Head of Sales - Japan

About this role

<h2><strong>Company Description</strong></h2> <p>At Square, our purpose is to build tools that help sellers start, run, and grow their businesses. What began as payments has evolved into a broad ecosystem of commerce solutions — including software, banking, financial services, and omnichannel capabilities designed to work together seamlessly.</p> <p>Japan represents one of the most strategic growth opportunities for Square globally. It is a complex, highly competitive market with enormous potential across commerce, hospitality, retail, and services. We believe the opportunity ahead is significant — but winning in Japan will require bold commercial leadership, operational intensity, and a relentless focus on execution.</p> <p>We are entering the next phase of growth in Japan with the ambition not just to participate in the market, but to build a category-defining business.</p> <h2><strong>The Role</strong></h2> <p>Square is seeking a Head of Sales for Japan to build and rapidly scale our commercial business in-market.</p> <p>This leader will be responsible for accelerating revenue growth, increasing market penetration, and building a high-performing sales organization capable of winning at scale in one of the world’s most important and demanding commerce markets. This is a builder role for a commercially driven operator who thrives in fast-growth environments and knows how to turn opportunity into execution.</p> <p>The ideal candidate combines deep enterprise and SMB commercial expertise with strong knowledge of the Japanese market, customer expectations, competitive landscape, and a strong bias for action. They know how to build strong teams, drive urgency, unlock new growth vectors, and push organizations to move faster and execute at a higher standard.</p> <p>This role requires a leader who is highly motivated, commercially aggressive, and execution-oriented — someone who embraces ambitious goals, operates with intensity, and can help establish Square as a market leader in Japan.</p> <h2><strong>What You’ll Lead</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Growth & Commercial Expansion</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Own overall revenue growth and market expansion strategy for Japan.</li> <li>Build and execute an aggressive growth plan across SMB, mid-market, enterprise, and strategic verticals.</li> <li>Identify and unlock new commercial opportunities, partnerships, channel strategies, and scalable go-to-market motions.</li> <li>Develop and scale a high-performing channel and partner sales strategy to accelerate market penetration and revenue growth.</li> <li>Build strong relationships with strategic channel partners, resellers, ISVs, and ecosystem players to expand Square’s reach and influence in Japan.</li> <li>Drive pipeline generation, conversion, and expansion with a strong focus on execution velocity and measurable outcomes.</li> <li>Increase competitive win rates and establish Square as a differentiated leader in the Japanese market.</li> <li>Develop clear market segmentation and prioritization strategies to maximize growth and resource allocation.</li> <li>Build scalable commercial motions that support rapid long-term expansion in Japan.</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Sales Leadership & Operational Excellence</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Lead and scale a high-performing, multi-layered sales organization across Japan.</li> <li>Create a culture of accountability, urgency, resilience, and execution excellence.</li> <li>Raise the talent bar through strong hiring, coaching, performance management, and leadership development.</li> <li>Improve sales productivity, forecasting accuracy, and operational rigor across the organization.</li> <li>Build repeatable sales motions and operating mechanisms that enable scale.</li> <li>Drive disciplined execution while maintaining agility in a fast-moving market.</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Market Leadership & Strategic Influence</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Serve as one of Square’s senior commercial leaders in Japan and represent the voice of the market internally.</li> <li>Partner closely with Product, Marketing, Partnerships, Customer Success, and Global Sales leaders to accelerate growth and unlock new opportunities.</li> <li>Influence regional and global strategy through strong market insight and customer understanding.</li> <li>Build strong executive-level relationships with key customers, partners, and ecosystem stakeholders.</li> <li>Help shape Square’s long-term market position and brand presence in Japan.</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Cross-Functional & Global Collaboration</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Partner closely with international sales and GTM leaders to share best practices and accelerate learning across markets.</li> <li>Ensure Japan both benefits from and contributes to Square’s global commercial strategy and innovation.</li> <li>Collaborate effectively across time zones, functions, and cultures to drive alignment and execution.</li> <li>Balance strong local market judgment with global operating standards and strategic priorities.</li> </ul> <h2><strong>We’re Looking For</strong></h2> <ul> <li>15+ years of sales and commercial leadership experience, including significant experience scaling high-growth businesses.</li> <li>Proven track record of rapidly growing revenue and taking market share in highly competitive…