Senior Sales Manager – Automotive & Manufacturing, Japan

Our Company

At Teradata, we believe that people thrive when empowered with trusted data and AI. Teradata's cloud analytics and AI platform enables organizations to make smarter decisions faster by connecting data, analytics, and AI at enterprise scale.

We partner with many of the world's leading automotive manufacturers, industrial companies, and supply chain organizations to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, enable AI-powered decision-making, and accelerate digital transformation. 

Position Summary

Teradata Japan is seeking an experienced and results-oriented Senior Sales Manager, Automotive & Manufacturing, to lead and grow our business across Japan's automotive, industrial manufacturing, mobility, and supply chain sectors.

Reporting to the Japan Sales Leadership team, this leader will be responsible for driving revenue growth, leading a team of Account Executives, and expanding Teradata's presence within some of Japan's largest automotive and manufacturing organizations. The role requires strong executive engagement skills, industry expertise, and the ability to help customers leverage data, analytics, cloud, and AI technologies to achieve strategic business outcomes.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record of enterprise technology sales leadership, experience managing complex customer relationships, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the automotive and manufacturing industries.

What You Will Do

Sales Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Account Executives focused on Automotive and Manufacturing customers across Japan.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer-centricity.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and ongoing sales excellence initiatives.
• Drive adoption of best practices in account planning, opportunity management, and forecasting.

Business Growth Strategy

• Develop and execute growth strategies for Teradata's Automotive and Manufacturing business in Japan.
• Drive revenue growth through strategic account expansion, new business acquisition, and customer retention.
• Identify emerging market opportunities related to AI, Industry 4.0, connected products, smart manufacturing, and supply chain transformation.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of strategic opportunities.

Executive Customer Engagement

• Establish trusted relationships with C-level executives and senior decision-makers, including CIOs, CTOs, Chief Data Officers, Digital Transformation Leaders, and Operations Executives.
• Serve as an executive sponsor for key strategic accounts.
• Lead executive briefings, account reviews, and transformation discussions.
• Position Teradata as a trusted advisor for enterprise AI and data modernization initiatives.

Sales Execution

• Oversee complex enterprise sales cycles from opportunity development through contract negotiation and closure.
• Drive forecast accuracy and disciplined pipeline management.
• Support strategic deal reviews and executive-level customer negotiations.
• Ensure achievement of quarterly and annual sales objectives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Solution Engineering, AI Strategists, Customer Success, Consulting, Services, and Marketing teams.
• Coordinate resources to maximize customer success and revenue growth.
• Collaborate with JAPAC and global industry leaders to align on account strategies and market priorities.

Ecosystem & Partner Engagement

• Develop strong relationships with cloud hyperscalers, system integrators, consulting partners, and industry ecosystem partners.
• Identify co-sell opportunities and partner-led growth initiatives.
• Expand Teradata's reach within key industry accounts through strategic partnerships.

Who You Will Work With

• Japan Country Leadership Team
• Automotive & Manufacturing Sales Team
• Solution Architects and AI Strategists
• Customer Success and Professional Services Teams
• Strategic Partners including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud
• Global Automotive and Manufacturing Industry Practice Leaders
• JAPAC Sales Leadership
• Product Management and Marketing Teams

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of enterprise software, cloud, AI, analytics, or data platform sales experience.
• 5+ years of sales leadership and people management experience.
• Proven success selling to Automotive, Manufacturing, Industrial, Mobility, or Supply Chain organizations.
• Strong understanding of the Japanese Automotive and Manufacturing market.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex enterprise opportunities and strategic customer relationships.
• Consistent track record of achieving and exceeding revenue goals.
• Strong executive communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Business-level Japanese and professional English proficiency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with automotive OEMs, mobility providers, Tier 1 suppliers, industrial manufacturers, or electronics manufacturers.
• Knowledge of Industry 4.0, Smart Factory, IoT, Connected Vehicle, Supply Chain Analytics, and AI-driven operational transformation initiatives.
• Experience leading enterprise sales teams focused on digital transformation programs.
• Established executive relationships within key Japanese automotive and manufacturing organizations.
• Familiarity with consultative and value-based selling methodologies.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate:

• Is a strategic sales leader who consistently delivers business growth.
• Builds trusted executive relationships with customers and partners.
• Understands the transformation challenges facing Automotive and Manufacturing organizations.
• Inspires teams to perform at their highest level.
• Balances long-term strategic thinking with disciplined execution.
• Is passionate about helping customers modernize through data, analytics, and AI.
• Thrives in complex enterprise environments and manages ambiguity effectively.

Key Performance Indicators

• Annual Revenue Achievement
• Team Quota Attainment
• Strategic Account Growth
• New Business Development
• Pipeline Coverage and Conversion
• Forecast Accuracy
• Executive Customer Engagement
• Employee Development and Retention
• Partner-Sourced Revenue
• Customer Satisfaction and Expansion

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