Product Manager

We are looking to hire one person for either this position or the Product Owner position, also posted on JapanDev. Please refer to both jobs and apply to the one that's relevant to you.

About MakeLeaps

MakeLeaps is a SaaS vendor whose applications streamline invoicing operations for companies and freelancers to save time in growing their business. Founded in 2014, we have operated as a subsidiary of Ricoh since 2018, bolstering its growing portfolio of digital offerings.

At MakeLeaps we prioritize our people, which is reflected in our culture and work style which accommodates flexible work hours and remote work policies.

One of our core values is “embrace diversity and inclusiveness”, and this commitment is evident in the makeup of our team; women and members from countries outside Japan each comprise about half of MakeLeaps employees.

Position overview

As a Product Manager you will be responsible for the definition and delivery of specific product features, as well as taking stewardship of long-term product direction and vision. In this key role you will make an overall impact on MakeLeaps’ business as a bridge between customer-facing stakeholders and developers.

The scope of this role ranges from specific features to the entire product lifecycle. Key deliverables include feature proposals and early-stage designs, roadmaps and business impact.

Main responsibilities

• Define detailed feature requirements, ensuring alignment with product vision
• Act as the voice of the user in technical and UI/UX discussions
• Collaborate with UI/UX designers and developers to create intuitive user interfaces and create early-stage designs around user experience and user journeys
• Lead cross-functional teams (engineering, design, marketing, support, success, sales) to ensure successful product delivery
• Communicate product updates to all stakeholders
• Monitor product performance and iterate based on feedback
• Conduct market research to assess our competition in the market and conceptualize features that customers want to drive product evolution.
• Develop and maintain a product roadmap aligned with business goals

Essential skills & experience

• 3+ years of prior experience as a product manager, product owner or related role in the IT/software industry
• Experience with a complex product that has many features, external integrations, and uses
• Writing and delivering roadmap and product design proposals
• At least business-level spoken and written Japanese, for communication with colleagues, customers and partners
• At least business-level spoken and written English, for communication with internal stakeholders

“Nice to have” skills & experience

• Experience/familiarity with the SaaS industry
• Experience with B2B software products
• Prior experience in a similar role in the Japanese IT market
• Experience in product data analysis
• Understanding of finance, accounting, bookkeeping workflows

Benefits, perks, etc.

• Flexible working hours (with set core hours)
• Work from home policy (with exceptions for certain meetings/events) 
• Commute cost reimbursement
• Standard social and health insurance fully provided
• Annual health checkup provided free of charge
• Monthly allowance of up to ¥5000 for learning and development resources of your choice
• MacBook Air provided
• Casual dress code

Interview process

• Initial screening call with HR
• Interview(s) with Product team
• Interview with Development, Marketing, and Design team members
• Interview with CTO

＊Note: We are looking to hire one person for either this position or the Product Owner position, also advertised on JapanDev. Please check both jobs and apply for the one more relevant to you.