Head of Corporate IT

SmartNews is a global leader in redefining information and news discovery, committed to providing users with accurate, timely information and supporting quality journalism. We combine the power of our unique machine-learning technology with the expertise of our first-rate editorial team to bring news that matters to millions of users from our over 3,000 global publishing partners.

Founded in 2012 in Tokyo, Japan, SmartNews has offices in Tokyo, San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York, and Singapore.

The Team

The Corporate IT Group serves a multinational organization with offices in Japan, China, Singapore, and the United States, along with a distributed team of remote employees.  The team’s mission is multifaceted and pivotal to the success of the company's digital operations.

Our primary objective is to use technology and tooling to enable efficient communication, collaboration, and productivity for every member of our organization. We strive to create an environment where technology serves as an enabler rather than an obstacle, empowering our colleagues to achieve their goals with ease and efficiency.

In addition to the standard IT asset, software procurement and desktop functions, SmartNews’ IT group also plays a crucial role in business integration efforts, integrating diverse systems and processes across borders and business units. 

Moreover, we are guardians of digital security for the entire company, using technology and best practices to watch over SmartNews’ sensitive information and assets. By remaining vigilant and proactive in our approach to cybersecurity, we mitigate risks and defend against threats, safeguarding not only SmartNews employees but also the trust and confidence of our stakeholders.

The Corporate Engineering group seeks opportunities to optimize processes, enhance user experience, and drive strategic growth initiatives. By fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning within our team, we position ourselves as drivers of positive change and value creation for the organization.

The Mission

In this role you will drive the strategic direction and ensure the effective execution of IT initiatives across diverse locations and teams. Here's a breakdown of your key responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: You will be the strategic leader for the IT department, aligning technology initiatives with the organization's overall goals and objectives. This involves developing IT strategies, roadmaps, and policies that support business growth, innovation, and operational excellence.
• Team Management: You'll oversee a team of IT professionals across the globe. This includes recruiting, mentoring, and empowering team members to excel in their roles, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: You'll engage with senior management, department heads, and business leaders, to understand technology needs, prioritize projects, and communicate IT strategies and initiatives effectively. As a multicultural organization, it is imperative that you build strong relationships and foster open communication channels.
• Technology Infrastructure: You'll be responsible for maintaining and optimizing the organization's technology infrastructure, including networks, servers, systems, and software applications. This involves overseeing design, implementation, and maintenance activities to ensure reliability, scalability, and security.
• Cybersecurity and Compliance: You'll lead efforts to protect the organization's digital assets and sensitive information from cyber threats and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards. This includes implementing robust cybersecurity measures, conducting regular risk assessments, and fostering a culture of security awareness among employees.
• Business Integration and Innovation: You'll play a key role in facilitating business integration efforts, leveraging technology to streamline processes, harmonize systems, and drive synergies across business units and geographic locations. Additionally, you'll promote a culture of innovation within the IT department, encouraging experimentation with emerging technologies and driving initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and competitiveness.
• Vendor Management and Budget Oversight: You'll oversee vendor relationships and contracts, ensuring the selection of reliable vendors and the negotiation of favorable terms. Additionally, you'll work with leadership to help manage the IT budget, allocating resources effectively to support strategic priorities while optimizing costs and maximizing ROI.

Overall, as the Head of IT, your role is to lead and inspire your team to deliver excellence in technology solutions and services, driving innovation, efficiency, and business value across the organization's global footprint.

Role and Responsibilities

• IT Strategic Plan: Develop and implement a comprehensive IT strategic plan aligned with the organization's overall business objectives. This plan should outline the technology roadmap, priorities, and initiatives that will drive innovation, efficiency, and competitiveness across the organization.
• Cybersecurity Framework: Establish and maintain a robust cybersecurity framework to protect the organization's digital assets and sensitive information from cyber threats. This includes implementing security policies, controls, and technologies, as well as conducting regular risk assessments and security audits to ensure compliance and readiness.
• Stakeholder satisfaction: Oversee the optimization of the organization's business application technology, and integrations, including multiple cloud services. This involves assessing current capabilities, working with Stakeholders to prioritize opportunities for improvement and implement solutions to deliver performance, scalability, and reliability while reducing duplication, maximizing ROI and maintaining interdepartmental SLAs.
• Innovation Initiatives: Lead initiatives to foster a culture of innovation within the IT department and across the organization. This involves exploring emerging technologies, identifying opportunities for technological innovation, and driving projects to pilot and implement innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency, customer experiences, and competitive advantage.
• Vendor Management and Cost Optimization: Manage vendor relationships and contracts to ensure the selection of reliable vendors and the negotiation of favorable terms. Additionally, oversee the IT budget, allocating resources effectively to support strategic priorities while optimizing costs.

Minimum requirements

• Must be able to communicate in both Japanese and English at business proficiency level.

• Leadership Experience: Proven experience in a leadership role within IT, demonstrating the ability to lead and inspire teams dispersed across multiple locations and cultures. Strong leadership skills, including strategic thinking, decision-making, and conflict resolution, are crucial for success in this role.
• Strategic Planning and Execution: A track record of developing and executing IT strategies aligned with business goals and objectives. Experience in translating organizational priorities into actionable technology initiatives, and driving the implementation of complex projects to achieve strategic outcomes.
• Technical Proficiency: Deep understanding of IT infrastructure, systems, and technologies, including networks, servers, cloud services, cybersecurity, and enterprise applications. Experience in overseeing the design, implementation, and maintenance of technology solutions at scale, with a focus on reliability, scalability, and security
• Cybersecurity Expertise: Strong knowledge of cybersecurity principles, best practices, and compliance frameworks. Experience in developing and implementing cybersecurity requirements, policies, and controls to protect digital assets and mitigate cyber threats across the organization.
• Change Management and Business Integration: Experience in leading change management initiatives and business integration efforts. Ability to navigate complex organizational structures, cultures, and stakeholder dynamics to facilitate seamless technology integration and drive operational synergies.
• Vendor Management and Financial Acumen: Experience in selecting and managing technology vendors, negotiating contracts, and optimizing costs to maximize ROI and value for the organization.
• Communication and Collaboration: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Experience in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with internal and external partners, fostering a culture of teamwork, trust, and transparency within the IT department and across the organization.

Nice to have experiences/skills

• Global Perspective: Experience working in multinational organizations or managing IT operations in diverse cultural and geographical settings, particularly Japan. An understanding of global business dynamics, regulations, and market trends, with the ability to adapt strategies and initiatives to local contexts while maintaining alignment with overarching organizational goals.
• Talent Development and Succession Planning: Previous experience in talent development and succession planning within the IT department, with a focus on building a diverse and inclusive team of skilled professionals capable of meeting current and future business needs. Experience in mentorship, coaching, and career development initiatives to foster a culture of learning and growth. 

Working condition

• Office Location: Tokyo

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• Annual health check covered by the company 
• Visa sponsorship and overseas relocation support available for eligible candidates

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