Head of Sales, Japan

Job Title: Head of Sales, Japan (County Manager)

We are looking for a dynamic, results-oriented Head of Sales to drive and execute our sales strategy in Japan. This is a player-coach role with a dual mandate: to personally drive significant sales with key enterprise accounts while building and mentoring a high-performing sales team for the future. The successful candidate will be directly responsible for generating revenue by selling our sophisticated software solutions to large pharmaceutical clients. You will be the face of the company in Japan, responsible for market penetration, revenue growth, and customer success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Sales Leadership: Develop and execute a comprehensive Japan market sales strategy and go-to-market plan aligned with global objectives. Identify and prioritize target accounts and market segments.

• Hands-On Enterprise Selling: Personally own and manage the entire sales cycle for a portfolio of key strategic enterprise accounts. Conduct high-level consultations, deliver compelling product demonstrations, negotiate complex contracts, and close large-scale deals.

• Revenue Growth: Exceed annual sales targets and quarterly quotas. Drive sustainable company growth by securing multi-year licensing agreements and expanding footprint within existing accounts.

• Market Expertise: Develop a deep understanding of the drug discovery workflow, the competitive landscape, and the specific needs/challenges of R&D teams in Japanese pharma. Serve as the voice of the Japanese customer internally.

• Team Building & Mentorship: Initially focused on individual contribution, with the clear objective and mandate to recruit, train, and lead a local sales team as the business scales.

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of B2B enterprise software sales experience, with at least 5 years selling complex, high-value solutions within Life Sciences / Healthcare or related.

• Proven Track Record: Demonstrable history of consistently exceeding multi-million yen/USD sales quotas and driving significant company growth in the Japan market. Experience selling to R&D, IT, or computational chemistry/biology departments is a plus.

• Scientific Acumen: Strong ability to understand and communicate complex scientific concepts related to drug discovery. A background in life sciences, chemistry, or related field is a significant advantage but not essential.

• Hunter Mentality: Proven success in prospecting, opening new logos, and navigating complex enterprise procurement processes.

• Executive Presence: Exceptional communication, presentation, and negotiation skills in both Japanese and English. Ability to build trusted relationships with C-level, VP/Director-level, and key opinion leaders.