Manager, Process Automation

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, Palo Alto, New York, and Singapore.

The Team

The Business Acceleration Division exists to solve hard problems, develop strategies to develop growth and efficiency to make big impact For The Common Good. SmartNews is driven by the belief that Nothing Is Somebody Else’s Problem, and the Process Automation Team serves to take full ownership of designing, implementing, and optimizing automated processes that address critical business challenges. You and your team will design, implement, and improve automated processes to enhance efficiency, reduce manual effort, and enable data-driven decision-making. By acting as process owners and trusted advisors, you will collaborate with stakeholders to identify pain points, deliver scalable solutions, and leverage emerging technologies that include Gen AI. Our goal is to empower teams to focus on strategic initiatives and drive operational excellence in the spirit of Outcome Obsession.

The Mission:

• Lead the design, research, and implementation of process automation projects to solve critical business challenges and improve operational efficiency.
• Act as a process and project owner, taking full responsibility for designing and optimizing workflows. This may involve stakeholders of different levels of expertise on the process design.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand their needs and deliver tailored automation solutions that align with organizational goals.
• Drive innovation by exploring and implementing cutting-edge technologies like Gen AI to enhance process automation and decision-making.
• Mentor and lead a team to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the process owner for key business workflows, ensuring that processes are designed and optimized for efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
• Collaborate with stakeholders (e.g., Business Operations, Finance, HR, etc.) to understand their needs and design processes that align with business goals and increase the efficiency of in-house workflows.
• Take ownership of process design, management, and operations of end-to-end solutions, including system design, workflows, and automation.
• Continuously identify opportunities for process improvement, even in areas not directly related to system automation.
• Design target indicators for internal business process management and improve internal business processes based on qualitative and quantitative analysis.

• 5+ years of experience in process automation related work, e.g. system design, system consulting, process improvement, or a related field.
• Proven track record and experience in leading teams and managing complex projects.
• Strong background in designing and optimizing business processes, focusing on end-to-end ownership.
• Coding and integration related skills, ranging from lighter solutions like Google Spreadsheets, to heavier platforms that requires low-code level of skills; also able to leverage LLM for pro-code work.

• Familiarity and passion with Gen AI.
• Ability to think strategically and design processes that align with business objectives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge of data management and integration techniques. Experience implementing iPaaS for inter-system data integration.
• Business-level English & Japanese skills.

Working Condition

• Office Location: Tokyo

• All healthcare and social insurance required by the Japanese labor law, plus annual health check