Project Manager/ PMO

About Us

Mercari is a Japan-based C2C marketplace company founded in 2013 with the mission to “Create value in a global marketplace where anyone can buy & sell.” From being the first tech unicorn from Japan before its IPO in 2018 we have come a long way towards becoming a global player and continuously and diligently work towards our transformation journey with a strong focus on our mission. 

Since its inception, Mercari Group has worked to grow its services, investing in both our people and technology. Over time Mercari has expanded from being the top player in the C2C marketplace in Japan to new geographies like the U.S. We have also successfully launched new businesses such as Merpay, which is a mobile payment service platform with a vision to create a society where anyone can realize their dreams through a new ecosystem centered not only on payment service but also on credit. Today, Mercari Group is made up of multiple subsidiary businesses including logistics, B2C platform, blockchain, and sports team management.

About Mercari India 

Established in Bangalore in 2022, Mercari India serves as a crucial technology hub for the Mercari Group. Leveraging the rich and diverse tech talent in India, we primarily collaborate closely with our development hub in Japan to drive engineering development for Mercari's applications. Having grown to an organization of approximately 80 members over about three years since its inception, Mercari India aims to evolve into an even stronger engineering organization that spearheads technological innovation for the entire group. This will be achieved by further enhancing our engineering capabilities and promoting AI initiatives that reflect India's cutting-edge technology and knowledge.

Requirements

Work Responsibilities

With the expansion of Mercari India and its growing sphere of influence within the Group, strengthening our project management capabilities has become an urgent priority. This position, as Mercari India's first dedicated PMO, plays a vital role in leading the standardization of project management processes, coordinating multiple projects, and strengthening governance. Additionally, you will contribute approximately 20-30% of your efforts to activities related to improving the overall engagement and capability development of the engineering organization , helping to create an attractive environment where engineers can perform at their best and experience growth. We are looking for a passionate individual to build the foundation of our rapidly growing product and engineering organization from multiple perspectives and lead it to success.

What you will do

• Drive the introduction and establishment of project management methodologies, standards, and tools optimized for Mercari India's engineering organization.
• Build and operate a project governance framework; establish and improve project planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting processes (including delivery, budget, and quality control).
• Manage a diverse portfolio of projects related to product development, organizational expansion, and AI initiative promotion. Lead initiatives to improve the speed and quality of product development while coordinating efforts across departments.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks, issues, and dependencies, formulating and executing appropriate countermeasures.
• Ensure clear and effective communication with domestic and international stakeholders, including teams in Tokyo, building and maintaining good relationships.
• Support organization-wide resource planning and allocation, aiming for optimal utilization of resources, while aligning with the PMO's intake process.
• Promote project management best practices within the organization, contributing to the improvement of project execution capabilities and the cultivation of organizational culture.
• Support decision-making by reporting to management and department heads.
• Support the planning and execution of measures related to the product and engineering organization's growth strategies and problem-solving.
• Contribute to the planning and operational support of training programs and internal events aimed at engineer skill development, onboarding, and knowledge sharing.
• Partially engage in supporting organizational operations and system creation that enable engineers to maximize their abilities and experience career growth (e.g., support for a new evaluation system introduction, support for engineers' achievement presentations).

Bold Challenges

• Building PMO Functions from Scratch & Scaling the Organization: As Mercari India's first PMO, design and implement the project management foundation from the ground up in a rapidly growing organization, evolving it to respond swiftly to change and expansion.
• Executing a Dual Role of PMO & Engineering Organization Support: Balance expertise in project execution with organizational support activities that enhance engineer growth and engagement, maximizing results with limited resources.
• Driving Change in a Global & Diverse Environment: Collaborate with our Japan hub and diverse Indian engineers, leading change beyond cultural and value barriers, and mobilizing the organization through advanced communication and influence.
• Overcoming Uncertainty in Strategic Initiatives: In cutting-edge technology projects like AI, navigate unknown challenges and ambiguous situations, independently forging a path to achieve business objectives.

Required Experience

• Empathy for Mercari’s mission and values
• 5+ years of practical experience as a PMO, Project Manager, or Program Manager in a technology company or software development environment.
• Experience leading the establishment of PMO functions or significantly building/improving project management processes.
• Deep understanding and practical experience of various project management methodologies (Agile (Scrum, etc.), Waterfall, Hybrid).
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills (experience working in cross-cultural environments is a plus).
• Experience using project management tools (JIRA, Confluence, Asana, MS Project, etc.).
• Business-level proficiency in English.

Preferred Experience

• Work experience in a global technology hub or a rapidly scaling engineering organization.
• Experience in leveraging AI tools and technologies for project management, OKR management, and other PMO functions.
• Experience collaborating with Japanese companies or teams in Japan.
• Professional certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, or Agile-related (CSM, CSPO, etc.).
• Experience in change management or organizational transformation projects.
• Experience participating in activities related to fostering engineering organization culture, improving engagement, or talent development/support.
• Business-level proficiency in Japanese.

Language Requirements

• English: Business Level
• Japanese: Conversational(Nice to have)

Related Articles

• Mercari is establishing a new Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, India this summer! #Mercariindia #MercariDays | mercan (メルカン) 
• Providing the best experience for all Engineers: What Kind of Team is the Engineering Office?
• CEO Shintaro Yamada Tells of the Circular Economy Mercari Has Always Aimed to Achieve
• Mercari’s Role as a Startup Hiring Indian Engineers Highlighted as Japan's Speaker of the House of Representatives Visits Mercari’s India Office, Meets with India PM Modi - Mercari India 

Benefits

Employment Status

Full-time

Office: Bangalore

• Hybrid workstyle
• We believe in high performance and professionalism. We work from office for 2 days/week and work from home 3 days/week
• To build a strong & highly-engaged organization in India, we highly encourage everyone to work from our Bangalore office, especially during the initial office setup phase
• We will continue to review and update the policy to address future organizational needs

Work Hours: Full flextime (no core time)

*Flexible to choose working hours other than team common meetings