Business Development Consultant (SEA)

STANDAGE: Outside Consultant Position

Job Description

Name of organization: STANDAGE

Job title: International Business Development Consultant (Outside Consultant)

Company URL: https://wp.standage.co.jp/

Position type: Part-time outside consultant · based in your home country · commission-based

Position Overview

International Business Development Consultant

Standage Inc. — working with Japan, from your own home country

Part-Time · Home-Based with Occasional Regional Travel · Commission-Based · High-Impact Role

This Is Not a Typical Part-Time Job

At Standage Inc., we help Japanese manufacturers break into global markets. We build real international partnerships across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and beyond. We move fast. We test ideas. We close deals. Now we’re looking for someone hungry to learn and ready to work — right from where you already live.

This Is NOT a Job in Japan

Many people apply hoping this is a way to move to or work in Japan. It is not. You will be based in your own home country. You will not relocate to, travel to, or work from Japan, and there is no path to doing so through this role. This position is also not fully remote: you will work mostly from home, with occasional regional travel within your own area to meet distributors, partners, or clients — not daily, just now and then. If your goal is to come to Japan, this is not the position for you.

What You’ll Actually Do

You won’t sit in the corner watching. You will:

• Research international markets across your region

• Identify real distributor targets and decision-makers

• Help launch outbound sales campaigns

• Draft outreach emails and partnership proposals

• Join strategy meetings (online)

• Analyze competitors and pricing

• Occasionally meet partners or clients in person, within your region

Your work will directly affect sales revenue.

Who Should Apply

This is for someone who:

• Wants to work in international business, trade, or politics

• Is curious about trade, sales, and strategy

• Can write clear English emails

• Is organized and detail-focused

• Is not afraid to take initiative

• Likes moving fast and solving problems

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on international deal experience

• Real exposure to Japanese manufacturers

• Sales and negotiation insight

• Strategy experience most part-timers never get

• Direct mentorship

• A serious résumé boost

Highly active, results-driven part-timers may be offered a full-time position if all goes well.

The Environment

We are lean. We are ambitious. We care about results. If you want a slow, passive part-time job, this isn’t it. If you want real responsibility and real growth, we should talk.

How to Apply

Send us:

• Your CV (English or Japanese OK)

• A short note: “Why should we bet on you?” — 200 words or less

Send résumés and notes to kelley-j@standage.co.jp

Compensation

• Commission rate is negotiable.

Schedule

• Part-time, with a minimum of 8 hours per week. Days and times are flexible.

• Work is coordinated across time zones with the Tokyo team; some overlap with Japan business hours is helpful.

• Occasional regional travel/exhibition support

Required Qualifications

• Eligibility to work in your home country

• At least 8 hours a week available to work

• Ability to travel regionally on an occasional basis

• A decent grasp of English or Japanese communication

• Ambition, drive, and a hard-working, proactive attitude

Desired Qualifications (preferred, not required)

• A second foreign language

• Some form of sales experience

• Japanese language ability

• Experience in international relations and/or business

• Currently a junior- or senior-level student (relevant if the role is structured as an internship)

Internship & Full-Time Potential

Could this count as an internship? Possibly — under certain conditions this part-time consulting role can be structured to count as an internship. This is negotiated individually.

Could this lead to a full-time role? Yes — highly active, results-driven part-timers will potentially be offered a full-time position if all things go well.

About Standage

Our Motto: すべての国が、すべてのものに、平等にアクセスできる世界の実現

(For all products, to all countries — to equalize access across the world)

Standage Inc. is a Tokyo-based international trade and business development firm that helps companies expand beyond their home markets. Headquartered in Japan, Standage works as a strategic partner for manufacturers and brands that want to enter new regions such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. The company specializes in bridging the gap between Japanese quality and global demand. Standage supports clients across industries including food and beverage, cosmetics, health and wellness, industrial materials, construction products, and specialty consumer goods. From premium Japanese plum wine and ponzu sauces to advanced building materials and automotive-related products, Standage helps brands find the right overseas partners and customers.

What We Do

Standage provides end-to-end international expansion support, including:

• Overseas market research and strategy planning

• Distributor and partner sourcing

• B2B lead generation and direct outreach

• Negotiation support and deal structuring

• Cross-border trade coordination

• Ongoing sales development and account management

Rather than acting as a simple trading company, Standage positions itself as an inside sales and market-entry partner. The team conducts direct outreach to distributors, retailers, wholesalers, and corporate buyers, helping clients build long-term international partnerships.

Mission and Goal

Standage’s mission is to make global expansion simple, structured, and achievable for ambitious companies. Many small and mid-sized manufacturers have world-class products but lack the resources or network to enter foreign markets. Standage aims to remove that barrier. The company’s goal is to create sustainable cross-border business relationships — not just one-time transactions. By combining Japanese business values of trust, quality, and long-term thinking with proactive global sales strategy, Standage helps brands grow internationally with confidence. At its core, Standage exists to connect strong products with the right markets — and to turn international opportunity into measurable business results.