Japan Banking and Expansion Lead

We’re looking for a Japan Expansion Lead to accelerate our expansion plans in Japan and APAC region. This is a very unique and exciting opportunity to grow Wise in the region, allowing millions more potential customers to save money by using our services.

As part of our team, you will be helping us create an entirely new network for the world's money. For everyone, everywhere.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for daily banking operations and expansion plan and execution in Japan.
• Work with the product team for any product launches in the market. You will be one of the product team’s go-to people for regulatory and Banking knowledge.
• Manage licensing process end-to-end: from preparing necessary documents, preparing internal policies, setting up the sufficient internal structure/governance to negotiate and prove our efficiency to obtain a license.
• Understand existing and new regulations, figuring out the best way in which our product and setup are compliant with them.
• Manage the relationship with regulators and other important commercial relationships.

Mission

• Product evolution: Identify the most appropriate way to launch current and future Wise products in Japan, then roll up your sleeves and make it happen.
• Manage end-to-end licensing process: You will need to execute the process end-to-end: understand the regulations, do the application and get the regulatory buy-in.
• Financial services partnerships: Build and maintain relationships with financial institutions (banks, payment companies, card schemes) and lead commercial negotiations to drive down costs.

Benefits

• Choose your own path to success - you’ll have the freedom to define the vision and the responsibility for making it happen.
• Gain international exposure - you will work with our teams in offices around the world as well as meet with regulators and partners across APAC.
• Be a part of starting something new by helping launch new Wise products.

Requirements

• Native Japanese speaker residing in Japan with fluency in English.
• Extensive experience in regulation, licensing, or payments in a fast-paced professional environment.
• 10 years of working experience and about 4 years in the payment market with deep industry knowledge.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with ability to solve complex problems.
• Experience building relationships with financial institutions and managing regulatory compliance.