Managing Director – Corporate Strategy & Administration

Pasona N A, Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Visa sponsorship

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

Pasona N A, Inc. is seeking a senior executive to lead its U.S. corporate administration and management functions from Torrance. The role involves acting as a strategic partner to the President and guiding executives across finance, IT, HR, and operations.

The candidate will coordinate with Japan headquarters and international stakeholders, while shaping governance, risk management, and organizational growth. Strong cross-border experience preferred.

Qualifications

• Business-level or native-level Japanese and professional English communication skills.
• Significant business experience in corporate management, finance, accounting, administration, corporate planning, or a related leadership function.
• Demonstrated ability to understand business models, financial statements, organizational issues, and management risks.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to organize complex information and develop logical, practical solutions.
• Experience managing or coordinating multiple corporate functions.
• Ability to work effectively with headquarters in Japan and a locally hired U.S. management team.
• Visa sponsorship may be provided to the right candidate.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to the President.
• Coordinate communication among U.S. organization, headquarters in Japan, and other international stakeholders.
• Provide executive oversight of general administration and corporate‑support activities.
• Oversee IT strategy and enterprise-system initiatives for the U.S. organization.
• Review financial statements, budgets, forecasts, and management reports.
• Identify opportunities to improve organizational efficiency and risk management.

Skills

Executive leadership

Financial analysis

Cross-border collaboration

Strategic planning

Japanese & English

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/finance

Tools

ERP systems

IT strategy

Enterprise systems

Job description

Location: Torrance, California (Preferred) or Chicago, Illinois

Work Arrangement: Full-Time, On-Site

Working Hours: Monday–Friday, generally 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Base Salary: $150,000–$250,000, depending on experience and qualifications

Reports To: President

Confidential Executive Search

A well-established Japanese-affiliated company is conducting a confidential search for a senior executive to lead its corporate administration and management functions in the United States.

This position will serve as a key strategic partner to the President and provide leadership across the company’s corporate and administrative functions. The selected executive will succeed a long-serving expatriate leader who currently oversees a broad range of responsibilities, including executive management, general administration, information technology, human resources, accounting, finance, and organizational coordination.

The company is open to candidates currently based in either the United States or Japan. Direct U.S. work experience is preferred but not required. Candidates with previous expatriate experience are especially welcome.

Position Summary

The Managing Director will act as a senior business leader and trusted advisor to the President, helping translate corporate objectives into practical business decisions and organizational actions.

This position will oversee and coordinate several corporate functions, including:

• Executive and organizational management
• General administration
• Information technology
• Human resources
• Accounting and financial management
• Credit review, treasury, and financial risk management

The successful candidate is not expected to be a technical expert in every functional area. However, they must possess strong overall business acumen, sound financial judgment, and the ability to understand complex business issues, organize information logically, and guide functional managers toward effective solutions.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established or high-potential executive currently working as a CFO, Deputy CFO, CAO, Corporate Planning leader, or senior administrative executive within a small to mid-sized internationally operated company.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Management and Business Leadership

• Serve as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to the President.
• Support company-wide decision-making, organizational planning, and the execution of business priorities.
• Provide mature, balanced leadership across the organization.
• Evaluate business issues from financial, operational, organizational, and risk‑management perspectives.
• Translate broad management objectives into logical and actionable business plans.
• Coordinate communication among the U.S. organization, headquarters in Japan, and other international stakeholders.
• Help strengthen the company’s management structure and develop future leadership capabilities.
• Promote effective collaboration among functional leaders and local team members.

Corporate Administration

• Provide executive oversight of general administration and corporate‑support activities.
• Ensure that internal policies, contracts, approvals, corporate records, and administrative processes are managed appropriately.
• Partner with Human Resources and other department leaders on organizational and employee‑related matters.
• Promote effective communication and collaboration across offices and departments.
• Establish practical management processes appropriate for the U.S. organization while meeting global governance standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve organizational efficiency, accountability, and internal communication.

