📍 Japan
The Opportunity
We are supporting a confidential search for a General Manager (GM) to lead the Japan business of a well-established regional platform. This is a country leadership role with full responsibility for operations, people, and commercial performance.
The GM will act as the most senior leader in Japan , owning execution on the ground while working closely with regional leadership. This role requires a hands-on, people-oriented operator with strong commercial judgment and experience managing multi-site, service-driven operations.
Key Responsibilities
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Hold full accountability for the Japan business, including operational performance and cost management
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Lead day-to-day operations across multiple sites, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and service quality
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Manage, coach, and develop local teams across office-based and frontline functions
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Oversee area-based teams responsible for multi-location operations
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Build and maintain strong relationships with landlords, vendors, and external stakeholders
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Drive operational discipline, process improvement, and performance optimisation
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Ensure high standards of customer experience and service delivery
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Act as the key liaison between the Japan team and regional leadership
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Provide clear reporting, insights, and updates to senior stakeholders
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Support business expansion planning and execution within Japan when required
Reporting Line
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Reports directly to Regional / Group Leadership
Team & Scope
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Oversees a sizeable local team across office and on-the-ground operations
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Responsible for a large multi-location portfolio across Japan
Candidate Profile
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Proven experience in a General Manager, Country Head, or senior operations leadership role
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Background from people-oriented, service-driven industries , including:
- Retail
- Real Estate / Property Operations
- Hospitality
- F&B
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Other multi-site consumer or service businesses
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Strong track record managing large, multi-location operations
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Highly hands-on, execution-focused, and commercially aware
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Comfortable operating in complex, highly regulated environments
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Strong people leadership and stakeholder management skills
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Able to build credibility quickly with local teams and partners
- Fluent in both Japanese and English (mandatory) — written and spoken
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Open to local Japanese candidates or foreign candidates with full professional fluency in Japanese and strong local market experience
Key Attributes
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Accountable, pragmatic, and decisive
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People-centric leadership style with strong operational discipline
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Solutions-oriented, resilient, and detail-driven
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Clear communicator who can operate effectively across cultures
Compensation
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Competitive and market-aligned General Manager package
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Full details to be shared under NDA
Confidentiality
This is a strictly confidential appointment
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All candidates will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
prior to receiving further information.
