About the Role
As our Marketing Operations Specialist for Japan, you’ll play a crucial role in driving marketing operations and expanding Standart’s subscriber base in Japan. Working closely with our Marketing Manager, Mahira, you’ll execute and adapt strategies specifically suited to the Japanese market. This role will also include managing our global Standart World Instagram, connecting coffee lovers worldwide to our brand, and planning and participating in relevant industry events in Japan.
The role carries responsibility. We have one core product, and the company’s existence depends on the effective marketing of that product. You need to understand this responsibility but approach your work systematically and calmly, with an eye to the future. Don’t stress the small stuff; it’s the long game that matters.
We are looking for someone who understands that marketing isn’t just social media likes. You don’t need to have senior marketing experience, but the terms such as conversion rate, customer acquisition cost or lifetime value shouldn’t scare you. This role is for someone who is excited to drive more coffee enthusiasts to subscribe to Standart, and who believes in her or his ability to achieve it. Standart is a bootstrapped, founder-led, and fully-remote company. We have no central office and no set business hours. Our team works in four different time zones, from the UK to Japan.
You can work from wherever you like, but you will need to ensure at least 4 hours a week of overlap with Central European Time for team calls. We’re looking for someone who thrives on autonomy and reacts to it with a high level of accountability. We need you to define your work habits, deliverables, schedule, and, most importantly, follow through and get things done. We’re not interested in how many hours you work—we’re interested in the quality of that work. We’re a small team, but we’re also a very close team. Trust and openness are important to us. Everyone on the team has an important role to play, and everyone has an impact.
About You
We are a small team with varied responsibilities that feed into each other. At Standart, we all work toward the same goal. We are looking for someone who has an optimistic attitude and avoids blaming and shaming. You need to own the concept of being responsible for communicating our product. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will assume that you have all that you need to get the job done. You should thrive on autonomy and respond with a high degree of accountability.
Copywriting is a vital skill for this role. You should intuitively understand the voice and tone of Standart and know how to get a point across. You will have to learn how we work and adapt, but we also want to be shown new ways to work. Even though you will be responsible for our marketing operations, there may be times when another course or route will need to be taken to achieve an outcome.
We expect you can commit to doing your best work even when things are less than perfect. We’re not looking for someone who does their best work in a crisis, but someone who—through planning and routine—can avoid those crises and get the job done within a healthy number of work hours.
Key Responsibilities
Collaborations:
- Nurture and grow partnerships with key influencers, such as YouTube creators and Instagram personalities in Japan, who align with Standart’s brand values.
Instagram Community Management:
- Oversee Standart Japan and Standart World Instagram accounts, managing content from a prepared calendar, engaging with tagged posts and stories, and actively responding to DMs and comments to foster community connection.
Email Marketing:
- Execute email marketing campaigns in Klaviyo, ensuring alignment with our campaign goals and adapting messaging for the Japanese audience as needed.
Advertising:
- Oversee and manage Facebook and Google ads, following our existing ad structure and regularly updating creatives and copy to maintain relevance in the Japanese market.
Event Participation:
- Represent Standart at key events and coffee-related gatherings in Japan, organizing activations to promote brand awareness and engage potential subscribers.
Reporting:
- Prepare and present monthly reports on subscriber growth and key marketing activities in Japan for team calls.
Market Insights:
- Provide regular updates on consumer trends and relevant shifts within the Japanese media and coffee landscapes to inform our marketing strategy.
About You
This role is perfect for a self-motivated, results-driven individual who values autonomy and accountability. You’ll need to be fluent in both Japanese and English, with an in-depth understanding of marketing principles and a passion for creating lasting audience connections. If you’re curious, adaptable, and excited to grow Standart’s influence within Japan’s coffee community, we’d love to hear from you!
Requirements
- Residence in Japan with up-to-date insights on the Japanese market
- Native Japanese speaker
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- 3-5 years of experience in marketing or branding
- Strong understanding of key marketing concepts, such as customer acquisition, engagement, and community-building
- Passion for branding, storytelling, and community engagement
- Self-driven, adaptable, and results-oriented
- Familiarity with the coffee industry is a plus but not required
Pay and Benefits
Standart is an EU-based company headquartered in Slovakia. This role operates on an independent contractor basis, with pay starting at ¥3.6m to ¥4.2m per year plus quarterly bonuses.
We believe a healthy work-life balance is key to success and offer ample time off, flexible hours, and dedicated time for creative work. Additional benefits include support for continuous learning, annual team gatherings in various cities worldwide, attendance at coffee festivals and expos, quality coffee equipment, inspiring reading material, and access to excellent coffee.
How to Apply
Applications are open until December 12. We’d love to receive your CV (in English) and a cover letter (in both English & Japanese) that’s as creative as it is insightful—show us your unique perspective on why you’re excited about Standart, coffee, your relevant experience, and your approach to engaging Japan’s coffee community. A cover letter of about 600 words should do it.