Enterprise technology recruitment in Japan
Trusted in Japan.
Built on partnership.
Shinka Talent builds Japan teams for foreign enterprise technology vendors, from the first hire to an established team. We recruit country managers, sales directors, alliances and channel leaders, solutions engineers and customer success staff, in cybersecurity, data platforms, AI software, enterprise applications and cloud infrastructure software. Founder Grant Habgood has recruited in Japan’s technology market since 2006.
Technology Teams
The roles we recruit
Country managers
The first leader on the ground, or the leader who takes an established business to its next stage.
→Sales directors
Leaders who open enterprise accounts and build the sales team as the business grows.
→Alliances and channel leaders
Leaders who build distributor, reseller and SIer relationships, often before the direct team.
→Solutions engineers and customer success
Solutions engineers, architects, TAMs and customer success managers, before and after the sale.
→Sectors
Cybersecurity
Foreign security vendors, from established platforms to newer categories such as AI security.
→Data platforms
Database, data integration and analytics platform vendors.
→AI software
AI platform and application vendors, from first hire to full team.
→Enterprise applications
ERP, finance, supply chain, HR, CRM and low-code platform vendors.
→Entering Japan
Most enterprise technology vendors enter Japan through partners before they have anyone on the ground, and the first hires decide whether that works. Our market entry guides cover the first hires, employer of record arrangements, the Business Manager visa and how Japan’s enterprise technology channel works.
Hiring for market entry
How enterprise technology vendors sequence their first hires in Japan.
→Employer of record
When an employer of record works for a first hire, and when to set up your own entity.
→Distributors, SIers and resellers
How Japan’s distributors, resellers and SIers fit together, and the main players in each.
→Enterprise technology pay
Pay for sales, channel, presales and customer success roles in Japan in 2026.
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Two decades in Japan’s technology market.
AI-enabled, human-led.
Grant Habgood lived in Japan for sixteen years and works in English and Japanese. He led a 70-consultant business in Tokyo before founding Shinka Talent to return to hands-on search. Shinka Talent is AI-enabled and human-led.
Track record
Grant has worked in Japan’s technology recruitment market since 2006.
He built and led a recruitment business of more than 70 consultants, with full P&L responsibility.
He has personally delivered over ¥300 million in placement revenue.
“He understands the market well in terms of the competitor landscape and the nuances of hiring in Japan.”
- Hiring manager, Imation Japan
“He never pushes you to positions you are not willing to apply for for the sake of his deals.”
- Solutions Architect, Japan
How we work
Understand the structure
Every search starts with an intake call on your Japan go-to-market: your partners across SIers, distributors and resellers, and who your competitors sell through.
Combine knowledge with reach
Two decades of market knowledge, combined with AI-enabled sourcing, reaches candidates who are not actively looking.
Deliver a calibrated shortlist
You get a smaller, better-calibrated shortlist and a process that reflects well on your brand.
Every search also gets its own confidential, branded search page rather than a job advert. It sets out the role scope, compensation and the market context for the hire, which gives candidates a reason to engage before they send a CV.
We work on a retained or contingent basis, and also provide contract resourcing, market insight and talent pipelining.
What we’re seeing in the market.
Common questions.
What does Shinka Talent do?
Shinka Talent builds Japan teams for foreign enterprise technology vendors, from the country manager to sales, channel and technical hires.
Do you work on a retained or contingent basis?
We work on both. Retained searches run on a commencement fee model, with priority delivery and shared accountability. Contingent searches are paid only when a hire is made.
Do candidates need to speak English?
Most of our roles require business-level English, because our clients are foreign technology companies. We weigh selling ability in Japanese at least as heavily.
Contact Us
It all starts with a conversation. Write to us directly, or share your details and we will be in touch.
Thank you
Your details have reached us. Grant will be in touch.