Corporate IT Manager

SmartNews is a global leader in redefining information and news discovery, committed to providing users with accurate, timely information and supporting quality journalism. We combine the power of our unique machine-learning technology with the expertise of our first-rate editorial team to bring news that matters to millions of users from our over 3,000 global publishing partners.

Founded in 2012 in Tokyo, Japan, SmartNews has offices in Tokyo, San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York, and Singapore.

The Team

The Corporate IT Group is responsible for managing the technology that staff use daily and ensuring secure operations. This involves overseeing the organization's IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, and networks, to maintain seamless and secure workflows. Key responsibilities include implementing security measures for identity and assets, office security, and protection against cyber threats. Additionally, the group provides technical support, manages system updates, and ensures compliance with industry standards and regulations to safeguard sensitive information. By effectively managing these technological resources, the Corporate Engineering Group enables staff to perform their duties efficiently while maintaining the organization's overall security posture.

The Mission

In this role, you’ll lead the Corporate IT Support Team in Japan, ensuring smooth daily operations. You’ll collaborate with global teams to standardize support processes and manage key technologies like identity management, IT security, SaaS tools, asset tracking, and office tech. Strong teamwork, organization, and technical skills are essential.

Role and Responsibilities

• Oversee daily Corporate IT Support Operations in Japan.
• Collaborate with global CE teams to maintain standardized processes.
• Handle security incidents for Corporate IT infrastructure.
• Enhance security by implementing new tools and protections against cyber threats.
• Mentor team members and train staff on updated workflows and operations.
• Work with SmartNews teams to meet technology and project needs.
• Assess and recommend technologies to boost security and productivity.

Minimum requirements

• Must be able to communicate in both Japanese and English at business proficiency level.
• Strong ability to collaborate with global Corporate IT teams and communicate operational updates effectively within Japan.
• Strong ability to manage service level agreements, operational priorities, and categorize support requests.
• Over 5 years of experience managing assets, identity systems, office tools, IT security infrastructure, and productivity applications.
• Minimum 3 years experience in a people management role within an IT organization/team
• Proven expertise in handling security incidents and leading cross-functional remediation efforts.
• Skilled in developing standardized support systems for dynamic, fast-growing organizations.
• Strong capability to implement new technologies and create a strategy to drive success.

Nice to have experiences/skills

• Security certifications related to corporate engineering tech stack
• Relevant experience in organizations of a comparable size.
• Experience managing AWS and GCP environments at a technical level 
• Experience managing vendor relationships

Working condition

• Office Location: Tokyo

• Annual health check covered by the company 
• Visa sponsorship and overseas relocation support available for eligible candidates