Senior Project Manager (Japanese)

SmartOSC is seeking a Senior Project Manager / Program Manager to lead the delivery of software projects and multi-project programs for our Japanese enterprise clients. You will be the primary owner of delivery quality, timeline, budget, and client relationship – working directly with Japanese stakeholders in Japanese while coordinating offshore engineering teams in Vietnam channels.

Key Deliverables & Responsibilities

– Own end-to-end delivery of one or more software projects for Japanese clients, ensuring scope, schedule, cost, and quality targets are met.

– Serve as the main point of contact for Japanese client stakeholders - running meetings, reporting, and escalations directly in Japanese.

– Lead project planning, resource allocation, risk management, and change management across the project lifecycle.

– Manage and grow cross-functional offshore teams (BrSE, developers, QA, BA), setting clear expectations and removing blockers.

– Translate client business goals into clear delivery plans and coordinate alignment between client expectations and the offshore team.

– Track and report project health (progress, budget, risks, KPIs) to both clients and internal leadership.

– For program-level scope: standardize delivery practices, manage interdependencies across projects, and drive continuous improvement.

– Support pre-sales and account expansion where relevant (estimation, proposals, scoping).

Requirements

– 6+ years in software project delivery, with at least 3 years in a PM/Program Manager role managing offshore or distributed teams.

– Proven track record delivering projects for Japanese clients.

– Business-level Japanese (JLPT N2 or above; N1 strongly preferred) - able to lead client meetings, negotiate, and report in Japanese.

– Strong command of project management methodologies (Agile/Scrum, Waterfall, or hybrid) and tools (e.g., Jira, Redmine, MS Project).

– Solid understanding of the software development lifecycle and the ability to engage credibly on technical trade-offs.

– Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skill.

Nice to have:

– PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification.

– Experience working or living in Japan.

– Background in [relevant domain – e.g., e-commerce, fintech, enterprise systems]

Benefits

At SmartOSC, we offer the best to your values:

– Attractive salary package (up to 70M gross)

– Salary review twice a year

– Flexible working hours (between 7:30am - 7:30pm on staff’s preference)

– Premium health care

– Working in one of the largest digital transformation agencies in Asia - Professional English environment

– Firm’s Certified Qualifications Sponsorship for career development

– Annual company trip inside or outside Vietnam

– Other fun activities: happy hour, quarterly team building, football club, yoga club, swimming club, charity activities, etc.

– Free entertainment parties: Birthday party, Anniversary party, Sum-up Party, Year-End Party, etc

Note: By submitting your resume for this position, you acknowledge and consent that the Company may collect, use, store, disclose (where necessary), and otherwise process your personal data for recruitment-related purposes, including evaluating your application, communicating with you, and making hiring decisions. Your personal data may be shared with relevant third parties involved in the recruitment process on a need-to-know basis. You acknowledge and consent that the Company shall retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the above purposes or to comply with applicable legal obligations. Where permitted by applicable law, you may submit a written request for the deletion of your personal data.