise sales, or growth, ideally in a technology or SaaS environment - Native or business-level Japanese fluency and deep cultural familiarity with Japan's business environment - Proven track record sourcing, structuring, and closing enterprise or government partnerships in Japan - Experience working with or selling to Japanese public sector institutions, large enterprises, or through channel/reseller networks - Strong communicator who can adapt messaging for technical developers, non-technical operators, C-suite executives, and government stakeholders alike - Self-starter with a bias for action; comfortable with ambiguity and excited to build market presence from the ground up - Data-driven mindset — you measure what matters and use insights to iterate quickly - Genuine passion for the future of software creation and democratizing access to building software BONUS QUALIFICATIONS - Background in developer tools, coding education, SaaS platforms, or digital transformation consulting - Existing enterprise, government, or channel partner relationships in Japan you'd bring to the role - Experience managing or building partner programs at scale, including reseller programs with tiered incentives - Familiarity with Japanese government digital initiatives such as DX (Digital Transformation) mandates or e-Gov platforms - Business-level English fluency for collaboration with Replit's global team This is a full-time role based in Tokyo, Japan. You'll work closely with Replit's global Partnerships team and report to the International Partnerships Lead. Full-Time Employee Benefits Include: 💰 Competitive Salary & Equity 💹 401(k) Program with a 4% match (US Only) ⚕️ Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance 🩼 Short Term and Long Term Disability 🚼 Paid Parental, Medical, Caregiver Leave 🏝 Flexible Time Off (FTO) + Holidays 🚗 Commuter Benefits (In-Office & US Only) 📱 Monthly Wellness Stipend 🧑‍💻 Autonomous Work Environment 🖥 In Office Set-Up Reimbursement (In-Office Only) 🚀 Quarterly Team Gatherings ☕ In Office Amenities (In-Office Only) Want to learn more about what we are up to? - Meet the Replit Agent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYiVPrxY8-Y - Replit: Make an app for that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zd9hzngFwY - Replit Blog https://blog.replit.com/ - Amjad TED Talk https://youtu.be/kCudFI4tcpg?si=l4ViCejV_f2RZkDi Interviewing + Culture at Replit - Operating Principles https://blog.replit.com/operating-principles - Reasons not to work at Replit https://blog.replit.com/reasons-not-to-join-replit To achieve our mission of making programming more accessible around the world, we need our team to be representative of the world. We welcome your unique perspective and experiences in shaping this product. We encourage people from all kinds of backgrounds to apply, including and especially candidates from underrepresented and non-traditional backgrounds.