Director of Marketing & Business Development – Australia & Japan

Business-level proficiency in Japanese and English

Agency leadership experience in marketing, advertising or communications

Lead the Growth of Japanese Brands in Australia

ABOUT DOQ

doq is an independent cross-cultural marketing agency that helps Japanese companies and organisations succeed in Australia and selected international markets.

Founded in Sydney in 2009, with operations in Sydney and Tokyo, we provide end-to-end support across market entry, brand and marketing strategy, creative, digital, media, content, research and events.

We have worked with leading brands, tourism organisations and government institutions, including Yakult, Kikkoman, Seiko, Hoshino Resorts and the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Australia and Japan are at the core of our business. As our clients expand internationally, there are also opportunities to contribute to projects in Indonesia, Europe and other global markets.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As doq continues to grow, we are adding a Business Director to strengthen our leadership capability across Australia and Japan.

Working closely with the Group Managing Director and senior team, you will focus on three areas:

• Business growth and senior client partnerships
• Marketing strategy and integrated project leadership
• Team development and delivery excellence

You will own a portfolio of key client relationships and growth initiatives, working with senior decision-makers in Australia and Japan to turn business and marketing challenges into effective cross-cultural solutions.

This is an active, hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys staying close to clients, pitches, projects and the team. We welcome established Business Directors and Group Account Directors, as well as high-performing client or strategy leaders ready to take on a broader commercial remit in an international environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop new business opportunities across Australia and Japan and contribute to a healthy sales pipeline.
• Build trusted relationships with senior clients and identify opportunities to grow selected accounts.
• Lead proposals, competitive pitches, commercial discussions and executive-level client meetings.
• Shape strategic direction across brand, marketing, digital and cross-cultural projects.
• Oversee a portfolio of projects to ensure quality, profitability, effective resourcing and timely delivery.
• Contribute to revenue forecasting, budgeting, pricing and commercial decision-making.
• Coach and develop a multicultural, multidisciplinary team across Australia and Japan.
• Work with the leadership team to strengthen business planning, workflows and ways of working.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for a commercially and strategically minded marketing leader who is equally comfortable shaping direction and supporting delivery.

You will ideally bring:

• Eight or more years of experience in marketing, advertising, communications, consulting or a related field.
• Experience as a Business Director, Group Account Director, Strategy Director, Account Director, Marketing Director or in a comparable client or strategy leadership role.
• Proven experience leading, mentoring and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• A strong track record in business development, senior client management and revenue or account growth.
• Experience developing marketing or brand strategies and leading their execution.
• Commercial acumen, including an understanding of budgeting, forecasting, pricing and project profitability.
• Business-level proficiency in both Japanese and English, with the ability to lead executive-level discussions and presentations in both languages.
• Experience working across different countries, cultures or international client organisations.
• An entrepreneurial, practical and collaborative leadership style.

Experience contributing to P&L, business planning or wider operational decisions would be highly regarded, but is not essential.

Direct experience in the Australian market, particularly supporting Japanese organisations entering or growing in Australia, would be a significant advantage.

LOCATION AND REMUNERATION

Sydney is the preferred location for this position. Sydney-based employees will work under a hybrid arrangement, with approximately three days per week in our Pyrmont office.

We also welcome candidates currently based in Japan who are interested in relocating to Australia and taking on a new international career challenge.

A remote working arrangement from Japan may also be considered for candidates with substantial international business experience, particularly direct knowledge of the Australian market, who can work effectively across Australian and Japanese business hours.

• Employment type: Full-time
• Australia-based total remuneration package: AUD 100,000-160,000 per annum, inclusive of superannuation, depending on experience and capability
• Japan-based remuneration: To be discussed based on experience and employment arrangement
• Visa sponsorship: Available for the right candidate, subject to eligibility

WHY JOIN DOQ

For Sydney-based candidates, this is an opportunity to work directly with leading Japanese brands and senior decision-makers, using your Japanese language skills and understanding of the Japanese market in a commercially focused leadership role.

For Japan-based candidates, this is an opportunity to apply your experience in marketing, client leadership and team development in an Australia-facing business, whether through relocation to Sydney or an eligible remote arrangement from Japan.

You will have meaningful influence across clients, strategy, people and commercial outcomes, with scope to broaden your leadership responsibilities as the business grows. There are also opportunities to contribute to projects in Japan, Indonesia, Europe and other markets.