Director, Sales Development, Japan

• →Own the end-to-end strategy for Sales Development across Japan, setting the sales vision, operating model, and key performance metrics that fuel regional growth.
• →Establish operational rigor and a culture of high performance across the SDR organization, ensuring the team is aligned to the go-to-market strategy and consistently
  produces high-quality pipeline.
• →Translate market trends, customer insights, and competitive intelligence into targeted prospecting strategies that elevate pipeline performance across segments.
• →Drive cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Channel, and RevOps to ensure alignment on account coverage, persona focus, inbound/outbound prioritization,
  and the SDR → AE handoff model.

• Develop and lead the execution of a robust outbound strategy that systematically generates high-quality new business pipeline.
• Model exceptional outbound behaviors by actively participating in call blitzes, demonstrating best-in-class outreach techniques, objection handling, and call preparation.
• Set and reinforce high standards for outbound quality, personalization, and consistency—ensuring the team understands what “great” looks like.
• Leverage tools, AI, intent data, and industry insights to create advanced outbound plays, win-back motions, event-triggered outreach, and persona-based engagement strategies.
• Inspect outbound performance regularly, identifying root causes of gaps and driving rapid corrective actions across the team.
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• Ensure tools, systems, and processes (e.g., Outreach, CRM, data enrichment, AI tools) are optimized to support efficient prospecting and high conversion outcomes.
• Conduct regular inspections of operational workflows, prospecting motions, and productivity metrics, driving continuous improvement and operational innovation.
• Implement governance frameworks to uphold SDR productivity, quality, compliance, and forecasting accuracy.
• Develop scalable mechanisms for pipeline generation, including playbooks, sequences, cadences, discovery frameworks, and qualification standards.
• Partner with RevOps to build capacity models, coverage plans, and forecasting processes based on ramp profiles and inbound supply.

• Build, coach, and inspire a high-performing SDR leadership bench, creating strong second-line leaders capable of developing their teams.
• Implement structured coaching frameworks that elevate SDR skills in prospecting, qualifying, discovery, and opportunity creation.
• Provide targeted, actionable feedback supported by regular call reviews, performance inspections, and structured development plans.
• Develop career pathways that enable rapid ramp, strong performance, and optimized tenure, while promoting internal mobility into AE and other GTM roles.
• Drive a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement—ensuring underperformance is addressed quickly and equitably.
• Foster an inclusive, engaged, and collaborative team environment where individuals feel supported, challenged, and motivated to succeed.

• Partner closely with Marketing to ensure inbound demand, scoring, routing, and follow-up SLAs are aligned and optimized.
• Collaborate with Sales Leaders to continuously refine territory models, target personas, and qualification standards to maximize coverage and opportunity quality.
• Work jointly with Enablement to design onboarding, ramping programs, skills development sessions, and ongoing coaching tracks.
• Serve as the voice of the SDR organization at the leadership table, ensuring the team’s insights inform regional planning and go-to-market strategy.

• Drive execution of the Sales Development strategy to ensure pipeline targets are consistently met or exceeded.
• Lead the team to create high-quality, well-qualified opportunities that accelerate sales cycles and improve win rates.
• Track, analyze, and report on SDR performance, conversion rates, and pipeline health—delivering actionable insights and areas of improvement.
• Continuously refine the pipeline generation strategy to adapt to changing market conditions and business priorities.

Requirements

Experience

• 10–15+ years in Sales Development, Inside Sales, or GTM People Manager roles. Including leading managers (second-line leadership).
• Proven experience building and scaling SDR teams and delivering consistent, high-quality pipeline.
• Demonstrated success driving outbound strategy, messaging, ICP refinement, and persona-based plays.
• Strong track record of partnering with Sales, Marketing, RevOps, and Enablement.
• Experience with forecasting, capacity planning, segmentation, and SDR/Sales handoff models.

• Strong operator with deep experience in sales tools (Salesforce, Outreach, AI tools).
• Data-driven decision maker with strong analytical and diagnostic skills.
• Ability to design and optimize prospecting workflows, playbooks, coaching frameworks, and qualification standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in Japanese and English, executive presence, and influence skills.
• Skilled in building scalable programs for onboarding, coaching, and talent development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English & Japanese, executive presence, and influence skills.

• Leads from the front—models high-quality outbound calls, outreach, preparation, and objection handling.
• Strong coach who develops both SDRs and frontline managers through structured frameworks and regular feedback.
• Creates a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Operates with integrity, transparency, and a strong sense of ownership.
• Comfortable driving both strategic planning and hands-on execution.
• Ability to adhere to the 4-day RTO policy (and potential future shift to 5 days RTO).

• Experience in SaaS, cybersecurity, or enterprise software environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Okta’s Top 5 Core Leadership Competencies are part of the deeply ingrained principles that guide all of our company’s actions. They also align strongly to our cultural cornerstones, our Okta values: love our customers, empower our people, never stop innovating, act with integrity, and maintain transparency.
It’s our expectation that our managers and leaders embody these core competencies:

• Builds Effective Teams: Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness (EQ): Using a combination of feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into personal strengths and weaknesses.
• Develops Talent: Developing people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Drives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough
  strategies.

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