Compliance Director – Business Partnering, Planning & Operations, Japan

Job Purpose:

Serve as the senior Compliance business partner and trusted advisor to GSK Japan’s Business Units (BUs), promoted-brand teams and functional leaders, while leading the planning and operational excellence of the Japan Compliance function. The role enables fast, risk-informed decisions at the point of business need by embedding Compliance early into brand planning, launches, HCP engagement and promotional/information-provision activities, and by translating MHLW, PMD Act, JPMA and GSK written standards into practical business guidance.

It converts enterprise and local risk priorities into an integrated Compliance plan and ensures disciplined, inspection-ready execution through clear governance, preventive controls, data-driven insights, simplified processes and continuous improvement.

The role leads two direct reports covering enterprise risk management, audits and Independent Business Monitoring (IBM), Privacy, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption (ABAC), and the third-party risk management framework, and strengthens a values-based, Speak Up culture — positioning Compliance as a strategic advisor rather than only a control function.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the senior Compliance business partner and advisor to BU Heads, promoted-brand teams and functional leaders, providing real-time, pragmatic, risk-based guidance on strategies, launches, campaigns and HCP engagement while preserving independent challenge.
• Embed Compliance early into brand strategy, business planning, speaker programs and promotional/information-provision activities, translating MHLW Guidelines, PMD Act advertising requirements, JPMA standards and GSK written standards into clear “how-to-comply” solutions.
• Translate GSK enterprise Compliance priorities and Japan business risks into an integrated annual Compliance plan, roadmap and governance calendar, with clear outcomes, owners, milestones and resource priorities.
• Own the Japan enterprise risk management cycle and RMCB agenda, including risk identification, assessment, mitigation planning, reporting, timely escalation to the Head of Japan Compliance and JLT, and follow-through on agreed management actions.
• Design, embed and continuously improve the Internal Control Framework and Compliance operations, emphasizing prevention and early-warning indicators while simplifying and standardizing processes, reporting and documentation to improve speed, consistency and audit readiness.
• Serve as the primary Compliance coordination point for Audit & Assurance reviews and IBM, and lead root-cause analysis and proportionate CAPA with accountable owners, evidence-based closure and effectiveness checks that withstand inspection.
• Oversee implementation and continuous improvement of the Privacy, ABAC and third-party risk management frameworks, including risk-based due diligence, contracting and control expectations, business-owner oversight, monitoring, escalation and remediation.
• Establish a Compliance performance and insights framework using KPIs, KRIs, monitoring results, audit findings and investigations, partnering with IBM, the Supervisory Division, Legal, HR and Investigations to identify trends and feed lessons learned back into the business.
• Coordinate implementation of global and above-country Compliance initiatives in Japan and deliver targeted training, coaching and communications on the GSK Code of Conduct and key risks, ensuring adoption and documented evidence of execution.
• Lead and develop two direct reports across (1) enterprise risk management, audits and IBM and (2) Privacy, ABAC and third-party risk management, building a high-performing, service-oriented team and a Speak Up culture of transparency, psychological safety and accountable risk ownership.

Breadth/ Scope of Accountability:

• Japan-wide accountability for Compliance business partnering, planning and operations across Business Units, promoted brands and enabling functions, covering the end-to-end commercial and information-provision lifecycle and enterprise visibility of significant ethics and compliance risks.
• Advises and influences senior leaders and governance bodies without direct commercial ownership, through evidence-based advice, transparent escalation and practical risk mitigation; business and functional leaders retain ownership of their activities, risks and controls.
• Leads two direct reports and works across Commercial, Medical, Material Excellence, the Speaker Program CoE, global and regional Compliance specialists, Audit & Assurance, Legal, Finance, Procurement, HR and relevant business risk owners.
• Accountable for the quality, timeliness and defensibility of Compliance advice, plans, RMCB inputs and risk reporting, audit and IBM coordination, Privacy, ABAC and third-party risk oversight, CAPA discipline and operational improvement.
• Trusted with highly confidential and sensitive information and expected to exercise sound judgement, maintain independence and escalate significant concerns without delay.
• Number of Direct Reports: 2

*Future scope of job and working location will be determined by company.

