Program Manager Japan

About RELEX

RELEX Solutions is a global, AI-driven supply chain planning company with Nordic roots, providing retail optimization software that delivers radically improved demand forecasting and supply chain optimization. That foundation is leveraged into further benefits across store space, allocation, workforce, pricing and promotions - all within one unified platform. Retailers and manufacturers use it to increase product availability, reduce waste, and drive profitable growth.

With over 2,000 professionals worldwide and offices across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, RELEX is trusted by leading brands including NTUC FairPrice, Estée Lauder, DFS, and Coles Supermarkets and Liquor. We're a collaborative, people-first company that believes in innovation and continuous improvement, and we're proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive environment for all employees.

About the Role

Program Directors guide a portfolio of complex implementation projects in a Project Owner role, spanning multiple functional areas within the Japan market - some delivered by partners under Program Director oversight. As Project Owner, they are the senior project leader responsible for guiding the project team, managing stakeholder relationships, and ensuring the project delivers value - both for the customer and for RELEX’s profitability. They set a clear vision, make strategic decisions, manage risks, and serve as the key escalation point throughout the project lifecycle.

They hold clear ownership of the Japan market and are accountable for how that ownership contributes to the region’s overall KPIs, including forecasted revenue and cost of revenue (CoR). They assist in selecting project team members from internal and partner resources, coach other team members, and contribute to global development.

They understand the key processes supported by RELEX products and value drivers well enough to oversee implementations across all product areas - guiding and challenging customer stakeholders and building relationships to C-level to align decisions with value-driven priorities. They also participate in the services sales process, scoping and estimating opportunities, contributing to or owning Statements of Work, and working with the pursuit team to craft commercially viable, risk-managed offerings, including via partners.

What You'll Do

Project Ownership & Delivery

• Steer project management activities and ensure a professional project management approach across ongoing projects in different functional areas
• Actively support and mentor others in all hard project management skill areas
• Plan and execute change confidently, even in complex, multi-stakeholder projects
• Apply expert understanding of project management methodologies (agile, waterfall)

Financial Accountability

• Own the financial performance of complex projects and programs, and turn results to agreed target
• Apply expert understanding of internal financial processes linked to Project Delivery, promoting compliance with internal processes and deadlines
• Present and negotiate on a project’s financials with customer C-level stakeholders
• Be accountable for financials on selected projects and programs
• Work with the regional leadership team to analyse key themes across projects and drive improvement opportunities through to resolution

Sales & Commercial Support

• Support the closure of sales cases through commercial discussions on professional services
• Meet with senior customer stakeholders to build their confidence in the RELEX delivery lead and delivery team
• Review the content of Statements of Work to ensure an appropriate plan, assumptions, scope and customer obligations

Product, Industry & Best-Practice Expertise

• Apply expert understanding of RELEX Software, customer use cases and implementation approaches across different functional areas*
• Use industry experience and customer advocacy to influence the RELEX product strategy and roadmap*
• Manage complex discussions with customer decision makers on the role of best practices vs. customisations, and act as a thought leader on global best practice
• Share suggestions on wider best-practice topics - for example, revamping deliverables, processes or project methodology - and work with central teams to drive improvements
• Bring expert-level industry knowledge across the Japan market in retail, wholesale or CPG, including Supply Chain, Merchandise and Category Management or Store Operations, and mentor others in this knowledge*
• Understand customer processes and the value drivers behind them

Business Value & Customer Advocacy

• Apply expert-level understanding of KPI practices and communicate business value clearly to customer C-level
• Identify opportunities for marketing and the wider organization to publicize implementation successes
• Support the CSM in driving upsell and cross-sell discussions during the project phase
• Build senior RELEX relationships that help influence development roadmaps for key accounts
• Facilitate senior and executive discussions between the customer and RELEX equivalents

Communication & Relationship Building

• Communicate and influence effectively at customer C-level
• Manage conflict and escalations expertly, creating efficient action and mitigation plans
• Act as an internal thought leader within the PM practice, with the ability to influence globally
• Build relationships with senior management and executives at Tier 1 and Super Tier 1 customers to influence decision making and build confidence in RELEX
• Demonstrate empathy with senior stakeholders and act as a trusted advisor in their decision-making - even beyond core RELEX capabilities, such as how best to set up operations to maximize implementation value

Coaching & Mentoring

• Use broad industry and managerial experience to build and deliver coaching and mentoring plans for RELEX delivery teams
• Work closely with Team Leads to understand RELEX consultants’ development goals and support them through the project lifecycle
• Help shape the regional training and upskilling program for consultants, drawing on industry experience

We are a global community of different cultures, voices, and experiences. We celebrate what makes us unique and connect through what we share, in an authentic and safe environment. Together we shape the future, and each other. 

If you feel this is the opportunity you don’t want to miss, you can apply by sending your cover letter and resume through the application form as soon as possible. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to - Mala Ramayaa, [email protected] from our Talent Acquisition team is happy to answer them by email. Please note that we cannot process any applications through email.   

Apply today and be part of the future. Be RELEX!