Japan Country Manager

Country Manager, Japan — for a world class technology company in robotic automation.

Zivid is a Norwegian technology company. We design and sell advanced 3D cameras to the global robotics and automation market. Our cameras give industrial robots their "eyes". We have had a local presence in Japan since 2024. We are now seeking a successor for the most senior commercial position in the region. The Country Manager, Japan will play a central role in Zivid's continued growth, with both existing and new customers.

ABOUT ZIVID
Zivid is one of Norway's most ambitious technology companies. We serve the global robotics market with our 3D machine vision solutions. Our cameras are essential to the automation of manufacturing and logistics worldwide. We have 100 employees and offices in six countries, and our customers are located across many regions.

Our technology is becoming more important. Until recently, industrial robots repeated motions that had been programmed for them. Now they are beginning to understand their surroundings and to act accordingly. This is often called physical AI. An AI system can only act as well as it can perceive the real world, and that perception is what Zivid provides.

We hold high ambitions for our technology. We work continuously to develop the best products and solutions in the machine vision industry. Zivid is a cross-functional organization, and we place great value on teamwork and on growing together. We enjoy the daily challenge of advancing what this technology can do. If you share that interest, we would be glad to hear from you.

Please visit our Careers page to learn more about working at Zivid: Join Zivid

CORE VALUES OF THE ZIVID COMMERCIAL TEAM

Our commercial team follows a value-based sales philosophy. We are proud of the reputation our products have in the market. We care about our customers.

We believe that Zivid's success depends on our customers' success. We also believe it is important to be clear and honest about where, and with whom, we can make a real difference. This is the basis for long-term trust. We build deep and lasting relationships with our key customers, and we focus on creating value for their business.

We recognize individual contribution. At the same time, we believe that a team working well together achieves more than the sum of its members. Team results are recognized in our daily work, and they are also part of our execution framework and our compensation model.

The Zivid commercial team is a diverse organization in terms of nationality, ethnicity, gender, family situation and many other aspects. This is a core value throughout Zivid. We continue to strengthen it through our recruitment and our daily working culture.

BACKGROUND FOR THIS POSITION
Zivid has been active in Japan for two years. During this period we have built a foundation.

We work with one of the most respected companies in Japanese robotics as a reference customer. We have established distribution in the market. We are engaged with major robotics OEMs, and also with several of Japan's most ambitious robotics startups. In addition, we work with global automation companies that are expanding their business in Japan.

Globally, Zivid is an established company with more than 100 employees in six countries. In Japan, however, our organization is still small. This position therefore involves building the business. At the same time, you will have the products, the customer references and the support of a mature organization behind you. You will also have considerable freedom to decide how Zivid should grow in Japan.

JOB DESCRIPTION
As Country Manager, Japan, you will be responsible for Zivid's commercial activities in the Japanese market. You will be the most senior Zivid representative in the country. The role has three parts.

1. Ownership of the Japanese market. You are the main representative of Zivid in Japan. Internally, you are the regional lead, responsible for forecasting, reporting and business reviews with the Zivid management team. Zivid in Japan is a small organization today, and our growth ambitions require that to change. You will advise Zivid management on what a stronger local presence should look like, and on when the time is right to build it. When we take that step, you will own the process.

2. Growth of the business. This has two equally important sides. One is to develop our current customer relationships, some of which are new and some of which are well established, into stable business. The other is to acquire customers we do not yet work with. These are vision solution providers, robot integrators, machine builders, automation OEMs and sometimes large end users. The work is targeted rather than broad. Our model is quality over quantity: to approach the right companies with the right engagement.

3. Account leadership. Success in the second part leads directly into this one. Every customer we win becomes a customer we manage, and the purpose of growth is to bring more companies into this daily work. From day one you are the account lead for our existing Japanese customers and our distribution partners. This includes daily business, follow-up of active projects, and the development of additional opportunities.

How you will work. You will work closely with our Field Application Engineer in Japan, both on new opportunities and with our established customers. Zivid customer relationships continue over many years. An engagement often begins with an evaluation. It then becomes a design win, then commercial deployments, leading into repeat business and long-term mutual success. Few of these relationships are won quickly. Most are earned, and then they last.

In Japan, Zivid works through a hybrid model. The main emphasis is on direct business, supplemented by business through selected distribution partners where they add real value.

YOUR FIRST YEAR
Several of our most important relationships are still at an early stage. Building them carefully is more important than building them quickly. For this reason, we do not define the first year mainly by a revenue figure.