Knowledge/ Education/ Previous Experience Required:

A. Educational Background

• Minimum Level of Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience
• Area of Specialization: Compliance, law, audit, finance, risk management, business, life sciences, pharmacy or a related discipline
• Why is this level required: The role requires interpretation of complex regulatory requirements, enterprise risk judgement, operational leadership and credible, practical advice to senior business leaders.
• Preferred Level of Education: Postgraduate degree or relevant professional qualification
• Preferred Area of Specialization: Compliance, legal, regulatory, audit, accountancy, business administration or risk management
• Why preferred: Additional depth supports strategic business partnering, enterprise leadership and senior-level influence.

B. Job-Related Experience

• Typically 10 or more years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical/healthcare compliance, ethics, audit, legal, regulatory, risk management or governance in a regulated, multinational environment, including a track record of value-added business partnering; equivalent depth may be considered.
• Demonstrated ability to advise and influence senior commercial, medical and functional leaders, balancing enablement of business performance with independent challenge.
• Strong practical experience in enterprise risk management, internal control frameworks, RMCB/governance processes, audit or assurance coordination, monitoring, issue management and evidence-based CAPA and remediation.
• Working knowledge of Privacy, ABAC and third-party risk management, including risk-based due diligence, oversight, monitoring, escalation and remediation.
• Proven people leadership and talent-development experience in a highly matrixed, multicultural organization, with a track record of delivering cross-functional change or operational improvement.

C. Other Job-Related Skills/ Background

• Strong working knowledge of Japan pharmaceutical compliance expectations — MHLW Guideline for Product Information Provision Activities, PMD Act advertising requirements, JPMA standards — and the ability to apply GSK written standards and enterprise frameworks in the local context.
• Excellent business acumen, strategic planning and prioritization skills, with the ability to differentiate significant from less-significant risks and offer pragmatic, proactive mitigations.
• Excellent operational excellence and continuous-improvement capability, including process simplification, governance design, disciplined execution and change management.
• Strong analytical capability and confidence using data, KPIs, KRIs, monitoring analytics and assurance insights to anticipate risk, support decisions and demonstrate program effectiveness.
• Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation, negotiation, problem-solving and conflict-management skills, with the confidence to influence and challenge senior leaders constructively.
• Strong people leadership, coaching and capability-building skills, with an inclusive approach that promotes accountability, collaboration and high performance.
• High integrity, independence, resilience and sound judgement; a preventive mindset, courage to escalate, and the ability to manage sensitive matters, ambiguity and competing priorities with confidentiality.
• Clear written and verbal communication in Japanese (native level) and English (business level), sufficient to lead local and above-country discussions, review complex materials and communicate clear decisions.
• Comfort with digital tools, workflow automation, analytics and responsible use of approved AI solutions to prevent risk and improve Compliance effectiveness and operational efficiency.

*Legal right to work in Japan.

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Selection Process

• Application Screening
• Two to Three Interviews
• Background Check

Work Location:
GlaxoSmithKline K.K.
Akasaka Intercity AIR, 1-8-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Employment Type: Full-time (Permanent)

Bonus: Eligible (once per year)

Salary Review: Eligible (once per year)

Commuting Allowance: Provided

Insurance Coverage: Eligible for social insurance benefits

Annual Paid Leave: Eligible

Probation Period: 3 months

Working Arrangement: Flexible working hours (Flextime system)

Remote Work: Available (up to 2 days per week)

Skills

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale.

People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing equal opportunities for all applicants. We embrace an agile working culture across our roles, so if flexibility is important to you please discuss opportunities with our hiring team. If you need any adjustments to the recruitment process to help you demonstrate your strengths and capabilities, contact APACRecruitment.Adjustments@gsk.com. Please note this email is for adjustment requests only; for other enquiries please use our standard contact channels.

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We are a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to impact the health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together. Find out more on our career site.