Senior Business Development Manager, Japan

• Location: Tokyo, Japan

• Department: B2B Revenue

• Report to: Managing Director, Japan

About Us

ELSA is a global leader in AI-powered English communication training, dedicated to transforming how people learn and speak English with confidence. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in San Francisco, we operate across the U.S., Vietnam, Portugal, Indonesia, Brazil and Japan.

Powered by proprietary speech-recognition technology and generative AI, ELSA delivers real-time, hyper-personalized feedback to help learners improve pronunciation, fluency, and overall communication effectiveness. With over 50 million learners and 1 billion hours of anonymized speech data, ELSAs depth of language training intelligence is unmatched in the industry.

Our B2B flagship platforms ELSA Enterprise and ELSA Schools empower organizations and educational institutions to elevate communication capabilities and unlock personal and professional opportunities for their people. We design engaging, bite-sized learning experiences that adapt to each learner's goals and context, ensuring measurable improvement and lasting confidence.

Our vision is to become the global standard for real-time English communication training, enabling 1.5 billion language learners worldwide to speak clearly, be understood, and share their stories with the world.

Backed by world-class investors including Googles Gradient Ventures, Monks Hill Ventures, and SOSV, ELSA has been recognized among the top global AI innovators:

• Forbes Top 4 Companies Using AI to Transform the World

• Research Sniper Top 5 Best AI Apps

• ASU+GSV EdTech 150

• CB Insights Top 100 AI Companies

Join us in shaping the future of language learning and empowering millions to unlock opportunity through confident communication.
Role Summary
We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven (Senior) Business Development Manager (Individual Contributor) to spearhead our expansion into the Enterprise market for our cutting-edge AI English speaking and learning solutions. As a Business Development member in our team youll have the opportunity to foster your career path with the growth of a startup from Silicon Valley. Our product has the tremendous potential to transform the Japanese domestic entity to a globally opened, collaborative and competitive one with improving employees English skills and changing their mindset. Our startup culture will bring you chance and challenge, you will never have a boring day with ELSA.
Key Responsibilities

• Develop a robust pipeline of opportunities with potential B2B clients

• Present our company to potential clients

• Identify client needs and suggest appropriate solutions

• Collaborate with product team and customer success team to deliver customized product solutions and satisfactory services

• Build long-term trusting relationships with clients

• Proactively seek new business opportunities in the market to contribute to short-term, medium-term, long term growth.

• Build and optimize in-house best practices for business development

• Report weekly/monthly/quarterly results

What You Will Have

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Business, Economics, or a related field. MBA is a plus

• 5+ years experience with track record in Business Development or similar roles

• Proven ability to develop and deliver engaging sales presentations

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, networking skills

• English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing (TOEIC 800+ or equivalent)

Preferred qualifications:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to understand client needs and propose effective solutions

• Work experience at the high-growth international companies

• Work experience with HR customers

• Work experience with large enterprise companies

• Engaging experience with high level stakeholders
  

Why you'll love working here:

• Competitive compensation with hot bonus per month.

• Working hour: 9AM-6PM Monday to Friday. Hybrid working.

• 15 days of annual leave and 5 days of sick leave.

• ELSA Premium account.

• Fun energetic team; international and collaborative culture.

• Experience the true spirit of a fast growing and well funded Silicon Valley startup.