Strategic Account Executive - Japan

Job description

About The Role Nerdio is expanding its presence in Japan, our second largest market opportunity globally. As our Strategic Account Executive, you will drive enterprise sales activity through a partner-first motion in close alignment with Microsoft Japan. Japan operates as a partner-only market for Nerdio. Success in this role is built on deep partner relationships, trusted collaboration with Microsoft’s local and regional teams (including GeoX and PDM engagement), and a disciplined, relationship-led approach to enterprise sales. The position is an individual contributor role responsible for driving pipeline progression, customer engagement, and commercial execution within a defined territory and account scope. You will work with strategic enterprise accounts through our partner network, helping customers accelerate adoption of Microsoft DaaS technologies -including Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Windows 365, and Intune -by positioning Nerdio as the automation and management layer that makes these environments enterprise-ready. This role is primarily focused on opportunity execution, account coordination, pipeline management, and sales process discipline within established go-to-market motions. You will need the patience and cultural fluency to navigate Japanese enterprise buying processes - which are consensus-driven and relationship-intensive - while also maintaining the pace and rigor that a high-growth SaaS company demands. What You'll Do Enterprise Sales Execution Manage assigned enterprise sales opportunities within a defined territory and account set. Support partner-led sales engagements and customer discussions related to Nerdio solutions. Apply a structured sales methodology (MEDDPICC) to qualify, advance, and close enterprise deals in collaboration with partner account teams. Coordinate with internal technical, partner, and customer stakeholders throughout the deal process. Maintain accurate pipeline tracking, forecasting, and CRM hygiene. Meet or exceed assigned sales targets and performance objectives. Partner & Microsoft Alignment Collaborate with approved channel and reseller partners on active opportunities. Participate in co-sell motions with Microsoft stakeholders where appropriate. Support joint customer engagement activities alongside partners and internal teams. Assist with opportunity registration and co-sell coordination activities. Customer Engagement Engage customer stakeholders throughout the sales process to understand business and technical requirements. Coordinate product demonstrations, technical discussions, and commercial follow-up activities with internal resources. Support customer evaluation and procurement processes as needed. Market Intelligence Maintain awareness of developments within the EUC, VDI, and Microsoft Modern Work ecosystem. Share relevant customer and market feedback with internal stakeholders. Participate in customer-facing and partner-facing events. Qualifications Required Minimum 8-10 years of enterprise technology sales experience in Japan, with a consistent track record of meeting or exceeding quota. Native or business-level Japanese proficiency (written and spoken); business-level English required for internal collaboration with APJ and global teams. Proven experience operating in a partner-led or channel-first sales model - ideally including distributor management. Direct experience working with Microsoft Japan in a co-sell or partner capacity, with familiarity of Microsoft’s partner programs and GTM structures. Strong understanding of EUC, VDI, or Modern Work technologies- including Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Intune, or equivalent. Demonstrated ability to engage and influence CXO and senior stakeholders through partners and alliances, not just direct relationships. Culturally fluent in Japanese enterprise sales dynamics -comfortable with nemawashi (consensus-building), ringi (formal approval processes), and the longer relationship development cycles typical of large Japanese organisations. Proficiency in Salesforce and pipeline management disciplines. Ability to leverage AI (preferably, Claude AI) as a strategic business tool. Preferred Experience selling cloud computing, SaaS, or IT management platforms to enterprise customers in Japan. Existing relationships within Microsoft Japan’s STU, ATU, or partner organisation. Familiarity with Citrix, VMware Horizon, or other legacy VDI platforms and the migration opportunity they represent. Prior experience in a startup or high-growth technology company. Experience working across both distributor and reseller tiers in the Japan channel ecosystem. Understanding of Windows 365 and the Microsoft 365 commercial licensing motion. Benefits and Incentives Competitive base salary and performance incentive plan Stock options Health and welfare plans (country-specific) Life and disability coverage Retirement / pension plan Unlimited flexible paid time off, including your birthday off Collaborative, high-trust team culture *Benefits for international employees, outside the US, vary by country. Nerdio is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Nerdio is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. About Nerdio At Nerdio, our mission is to simplify the lives of IT professionals and maximize their Microsoft cloud and end user computing investments. We support organizations of all sizes looking to deploy, manage, and cost-optimize native Microsoft technologies. We partner with Enterprises and Managed Service Providers all over the world to add value on top of their existing native Microsoft investments like Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Windows 365, and Microsoft InTune. Created in 2016, Nerdio has always taken a market-leading and collaborative approach to cloud deployment and management. In fact, our product roadmap is greatly influenced by the regular feedback we receive from having seen companies deploy AVD into production environments several thousand times using Nerdio technology. Today, Nerdio is used in over 50 countries by more than 15,000 organizations of every size and vertical. We’re committed to delivering exceptional service and support, which starts with identifying and supporting the best staff possible. We are a fast-moving, nimble company looking for individuals who are collaborative, empathetic, driven and who love to move at the speed of light. If you want to be part of the AVD transformation that Microsoft and Nerdio are leading, then we want to speak with you.