Information Technology and Systems Strategy

• Oversee the company’s IT function and provide leadership to the local IT team.
• Serve as a communication bridge between the local U.S. IT organization and Japan‑based stakeholders.
• Support the evaluation, planning, and implementation of future enterprise‑system initiatives.
• Lead management discussions regarding the modernization or replacement of business and accounting systems.
• Ensure that technology investments align with business needs, internal controls, global standards, and long‑term operational strategy.
• Facilitate communication between Japanese‑speaking stakeholders and English‑speaking local IT professionals.
• Familiarity with ERP, accounting, or business‑management systems is highly desirable.

Finance, Accounting, and Risk Management

• Provide executive‑level oversight of the accounting and finance functions in partnership with the senior accounting leader.
• Review financial statements, balance sheets, cash flow, budgets, forecasts, and management reports.
• Apply sound financial judgment to business investments, potential acquisitions, capital decisions, and organizational risks.
• Support credit review, treasury management, financial controls, and compliance activities.
• Evaluate the financial implications of strategic initiatives and provide clear recommendations to the President and headquarters.
• Ensure accurate and timely communication of financial and operational matters to senior management.
• Provide financial and business insight without being limited to traditional accounting responsibilities.

Organizational Transition

• Work closely with the current executive during an extended transition and knowledge‑transfer period.
• Develop a strong understanding of the company’s history, organizational relationships, internal processes, and global requirements.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen management processes and prepare the organization for its next stage of leadership.
• Build the internal relationships necessary to provide stable, long‑term executive leadership.
• Ensure continuity across key corporate and administrative functions throughout the leadership transition.

Qualifications

• Business‑level or native‑level Japanese and professional English communication skills are required.
• Significant business experience in corporate management, finance, accounting, administration, corporate planning, or a related leadership function.
• Demonstrated ability to understand business models, financial statements, organizational issues, and management risks.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to organize complex information and develop logical, practical solutions.
• Experience managing or coordinating multiple corporate functions.
• Ability to work effectively with headquarters in Japan and a locally hired U.S. management team.
• Strong executive presence, interpersonal maturity, sound judgment, and the ability to earn trust across different levels of the organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience with a Japanese‑affiliated company or international corporate organization is highly desirable.
• Industry‑specific experience is helpful but not required.
• CPA or advanced technical accounting expertise is not required; however, candidates must be comfortable analyzing financial statements and evaluating the financial impact of investments or M&A activities.
• Experience with IT strategy, ERP implementation, or enterprise‑system transformation is strongly preferred.
• Candidates currently working in Japan will also be considered.
• Visa sponsorship may be provided to the right candidate.

Expatriate and Cross‑Border Experience

Candidates with previous expatriate experience are especially welcome.

The company strongly encourages applications from professionals who have:

• Worked as an expatriate for a Japanese company in the United States or another international market.
• Returned to Japan after completing an overseas assignment and are interested in relocating internationally again.
• Served as a bridge between Japan headquarters and an overseas subsidiary.
• Worked successfully with both Japanese corporate leadership and locally hired employees.
• Managed cross‑border communication, organizational expectations, and business practices.

Direct U.S. work experience is not mandatory if the candidate demonstrates strong business judgment, leadership capability, cross‑cultural adaptability, and the ability to operate effectively in an international environment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate may currently be:

• A CFO or Deputy CFO at a small to mid‑sized company.
• A senior corporate administration or corporate planning leader.
• A Chief Administrative Officer or Deputy CAO.
• A finance executive with broad management and operational responsibilities.
• A former or current expatriate executive with cross‑functional leadership experience.
• A high‑potential senior manager ready to step into a broader executive leadership role.

The company is open to both established executives and high‑potential candidates with sufficient management experience. More than narrow industry expertise, the company values strong business acumen, intellectual agility, leadership maturity, and the ability to address unfamiliar issues in a structured and practical manner.

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary range: $150,000–$250,000, depending on qualifications and experience.
• Relocation assistance, visa sponsorship, and other executive‑level arrangements may be considered individually.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, company holidays, and standard employee benefits are provided.
• Additional terms may be discussed depending on the selected candidate’s circumstances.

Will support Visa for qualified candidate for this position