Shopify’s platform strategy is powered by partnerships. We’re hiring a Senior Product Partnerships Lead to recruit and develop strategic technology partners across Japan - one of Shopify’s highest-priority international markets. This role will expand merchant choice, support Japan’s regional product priorities, and accelerate merchant success by deepening Shopify’s footprint in the Japanese commerce and technology ecosystem.
You will build senior relationships with leading Japanese technology companies - including the country’s most influential marketplaces, super-apps, payments providers, and SaaS platforms - negotiate complex partnership agreements, and work cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, Sales, Legal, Finance, as well as Partnerships to bring integrations and partnership opportunities to market. Business culture in Japan is deeply relationship-driven, so deep in-market presence and an established network are central to success in this role.
Key Responsibilities
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Maintain a thriving partner ecosystem through community and executive events.
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Recruit strategic technology partners across Japan, including marketplaces, payments, logistics, marketing, and vertical SaaS leaders.
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Build and steward senior, often executive-level, relationships with leading Japanese technology companies.
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Negotiate complex partnership agreements with senior external stakeholders.
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Assess partners based on merchant impact, product-market fit, market leadership, product alignment, and go-to-market impact.
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Align partnership priorities with Shopify’s international product roadmap, and bring the Japan partner perspective into product planning.
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Collaborate with partners to understand merchant use cases, build integrations, and unlock merchant value through deep understanding of partner value propositions.
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Lead cross-functional execution across Product, Marketing, Sales, Legal, Finance, as well as Partnerships
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Co-develop strategic partnership roadmaps to maximise value for Japanese merchants.
Qualifications
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Significant experience building and leading partnerships in commerce, technology, or SaaS - with a clear track record.
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Demonstrated ability to negotiate and close complex, multi-stakeholder partnership agreements with senior external stakeholders.
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Deep understanding of the Japanese commerce, SaaS, and technology landscape, including local market dynamics, business culture, and decision-making norms.
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Strong understanding of software product integrations and platform APIs.
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Native Japanese, with strong in-market presence and an established network across the Japanese technology ecosystem.
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Able to manage multiple priorities and operate with significant autonomy in a fast-moving, remote environment.
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Exceptional communication, executive stakeholder management, and cross-cultural negotiation skills.
Existing relationships with senior leaders across the Japanese ecommerce, marketplace, and SaaS ecosystem.
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Experience working with global software platform companies entering or scaling in Japan.
About Shopify
Opportunity is not evenly distributed. Shopify puts independence within reach for anyone with a dream to start a business. We propel entrepreneurs and enterprises to scale the heights of their potential. Since 2006, we’ve grown to over 8,300 employees and generated over $1 trillion in sales for millions of merchants in 175 countries.
This is life-defining work that directly impacts people’s lives as much as it transforms your own. This is putting the power of the few in the hands of the many, is a future with more voices rather than fewer, and is creating more choices instead of an elite option.
About you
Moving at our pace brings a lot of change, complexity, and ambiguity—and a little bit of chaos. Shopifolk thrive on that and are comfortable being uncomfortable. That means Shopify is not the right place for everyone.
Before you apply, consider if you can:
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Care deeply about what you do and about making commerce better for everyone
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Excel by seeking professional and personal hypergrowth
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Keep up with an unrelenting pace (the week, not the quarter)
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Be resilient and resourceful in face of ambiguity and thrive on (rather than endure) change
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Bring critical thought and opinion
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Put AI agents and tools to work on the tasks they’re built for, and focus on the work only humans can do
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Embrace differences and disagreement to get shit done and move forward
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Work digital-first for your daily work
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We may use AI-enabled tools to screen, select, and assess applications. All AI outputs are reviewed and validated by our recruitment team.
Shopifyhttps://www.shopify.com
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