Business Development Manager

We are seeking a proactive, self-driven Sales & Business Development Manager to serve as a key founding member of our New York operations. In this pivotal role, you will be a main driving force behind our North American commercial growth and operational expansion. While new account acquisition will be part of your scope, your primary focus will be fortifying, expanding, and optimizing our existing distribution and logistics network. You will collaborate closely with established North American wholesalers, distributors, and specialty retailers (stationery, lifestyle, kitchenware, and specialty food sectors) while building a resilient infrastructure for future growth. We are looking for an agile, entrepreneurial self-starter who deeply resonates with our brand philosophy and possesses a strong passion for lifestyle, food, and culture. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced, unscripted environments, brings exceptional cross-cultural negotiation skills, and adapts seamlessly to changing business environments - including regular domestic and international travel - to drive collaborative success. About the Role In this pivotal role, you will be a main driving force behind our North American commercial growth and operational expansion. Responsibilities Retail & Wholesale Growth: Strengthen relationships with existing B2B partners, distributors, and specialty retailers while strategically developing new sales channels and high-value stockists across North America. Logistics & Operations Management: Oversee end-to-end local supply chain operations, including importer coordination, inventory management, fulfillment, and 3PL warehousing for stationery, lifestyle, and food products. Strategic Business Planning: Act as an autonomous lead to formulate and execute North American commercial strategies, sales targets, and market entry plans. Market Insights & Feedback: Gather real-time consumer and retail insights in North America to collaborate with product development and strategy teams at our Japan HQ. HQ Alignment: Serve as the main liaison between local partners and our Japan headquarters, ensuring brand alignment and seamless communication. Qualifications Experience: 5-10 years of proven experience in Sales / Business Development within consumer goods (stationery, lifestyle goods, kitchenware, or specialty food). B2B Expertise: Strong track record in North American retail/wholesale channels, vendor management, and contract negotiation. Language Proficiency: Professional-level Japanese (fluent written and spoken for seamless HQ alignment) and Business-level English (for local negotiation and partnership management). Travel Requirements: Willingness and ability to travel regularly, including domestic business trips within North America and international trips (including Japan HQ). 09:00-18:00 / There is a good chance that I will have meetings with Japan in the evening. Working Location LA > NY > Other USA Pay range and compensation package Salary Range: $90,000-120,000 (DOE) Holidays: Saturday, Sunday, and National Holidays Additional Qualifications Experience: 5-10 years of brand marketing and promotional experience within the Consumer Goods / Lifestyle / Fashion industry. Event & Experiential Track Record: Demonstrated success in planning and producing pop-up shops, trade show booths, and experiential activations. Digital Native: Deep expertise in social media marketing, content creation, influencer management, and community building. Language Proficiency: Business-level English fluency (for partnership pitches and media engagement) and conversational to business-level Japanese (for HQ collaboration). Travel Requirements: Willingness to travel across North America for events, pop-up executions. #J-18808-Ljbffr