---
title: 'Head of Markets Strategy & Operations, Japan at Spotify'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-markets-strategy-operations-japan-spotify-tokyo-e1j155b5gbhh'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-07'
---

# Head of Markets Strategy & Operations, Japan at Spotify

- **Company:** Spotify
- **Location:** Tokyo, Japan
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-15
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/spotify/f1a0bdaa-a6c6-4020-bdd3-4cb195c40747

## Job description

The Markets team is responsible for managing Spotify’s regions and their performance across all business-relevant metrics. Our team consists of regional Managing Directors and Market Strategy & Operation Managers (MSO).  We are looking for a strategic, analytically-driven and open-minded character to support our efforts in Japan. As Head of Market Strategy and Operations, you will be responsible for strategic direction based on business analysis and insights; business planning; regional operating processes; and managing cross-functional projects by building strong relationships across the company. In this position, you will work closely with global stakeholder, local functional leadership and report to the Managing Director, Japan

## What You'll Do

Problem Solving and Strategic Projects:

- Pairing with the MD as a thought partner to chart regional strategy and initiatives
- Evaluating and executing strategic market opportunities - identifying and recommending “bets” for growth and differentiation with an entrepreneurial mindset
- Identifying and solving operational problems on a tactical level with practical and creative approaches
- Stepping in and executing alongside or in place of functions when needed

Business Planning:

- Working with the Managing Director, Japan and functional leads to formulate local strategy in line with Spotify’s overall global strategy
- Owning and adapting the regional planning process and framework
- Ensuring that the plan takes into account all necessary local and global functions and addresses both local challenges and global priorities

Business Reviews and Reporting:

- Tracking the performance of key market metrics
- Owning the process, framework, and output of market analysis and business reviews, tracking of regional budgets and initiatives as part of the business plan
- Monitoring and gathering insight on competitor activities

Operating Processes:

- Driving operations for the region by building efficiency, removing obstacles and improving processes
- Providing the functions with the insights and knowledge needed to drive decisions and define strategy
- Ensuring communication and alignment between all functions, including Music, Podcasts, Marketing, Growth, Finance, Ad Sales, PR, and HR
- Communicating and aligning with global stakeholders, including but not limited to the Global functions in Markets & Subscriptions

## Who You Are

- A minimum of 8-12+ years work experience, including an early or growth stage internet company and/or top-tier management consultancy, and experience working with an international team
- Passionate and have a deep understanding of the technology and music spaces
- Familiar with Japanese popular culture, the Japanese business landscape and Japanese consumer behavior
- Thought leader with proven results demonstrating business judgment
- General business skills, equally comfortable analyzing data, coordinating internal projects, speaking to partners, or negotiating a deal
- Organized, process-driven strategic thinker with an understanding of planning and budgeting
- Analytical expert, developing and interpreting deep data analysis and presenting rigorous analysis and insights with simplicity, clarity, and confidence
- Rapid and effective decision-making skills
- Ability to learn new concepts, technologies, and businesses quickly and to produce quality work in short time-frames
- Outstanding communication skills:
- Speaking and presenting in front of groups, building concise and illustrative presentations
- Writing succinct but detailed memos and briefs
- Confident, friendly, supportive verbal manner and inquiry
- Ability to manage internal stakeholders and align teams even with diverse levels of seniority and tenure
- Genuine, confident, flexible, and fun attitude
- You thrive from working in a constantly-changing but always-exciting environment!
- Bilingual in English and Japanese

Where You'll Be

- This role is based in Tokyo
- We offer you the flexibility to work where you work best! There will be some in person meetings, but still allows for flexibility to work from home

## About Spotify

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Spotify is the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service, connecting users to over 100 million tracks, 7 million podcast titles, and 700,000 audiobooks across 184 markets.
- **Entity Type**: Public (NYSE: SPOT)
- **Headquarters**: Stockholm, Sweden
- **Founded**: 2006
- **Founders**: Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Audio streaming and digital media
- Target customers: B2C (consumers via Free and Premium tiers) and B2B (advertisers, artists, and labels through Spotify Advertising and Spotify for Artists)
- Mission: "To deliver creativity to the world—one note, one voice, one idea at a time."

## Products & Services
- **Spotify Free**: Ad-supported streaming of music, podcasts, and audiobooks
- **Spotify Premium**: Subscription tier with offline mode, improved sound quality, and ad-free listening
- **Spotify for Artists**: Analytics, promotion, and monetization tools for creators
- **Spotify Advertising**: Programmatic and self-serve ad platform for brands
- **Audiobooks**: Catalog of 700,000+ audiobook titles (market entry in 2022)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed in available sources; stock price reported at USD 391.23 (as of 2024-10-29)
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue EUR 17.2B; 777 million monthly users including 300 million subscribers (per Spotify Newsroom). Note: LinkedIn company data lists 365M users/165M subscribers — conflicting reports, likely reflecting an older snapshot.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Series A of USD 21.6M with 5 investors (2008); debt financing of USD 1.0B (2016); convertible notes in 2016 and 2021. Key acquisitions include Sonantic (2022), Mediachain (2017), and Tunigo (2013).
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew +14.2% YoY to 8,921 employees; 9 offices across 4 countries; expansion into audiobooks; 300M+ paying subscribers.

## Competitive Advantages
- Scale: largest audio streaming subscriber base globally
- Data and AI personalization: mature recommendation engines and AI-driven discovery
- Multi-format audio ecosystem: music, podcasts, and audiobooks in a single app
- Strong brand recognition and deep creator relationships

## Strategic Focus
- AI-powered personalization and generative audio tools
- Audiobook market expansion
- Podcast ecosystem growth
- Creator monetization and artist tools

## Why Work Here
- Employer rating 4.0/5.0 from 2,155 reviews (Work-Life: 4.2, Compensation: 3.9, Culture: 4.0, Career: 3.5)
- **Work

## Other roles at Spotify

- [Staff Backend Engineer - Content Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-backend-engineer-content-platform-spotify-london-xsqzks8bz5e5) — London, United Kingdom
- [Account Executive - Commercial, Spotify Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/account-executive-commercial-spotify-technology-spotify-london-6yqgfwkp7wmb) — London, United Kingdom
- [Machine Learning Engineer - Subscriptions](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-engineer-subscriptions-spotify-london-fbsgsbqz0vrg) — London, United Kingdom
- [Revenue Operations Manager - Spotify Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/revenue-operations-manager-spotify-technology-spotify-london-ej8253p31kdw) — London, United Kingdom
- [Account Executive - Commercial, Spotify Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/account-executive-commercial-spotify-technology-spotify-toronto-grwrwr66166c) — Toronto, Canada
- [Account Executive - Commercial, Spotify Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/account-executive-commercial-spotify-technology-spotify-new-york-pevmeqk7rnpx) — New York, NY
- [Account Executive - Enterprise, Spotify Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/account-executive-enterprise-spotify-technology-spotify-new-york-4h9yk83y7b84) — New York, NY
- [Sales Manager, Enterprise — Spotify Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/sales-manager-enterprise-spotify-technology-spotify-new-york-0br7nv5gafx8) — New York, NY
- [Senior Product Manager - Spotify Connect](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-product-manager-spotify-connect-spotify-london-4sb8kecz5rbz) — London, United Kingdom
- [Principal Product Manager - TV & Desktop](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-product-manager-tv-desktop-spotify-london-q7y8rs12xh4s) — London, United Kingdom