Sales Manager – Japan (Sports / Outdoor)

Our client is a global consumer products group managing iconic, market-leading brands in the outdoor and active lifestyle sectors. Operating its regional hub out of Hong Kong, the group is committed to accelerating APAC growth, empowering market leaders to drive aggressive commercial strategy, scale retail presence, and deliver category excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Turnaround & P&L Leadership: Take full P&L accountability for Japan, executing aggressive sales strategies to recover market share and reverse top-line performance.

• Proactive Distributor Management: Direct, evaluate, and push master distributors and wholesale partners to achieve ambitious sell-in and sell-through targets across outdoor and lifestyle channels.

• Key Account Execution: Build and drive direct commercial relationships with major national retailers, sporting goods chains (e.g., Ishii Sports, Alpen, L-Breath), and lifestyle doors (e.g., Loft, Hands).

• Brand Footprint Scaling: Maximize Hydro Flask’s market-leading presence while aggressively scaling Osprey’s technical outdoor footprint across key retail doors.

• Cross-Border Alignment: Act as the primary liaison between Japanese market execution and regional executive leadership in Hong Kong, with potential to expand commercial oversight to broader APAC markets (e.g., Korea, Australia) over time.

Candidate Profile

• Experience: 8–12+ years of progressive sales, key account, or commercial management experience within sporting goods, technical outdoor gear, lifestyle, or consumer hardgoods.

• Distribution Mastery: Deep expertise in Japanese wholesale dynamics, two-tier distribution models, joint business planning (JBP), and retail door expansion.

• Leadership Style: Direct, results-oriented, and commercially assertive, with the ability to effectively navigate Japanese business etiquette while driving distributor accountability.

• Language Proficiency: Native or bilingual fluency in Japanese alongside full professional English communication skills (written and spoken).

• Location: Based in Japan, business travels within Japan required, with infrequent travels within APAC