We would consider the first twelve months successful if the following are achieved:

• A clear view, supported by good reasoning and (early) evidence, of where and how Zivid should win in Japan. Which segments, which accounts, and why.
• Positive development on our current customer engagements.
  • For our early-stage engagements: progress through technical evaluation and supplier selection, into first actual projects.
  • For our existing repeat customers and distribution partners: growth in our "share of wallet", through deeper relationships and trust, leading to additional projects being identified and developed.
• A prioritized target account list beyond our current engagements, and relationships established with senior-level decision makers.
• Reliable and well-founded forecasting and reporting, with a pipeline that supports long-term success for Zivid in Japan.
• A clear view and recommendation of how the Zivid local presence in Japan should develop, including what it will need next in practical and administrative form.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• A person who is comfortable taking responsibility for a market. This includes setting and effectively executing the strategy, and being committed to driving business success.
• A growth mindset. You find it motivating to build a business from a small base, rather than to manage one that is already established.
• A person who is able to act proactively, both towards customers and towards internal stakeholders.
• The ability to open doors. You understand the industry and its players, can identify the right target accounts, and approach them patiently and strategically until the relationship begins.
• Judgment, preparation and persistence. This is how our best customer relationships have started.
• A genuine interest in building strong and long-lasting customer relationships.
• Strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills. You can explain complex technical points clearly and simply.
• Curiosity about customer needs and requirements, so that Zivid products and services can be positioned effectively.
• A genuine interest in the domain of automation and robotics. A technical education is not required, as our Field Application Engineer provides the technical expertise. However, curiosity about the technology will make you considerably more effective.
• A collaborative mindset. You will work closely with our Field Application Engineer in Japan, and with technical and commercial colleagues in Norway.
• The ability to bring others with you. Zivid in Japan is a small team today, and it will grow together with the business.
• Experience managing a varied portfolio of accounts, from technology startups to large and complex corporations.

QUALIFICATIONS
Requirements

• Native-level fluency in Japanese, in both language and business culture.
• Professional working proficiency in English. English is the official language of Zivid, and you will use it daily with headquarters and with international colleagues.
• A proven track record in complex B2B sales, preferably of advanced technical products or systems.
• Experience with strategic commercial responsibility, for example as a country lead or a regional lead.

Preferred experience

• Experience from machine vision, robotics, industrial automation or a related industry.
• Experience of working in an international business environment. This does not necessarily mean working outside Japan. Exposure to international business from within Japan is equally valuable.
• Experience of leading, coaching or developing colleagues.
• A bachelor's degree or higher, in business, engineering or a related field.

WHAT WE OFFER

• An important role, with genuine and challenging responsibility for a market, in a growing international technology company.
• A high degree of autonomy, and opportunities for personal and career development as Zivid Japan grows.
• Direct access to the Zivid HQ team: sales leadership, our product organization and our engineering team.
• Involvement with world-leading advanced hardware and software technology.
• The opportunity to take part in a transformative moment in industry. AI is moving from software into the physical world, and Zivid's technology is at the center of this change.
• A working culture based on trust. Zivid applies the same principles in Japan as in Norway. We set high expectations for results, and we provide a high degree of autonomy.
• A culture that encourages and welcomes new ideas and well-considered risk-taking.
• An enjoyable workplace, with real emphasis on a good work-life balance. In Zivid, people take their annual leave, and have time for life outside work.
• A compensation package with the main weight on a competitive fixed salary, and a moderate performance-based bonus in addition.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

• Reporting line: This position reports to the VP Sales APAC & EMEA.
• Type of employment: Full time.
• Location: Greater Tokyo area.
• Working style: At present, home office with approximately one day per week at a shared office space. Deciding the most suitable office arrangement for Zivid Japan will be one of the responsibilities of our new Country Manager.
• Domestic travel outside the greater Tokyo area: 20 to 30 percent.
• International travel: One or two trips per year to Oslo, Norway.
• Employment arrangement: The position will initially be established through an Employer of Record. As the business grows, Zivid intends to strengthen its administrative presence in Japan. The form and timing will be decided together with the Country Manager.
• Company language: English.
• Application period: We review applications as they are received. We encourage you to apply early.
• Start date: As soon as possible. However, we are willing to wait for the right person.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Gaute Skjelbred Furu, VP Sales APAC & EMEA.

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