Product Partnerships Lead

Shopify's platform strategy is powered by partnerships. We're hiring a Senior Product Partnerships Lead to recruit and develop strategic technology partners across Japan - one of Shopify's highest-priority international markets. This role will expand merchant choice, support Japan's regional product priorities, and accelerate merchant success by deepening Shopify's footprint in the Japanese commerce and technology ecosystem.
You will build senior relationships with leading Japanese technology companies - including the country's most influential marketplaces, super-apps, payments providers, and SaaS platforms - negotiate complex partnership agreements, and work cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, Sales, Legal, Finance, as well as Partnerships to bring integrations and partnership opportunities to market. Business culture in Japan is deeply relationship-driven, so deep in-market presence and an established network are central to success in this role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Maintain a thriving partner ecosystem through community and executive events.
- Recruit strategic technology partners across Japan, including marketplaces, payments, logistics, marketing, and vertical SaaS leaders.
- Build and steward senior, often executive-level, relationships with leading Japanese technology companies.
- Negotiate complex partnership agreements with senior external stakeholders.
- Assess partners based on merchant impact, product-market fit, market leadership, product alignment, and go-to-market impact.
- Align partnership priorities with Shopify's international product roadmap, and bring the Japan partner perspective into product planning.
- Collaborate with partners to understand merchant use cases, build integrations, and unlock merchant value through deep understanding of partner value propositions.
- Lead cross-functional execution across Product, Marketing, Sales, Legal, Finance, as well as Partnerships
- Co-develop strategic partnership roadmaps to maximise value for Japanese merchants.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Significant experience building and leading partnerships in commerce, technology, or SaaS - with a clear track record.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate and close complex, multi-stakeholder partnership agreements with senior external stakeholders.
- Deep understanding of the Japanese commerce, SaaS, and technology landscape, including local market dynamics, business culture, and decision-making norms.
- Strong understanding of software product integrations and platform APIs.
- Native Japanese, with strong in-market presence and an established network across the Japanese technology ecosystem.
- Able to manage multiple priorities and operate with significant autonomy in a fast-moving, remote environment.
- Exceptional communication, executive stakeholder management, and cross-cultural negotiation skills.
BONUS
- Familiarity with Japan-specific commerce requirements: marketplace ecommerce, advertising, loyalty, payments, domestic logistics.
- Existing relationships with senior leaders across the Japanese ecommerce, marketplace, and SaaS ecosystem.
- Experience working with global software platform companies entering or scaling in Japan.