Project Manager (A)

JOB DISCRIPTION

Job Title: Project Manager
Job Category: Automotive
Language proficiency JLPT N2 or above
Location: Tokyo/Hamamtsu Position Type: Full time
 

Client has onboarded a leading Japan-based OEM as a strategic customer. We are looking for an experienced,

bilingual Project Manager / Customer Success Manager to be the on-ground face of TEL for this account in Japan. This role

owns end-to-end delivery of the engagement — coordinating between the customer, the India-based engineering and

delivery teams, and TEL leadership — while building a long-term, trust-based relationship that reflects Japanese business

etiquette and customer expectations

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Prior experience in the automotive, mobility, or OEM/Tier-1 supplier ecosystem.

• Familiarity with embedded software, digital cockpit, connected vehicle, or related automotive technology domains

• Experience working in or with a global systems integrator / engineering services organisation.

• Exposure to contract and commercial management (SOWs, change requests, invoicing/billing coordination).

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Cross-cultural relationship building and trust management.

• Structured, detail-oriented delivery and risk management.

• Clear, calm communication under pressure, across languages and time zones.

• Ownership mindset with the ability to work independently while representing values.

• Collaborative approach with distributed engineering teams

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Act as the primary point of contact in Japan for the OEM customer, owning day-to-day relationship management and

overall customer satisfaction.

• Plan, track, and drive delivery of the project(s) under the engagement — scope, schedule, budget, quality,

and risk — in line with customer expectations and TEL commitments.

• Serve as the bridge between the Japan-based customer and India-based delivery/engineering teams, ensuring

requirements, feedback, and priorities are translated accurately in both directions and both languages.

• Lead and/or support project governance: status reporting, steering committee reviews, milestone tracking, and

escalation management.

• Facilitate and, where needed, interpret/translate discussions, documentation, and reviews between Japanese and

English-speaking stakeholders.

• Proactively identify risks, delays, or dissatisfaction signals and drive timely resolution with internal teams and

customer stakeholders.

• Manage customer expectations around delivery timelines, change requests, and commercial/contractual aspects in

coordination with account and delivery leadership.

• Build a deep understanding of the customer’s organisation, decision-making processes, and business culture to

strengthen the long-term relationship and identify account growth opportunities.

• Coordinate on-site visits, workshops, and reviews with customer teams in Japan, and represent TEL professionally in

accordance with Japanese business customs (nemawashi, hou-ren-sou, ringi, etc.).

• Own customer success metrics — satisfaction, renewal, and expansion — for the account, and report these to

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Demonstrated experience delivering projects for, or managing accounts with, Japanese customers/OEMs — either

based in Japan or working extensively with Japanese stakeholders.

• Business-level (or native) proficiency in Japanese (JLPT N2 or above strongly preferred) and fluent business English

— true bilingual capability is essential for this role.

• Strong understanding of Japanese business etiquette, communication style, and decision-making culture, and proven

ability to operate effectively within it.

• Experience managing distributed/offshore delivery models, coordinating between an onshore customer-facing role

and an offshore engineering team (India experience is a strong plus).

• Working knowledge of project management methodologies (Agile/Scrum, Waterfall, or hybrid) and tools (JIRA, MS

Project, Confluence, or similar).

• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification is a plus.

• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and executive communication skills.

• Willingness to be based in Japan and travel periodically to India and other customer locations as required

• The position is based in Japan reporting to Business unit in India/Japan

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, or a related field (Master’s / MBA preferred).

EXPERIENCE

• 8–12+ years of overall experience, including a strong track record in project management, program management, or customer success roles.