Business Development Manager - Japan
Xsolla is a video game commerce company that provides a suite of tools and services—including merchant of record payment processing, tax management, fraud prevention, compliance, refunds, dispute management, and end-user support—to help game developers and publishers launch, grow, and monetize their games globally. It serves video game developers, publishers, and studios of all sizes across global and regional markets.
About Xsolla
Xsolla connects the tools, systems, payments, and web shops used by the video games industry, positioning itself as a global merchant of record supporting over 1,000 payment methods and a cumulative audience of 50 million, with transaction fees around 5%. Its services include tax management, fraud monitoring and prevention, global and regional regulatory compliance, refund and dispute management, and end-user payment support. Xsolla's product lineup includes the Xsolla SDK for native in-app payments on side-loaded apps and alternative app stores, a Buy Button enabling link-out purchases from iOS mobile games in the U.S., and Web Shop for building customized, direct-to-consumer game storefronts. The company works with major gaming industry partners and clients such as Mytona, Ubisoft, MARVEL SNAP, and others, and highlights partner success stories, industry events, and its own culture and hiring initiatives on its site.
Skills
About the Role
You will identify, develop, and lead strategic business opportunities with game developers, publishers, and payment partners in Japan. You will build strong relationships with key decision-makers at top-tier game studios and publishers, acting as a trusted advisor and primary point of contact. You will drive revenue growth and expand presence in the Japanese market through tailored solutions and strategic partnerships, lead negotiations for high-value deals, and collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product, Legal, Finance, and Marketing. You will monitor market trends and competitor activity to refine growth strategies, represent the company at major industry events and conferences in Japan and APAC, and communicate value propositions to a wide range of stakeholders from C-level executives to technical counterparts.
Requirements
- 3+ years of experience in business development or strategic partnerships in the payments and/or gaming industry
- Excellent negotiation skills and experience closing complex, high-value deals
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills in both Japanese and English
- Strong organizational capabilities and ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- Passion for gaming, digital commerce, and innovative technologies
- Willingness to travel within Japan and internationally (up to 30%)
- Hands-on experience with tools such as Salesforce, Jira, Confluence, and other CRM or project management platforms
- Familiarity with cross-border payment infrastructure and compliance frameworks
- Experience in high-growth or start-up environments, preferably with a global focus
- Ability to define KPIs and use data to drive decision-making and business performance
- Strategic mindset with problem-solving capabilities and a bias for action
- Deep understanding of digital payments, local market dynamics, and monetization strategies in Japan
- Strong industry network across gaming and fintech ecosystems
Responsibilities
- Identify, develop, and lead strategic business opportunities with game developers, publishers, and payment partners in Japan
- Cultivate and manage strong relationships with key decision-makers at top-tier game studios and publishers
- Drive revenue growth and expand footprint in the Japanese market through tailored solutions and strategic partnerships
- Act as a primary liaison for partners, delivering consultative support and leveraging the ecosystem to solve client challenges
- Lead negotiations for high-value deals, ensuring alignment with long-term business goals
- Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams including Product, Legal, Finance, and Marketing to ensure seamless execution of partner strategies
- Monitor and analyze market trends, competitor activity, and partner performance to refine growth strategies and identify new opportunities
- Represent the company at major industry events, conferences, and networking forums in Japan and APAC
- Articulate and evangelize the value proposition to a wide range of stakeholders, from C-level executives to technical counterparts