Product Manager

Overview If you are a bold, strategy-savvy professional who knows how to go beyond template processes and frameworks, and for whom the product is at the head of everything, this position is for you!You will help customers develop breakthrough products and will be able to apply your strengths by creating compelling proposals based on the latest technology. At Star, we connect strategy, insights, design and engineering into a seamless workflow devised to support our clients every step of the way—no matter how long or complex their journey. We anchor everything we do in clear and compelling endgames, which in turn enable our multidisciplinary teams to create superior solutions and impressive commercial returns for our clients. Star is truly global. That is why we are the first major consulting company that does not have headquarters. Instead, we have many front doors spanning Silicon Valley, Tokyo, London, Munich, Copenhagen, Kyiv, Wroclaw, Ho Chi Minh City and other vibrant design, technology and creative nuclei of the world. Our spirited and growing 1000+ strong Star Crew takes great pride in working side by side with their trailblazing counterparts at some of the world’s most disruptive “unicorn” startups and iconic global brands like Lufthansa, Dolby Laboratories, BMW, Panasonic, Walmart and Zeiss. Our mission is to make every great person, every great idea, and every great company shine. That’s why we’re called Star. The Opportunity We are looking for a motivated and ambitious Product Manager who is focused on challenging, elevating, and inspiring Star’s prospective clients, and positioning the company as the product development partner of choice. This role, based in Tokyo, will be a critical contributor to existing projects, support pre-sales activities, and knowledge sharing as a product expert. The key responsibilities include: * Working with the engineering team (local or distributed) as a Product Owner; * Acting as a trusted advisor to client stakeholders; * Accumulating domain expertise and product knowledge that will be valuable for Star’s business growth; * Managing project documentation as needed, including but not limited to: * Product vision; * Product roadmap; * Software requirements; * User manuals and training materials; * Stakeholder decks. * Supporting high-potential pre-sales; * Kick-starting new projects, with a particular focus on establishing the scope and roadmap. The ideal candidate has a technology solutions background (preferred: IT consulting, professional services, product start-up), as well as an entrepreneurial mindset, and is someone willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute to the growth of Star in the Japanese market. Ambition and confidence will be essential, yet the successful candidate will also need to be humble, charming and, above all, a team player. We value pragmatism, which means creating real solutions to real challenges for real people. Last but not least, attention to detail and always striving to do better are critical because ‘good enough’ is never good enough. You Qualifications and experience: * You have a good technical background and are passionate about software product management; * Thought leadership and specific knowledge of key topics, including emerging technology trends and cutting-edge developments within one of the following industries: FinTech, Automotive, AdTech or HealthTech; * You are the champion of great user experience and you let nothing stand between you and a product that delights users; * New domains do not slow you down, rather you dive into them with a healthy “challenge accepted” attitude; * You are a great communicator – with customers, executives, internal design and engineering teams; * You are process-oriented and exceptionally well organized; * You thrive in a busy working environment; * Excellent spoken and written Japanese and English. Responsibilities * Close collaboration with end-users and key stakeholders to identify and capture business and high-level product requirements; * Market research and competitive analysis; * Value proposition development and scope definition in coordination with other product stakeholders; * Close work with customer and partner teams targeted to develop the optimal strategy and feature set to hit the market; * Requirements development and working with Design, Engineering, and QA teams as a product owner; * Translate high-level requirements into detailed user stories and use cases that the design and development teams can easily implement; * Define and prioritize a tactical roadmap and actively participate in the development of the strategic roadmap for your product; * Manage stakeholder expectations, set and communicate realistic ETA; * Process end-user feedback and consider it as an input for the new iterations; * Partner with other product teams to identify and implement across product features. Compensations and Benefits We offer a rewarding compensation and benefits package, intellectually and creatively stimulating environment, professional flexibility and unique international travel opportunities. Star is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are key to our ability to provide our clients and crew members with unique business and career outcomes. Your race, color, ancestry, religion, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability have no effect on our hiring decisions. If you have a special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.