- Lead the national strategy for iconic environmental advocacy NPO in Japan
- Join the regional leadership team & global network to protect nature
- Tokyo-based, excellent Japanese language skills & English fluency required
The Organisation
Greenpeace is one of the world’s most recognised environmental organisations, operating in more than 55 countries, with a mission to defend the natural world and promote peace. Independent and non-profit, Greenpeace uses peaceful direct action, lobbying, and creative communications to expose environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential for a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace has 3 million supporters worldwide.
Greenpeace East Asia (GPEA) spans operations across the region and is led by a Senior Management Team that provides executive leadership and strategic direction. The Japan office partners closely with this network, deeply embedded in Japanese society and engaged in campaigns that matter on both a national and global scale.
For more on Greenpeace, visit https://www.greenpeace.org/
Benefits & Culture
- Lead a high-impact team within one of the world’s most iconic environmental brands.
- Sit on the East Asia Senior Management Team and work closely with the global Greenpeace network.
- Opportunity to drive systemic change through campaigns, fundraising, and stakeholder influence.
- Competitive compensation and benefits with some domestic and international travel.
- Flexible hybrid workplace and generous regular paid sabbatical leave.
- Excellent or highly proficient Japanese plus good English language skills are essential.
The Role
Reporting to the GPEA Executive Director, the Country Director provides effective leadership, vision, and management of the Greenpeace office in Japan. As a member of the GPEA Senior Management Team, this role carries executive responsibility for the organisation’s strategy and performance, with a focus on campaigns or fundraising, programs, people and culture, leadership, and external representation.
The Country Director shapes and executes the Japan strategy and plays an active role in the global Greenpeace network. Other key responsibilities include:
- Leading development and delivery of campaigns or fundraising programs, including major donor fundraising.
- Overseeing and cultivating Greenpeace Japan’s organisational culture, building staff capability, and cross-departmental collaboration.
- Effectively representing Greenpeace Japan externally and building strategic alliances with external stakeholders.
- Overseeing risk management and ensuring compliance with legal, HR, health and safety, and international best practice requirements.
- Participation in the Senior Management Team and Board meetings by leading strategic regional projects and initiatives.
Skills Required
A proven senior leader in Japan with a global mindset and experience in a comparable organisation, you bring a track record of strategic leadership. You have strong expertise in either successful advocacy campaigns, which have influenced real world change, or you have proven fundraising expertise, which has included growing a supporter base and major donors.
With the ability to inspire, motivate and lead diverse teams, you have a deep understanding of Japanese politics, society and culture, and the communication and marketing acumen to build an organisation which is strongly supported by Japanese society. If you do not have environmental expertise and/or knowledge, you are supportive of the Greenpeace mission and peaceful direct-action approach. You also offer:
- Effective strategic planning, project management and evaluation skills, with the ability to analyse trends and adapt strategies accordingly.
- Strong staff development; culture and collaboration-building experience; operating within Greenpeace values.
- Evidenced understanding of the strategies needed to influence Japanese culture, politics, and society.
- Excellent or highly proficient written and verbal Japanese and good English language skills (essential).
If working towards a greener Japan at this critical moment aligns with your career objectives, and you meet the skills and experience required, please submit your English resume and cover letter addressing the skills required, quoting reference #1440488. To request a full information package please email: officeadministrator@ngorecruitment.com (no applications here please).
Please note there is no formal closing date for this role, if you are interested, we would encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
NGO Recruitment values equitable recruitment practices and is committed to representing candidates reflective of the diverse organisations and communities we work with. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds, ages, and identities, and are happy to adjust our recruitment process to support accessibility needs. If you are interested in this position and have most of the skills or experience we are looking for, please go ahead and apply.
