Why this seat is different in Japan
Japanese customers expect a service level that most global supply-chain models were not designed for: next-day delivery, zero defects on arrival, exact packaging, same-day answers. Meeting it costs money, and the operations head spends their career deciding where that cost is worth paying. A leader who has only optimised cost per unit will struggle; one who has only maximised service will go over budget.
The logistics market tightened in 2024. The cap on truck-driver overtime that took effect in April 2024 (the 物流2024年問題) reduced capacity and raised prices across the industry, and third-party logistics contracts negotiated before it no longer hold. Expect the operations head to renegotiate warehousing and transport in the first year.
In regulated industries, the warehouse is a licensed site. Medical devices and pharmaceuticals require marketing-authorisation-holder licensing with named quality and safety officers, and the distribution centre operates under a quality system with audit trails. The operations head either holds part of this or works closely with the person who does.
Purpose of the role
Run the Japan supply chain end to end: planning, inbound, storage, distribution, customer service and facilities. Deliver the service level the Japanese market requires at a cost the P&L can bear, with inventory, quality and compliance under control.
Key responsibilities
Planning
- Run the monthly sales and operations planning process with sales, marketing and finance, and own forecast accuracy, inventory and service-level targets.
- Manage product lifecycle from launch build to discontinuation, including excess and obsolete stock.
Distribution
- Manage third-party logistics providers and the distribution network: contracts, performance, cost and compliance.
- Own import, customs and trade compliance with brokers and the regional team.
Customer service
- Lead order management and customer service to the standard Japanese customers expect, with the systems and staffing to support it.
Quality and compliance
- Maintain the quality system in the warehouse and distribution chain, including any licensed-site requirements, and support audits.
Team and improvement
- Lead and develop the operations team and drive continuous improvement with a method the team can sustain.
- Report performance to the Managing Director and regional supply chain, in English.
Candidate profile
Must have
- Ten or more years in supply chain or operations with at least five leading a function in Japan for a foreign-capital company.
- Experience in at least two of planning, distribution and customer service, with sales and operations planning ownership.
- Third-party logistics contract management and renegotiation.
- Team leadership of ten or more, including outsourced staff.
Preferred
- Licensed-site or quality-system experience in healthcare, food or chemicals where relevant.
- ERP or warehouse-management-system implementation.
- A network redesign or distribution-centre move.
Language
- Japanese at native level for providers, customers and the team.
- English at business level for regional supply chain, planning systems and reporting.
Decide before you post
- Which of planning, distribution, customer service and facilities sit in the role.
- The third-party logistics model and whether it is up for review.
- Licensed-site responsibilities and who holds the named roles.
- Service-level targets and current performance, which candidates will ask for.
- Whether a system change or network move is planned.
How hard is this hire
Moderate. Supply-chain leaders who have run planning and distribution together and can present to a regional head in English are not plentiful, but they exist in healthcare, consumer and industrial sectors. Expect three to four months. Searches fail when the role is sized as a logistics manager's job and the first task is a network redesign.
Interview questions that separate candidates
- Walk me through your sales and operations planning cycle. What was your forecast accuracy and how did you improve it?
- Tell me about a third-party logistics renegotiation after 2024. What changed and what did it cost?
- How do you decide where the Japanese service expectation is worth paying for?
- Describe an inventory write-off you prevented, or one you did not.
- What does your customer-service team do that a global template would not?
