Program Manager, Product & Brand (Bilingual Japanese & English)

The Pokémon Company International; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 89,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global entertainment company is hiring a Program Manager, Product & Brand in London. This bilingual role requires 4+ years in program management, focusing on brand and product creation. Responsibilities include collaborating with various departments to develop training materials and managing knowledge-sharing initiatives with international teams. The ideal candidate possesses strong communication skills in both English and Japanese. The role offers competitive compensation with a salary range of £59,000 - £70,300 per year.

Benefits

100% employer-paid healthcare premiums

Generous paid family leave

Employer-paid life insurance

Fitness reimbursement

LinkedIn learning

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in program/project management or knowledge management.
• Ability to create compelling presentations and documentation.
• Experience in designing and launching programs in dynamic environments.

Responsibilities

• Partner with departments to document best practices in scalable frameworks.
• Develop training content for brand representation across the organization.
• Manage joint learning opportunities with companies in Japan.

Skills

Program/project management

Knowledge management

Verbal and written communication in English

Business-proficiency in Japanese

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Organizational skills

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Job description

Program Manager, Product & Brand (Bilingual Japanese & English)

London, England, United Kingdom

Get to know The Pokémon Company International. The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

• Job Title: Program Manager, Product & Brand (Bilingual Japanese & English)
• People Manager: No

About the Role

We’re looking for a bilingual, growth-minded professional with a passion for brand, creativity, and operational excellence to join the CPEO (Chief Product & Experience Officer) Office as a Program Manager, Product & Brand. The CPEO Office partners with the Chief Product & Experience Officer to strengthen organizational capabilities that empower the Product & Experience Organization to unleash quality, creativity, and integrity at scale.

In this role, you’ll build and optimize programs and tools centered around brand and product creation that spark creativity across the Product & Experience Organization. In addition, you’ll manage organizational cadences, research market opportunities, support other projects/tasks under CPEO, and collaborate with stakeholders across the U.S., Europe, and Japan to ensure alignment and impact.

What you’ll do

• Partner with departments in the Product & Experience Organization such as Brand Review, Marketing, Licensing, and Events to capture and document transferable expertise and know-how in scalable frameworks (e.g., brand and product playbooks and guides) that empower teams to innovate without reinventing the wheel.
• Collaborate with CPEO and the Director of CPEO Office to design and develop training content that deepens foundational expertise in the Pokémon brand, products, and businesses, enabling authentic and compelling brand representation across the organization.
• Organize and manage joint learning opportunities involving group companies in Japan and Asia to share knowledge, build relationships, and foster global understanding and collaboration.
• Provide program support for incubation-stage initiatives as needed.
• Offer flexible support to CPEO on priority initiatives and ad-hoc tasks, such as researching emerging opportunities and creating presentation materials, to ensure organizational objectives are met.
• Travel occasionally to the Seattle office to collaborate with key stakeholder teams and support on-site programs.

What you’ll bring

• 4+ years of experience in program/project management, knowledge management in a rapidly evolving organization, or equivalent roles within multinational or culturally diverse environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or a demonstrated equivalent level of applicable experience.
• Near-native/fluent level of verbal and written communication skills in English and minimum business-proficiency level in Japanese, with ability to create clear, compelling presentations and documentation.
• Working knowledge of creating, launching and iterating new programs and tools for an organization, combined with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Proven ability to design and launch organization-wide programs from scratch in dynamic environments.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills to manage multiple tasks and deliver high-quality outcomes, with keen attention to detail.
• Ability to manage senior leadership-level communications and stakeholder relationships.
• High learning agility and willingness to grow while contributing to the long-term success of the brand.
• Experience in marketing, product management, brand storytelling or similar roles preferred; exposure to entertainment, media, or global brand-driven industries is a plus.

Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between £59,000.00 - £70,300.00 per year. The full range is £59,000.00 - £89,000.00 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

How you’ll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].