Principal Product Owner – Japan (Pricing & Commercial Workflow)

Location: Japan (Remote / Flexible within Asia Pacific)
Function: Commercial Excellence – Digital & Product

About the Role

We are seeking a Principal Product Owner to lead Japan-specific initiatives for a global commercial contract management platform. This platform supports pricing approvals, quotations, e-sign, contract execution, and deal analysis. The role ensures intuitive, accurate, and seamless workflows across the pre-order to contract lifecycle, while aligning with regional strategic priorities.

The Principal Product Owner will work closely with cross-functional teams—including Commercial Operations, Finance, Compliance, UX, and Product Management—to drive consensus, prioritize features, and deliver impactful digital experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and prioritize Japan product backlog, ensuring alignment with APAC strategy.

• Translate Japan business needs into clear user stories, acceptance criteria, and workflow requirements.

• Act as primary liaison with Japan stakeholders for requirements gathering, workflow design, and product direction.

• Collaborate with UX and development teams to design intuitive, high-quality user journeys.

• Lead Japan UAT cycles, scenario validations, and feature rollouts.

• Support change management and market readiness for new releases.

• Monitor user adoption, data quality, and workflow feedback, driving continuous improvement.

• Ensure workflows integrate cleanly with downstream systems such as CRM and ERP platforms.

• Contribute foundational structures to support future AI-enabled automation and analytics.

Required Experience

• 8+ years in product ownership, digital workflow platforms, or commercial excellence roles in Japan.

• Strong knowledge of Japanese commercial processes: pricing approvals, quotation workflows, contract lifecycle, and distributor structures.

• Experience translating complex requirements into user stories and intuitive workflows.

• Hands-on experience with enterprise platforms (e.g., CRM, ERP, contract/pricing systems, workflow automation).

• Experience leading UAT, iterative product improvements, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Fluency in business Japanese and English (written and spoken).

Competencies

• Strong product ownership with ability to define and deliver Japan-specific workflows.

• Effective cross-functional collaboration with Commercial, Finance, Compliance, UX, and Product teams.

• User-centered design mindset, translating workflow pain points into efficient digital solutions.

• Data-driven decision making and backlog prioritization.

• Strong communication and consensus-building skills with stakeholders.

• Ability to support change management and champion enablement for digital adoption.