Sales Director, Japan

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Regional President of Asia Pacific, the Sales Director, who also serves as the Country Manager of Japan, will own and drive revenue growth for Wolfspeed’s Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductor portfolio across the Japanese market. This strategic leadership role focuses on two primary verticals: Automotive and Industrial & Energy (I&E).

As the primary strategic partner for key OEMs and customers, you will drive the full direct sales cycle and expand the adoption of SiC technology across EV, renewable energy, and industrial markets. To secure long-term design wins and volume production, you will seamlessly orchestrate cross-functional collaboration with global sales, marketing, engineering, and operations teams to deliver comprehensive technical solutions and operational excellence.

This is a high-impact leadership role designed for someone who can bridge technical expertise with strategic business development to secure long-term design wins and market share in Japan.

Responsibilities:

Strategy & Business Ownership

• Define and execute the Japan sales strategy aligned with global objectives and product roadmaps.
• Own revenue growth, design‑win funnel, and long‑term business sustainability for Wolfspeed SiC products in Japan accounts.
• Establish Wolfspeed as a strategic technology partner with leading Japan automotive OEMs & Tier‑1 suppliers and I&E customers

Executive Customer Engagement

• Build and maintain C‑level and senior management relationships at key Japan Automotive and I&E customers.
• Lead strategic discussions on technology roadmaps, platform penetration, supply assurance, and long‑term partnerships.
• Champion Wolfspeed’s value proposition versus global and local competitors.

Commercial & Portfolio Leadership

• Coordinate with Marketing team to drive pricing strategy, commercial frameworks, and long‑term agreements to secure high‑volume automotive and I&E programs.
• Drive portfolio expansion.
• Ensure disciplined opportunity management and forecasting via Salesforce.com.

Cross‑Functional & Global Alignment

• Coordinate global Wolfspeed resources (sales, FAEs, product marketing, R&D, quality, operations) to support Japan customers across development and manufacturing sites.
• Provide market intelligence and customer feedback to influence product definition, investment priorities, and roadmap decisions.
• Internally, collaborate with Wolfspeed’s Distribution Team to ensure alignment on market coverage. Externally, spearhead strategic distributor partnerships to fortify supply chain resilience and operational excellence for high-value key accounts.

Distributor Management

• Manage and optimize distributor relationships and performance. Order fulfillment including for Tier 1 & 2 accounts—is executed through distributors in Japan. Effective management of Distribution is a critical requirement for revenue generation and market coverage

Leadership & Governance

• Provide leadership, mentoring, and direction to Japan automotive and I&E sales team.
• Ensure customer satisfaction, risk management, and execution excellence while meeting Wolfspeed’s commercial and operational objectives.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related disciplines
• Minimum 10 years’ experience on power systems and devices with executive-level customer engagement exposure
• Proven track record of closing strategic, high-value automotive and I&E business
• Strong executive-level negotiation, influence, and communication skills
• Deep understanding of automotive OEM/Tier-1 decision process
• Self-motivator with strong drive to achieve business objectives
• Excellent communication skill in English

Preferred Qualification:

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering or related disciplines
• Experience leading Japan automotive/EV and I&E market expansion
• Strong familiarity with power applications and SiC technology
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in multiple dimensions (region, function, product, customer) and make decision through influence, alignment and collaboration
• Results‑driven, competitive mindset with a focus on long‑term market leadership