Payment Operations Product Specialist (Japanese-speaking)

Location: Global

Team: General

About the Role

Wise is a global technology company on a mission to build the best way to move and manage the world’s money with min fees, max ease, and full speed. We're seeking a Payment Operations Product Specialist (Japanese-speaking) to join our APAC team in Tokyo, taking ownership of the Japan market and ensuring our cross-border products are efficient, scalable, and operationally sound. As the bridge between Product, Engineering, and Operations, you'll manage Japan payment schemes end-to-end, drive process improvements, lead high-impact projects, and contribute to strategic initiatives across key APAC markets, directly impacting millions by saving them money. In this role, you'll own technical issue resolution, compliance, risk management, and automation efforts while aligning with broader business goals. With a data-driven approach, you'll define KPIs, prioritise innovations, and act as the go-to expert for escalations. Native Japanese and fluent English are essential to generate reports, coordinate launches, and collaborate seamlessly. Join our diverse, inclusive team to help create a new network for the world's money—for everyone, everywhere.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the Japan Payment Scheme: manage end-to-end maintenance including resolving technical issues, generating reports in Japanese, coordinating new launches, and ensuring scheme compliance and risk
• Align work with Payment Operations and Product domains' strategy to drive efficiency and innovation
• Proactively identify and drive process improvements, focusing on automation and workflow enhancements for scalable payment routes in Japan
• Lead high-impact operational projects from scoping to launch, including assessment, rollout plans, testing, and stakeholder collaboration
• Act as first-level escalation point for risks and issues, mitigating them with cross-functional teams
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for projects and markets to drive data-informed decisions
• Prioritise projects based on team and customer needs for continuous improvement

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years in product operations, process optimization, business analysis, or a related role
• Strong analytical skills and ability to break down complex problems into structured, actionable solutions
• Proven experience managing mid-to-large-scale initiatives from start to finish
• Strong communicator who can influence and align cross-functional teams
• Passion for improving workflows, automation, and operational efficiency
• Native Japanese speaker and fluent in English

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SQL, Looker, or other data analysis tools
• Experience in the payments space, ideally in FinTech and/or Japanese payment market

Required Skills

• Analytical problem-solving
• Project management and execution
• Stakeholder engagement and communication
• Process optimization and automation
• Data analysis and KPI tracking
• Risk and issue management
• Japanese language (native)
• English fluency
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Strategic execution

Benefits

• RSUs (stock options)
• Flexible working
• Mission days and me days
• Paid sabbatical after 4 years
• Health insurance
• Learning budget
• Company retreats
• Wise card

Wise is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse workforce.