Business Manager, Japan

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.

Job Description

Ada is an emerging datacenter company delivering efficient, resilient capacity, flawlessly, safely, securely, and sustainably across the globe.

This role is an excellent opportunity to join growing team, which will be developing and delivering many data centers across different regions in Japan. The role would expand to APAC region in the future.

Summary: 

The Datacenter Business Manager will serve as a strategic partner to the Head of Ada APAC, playing a key role in driving regional business performance, operational excellence, and organizational alignment. This role is responsible for leading cross-functional initiatives, managing executive priorities, streamlining business operations, and ensuring effective communication across teams and regions. Acting as both an execution leader and a strategic advisor, the Business Manager will oversee key reporting functions, coordinate business reviews, and facilitate goal-setting and accountability across departments.

This individual must be highly organized, analytical, and collaborative, with the ability to manage complex programs, influence stakeholders, and thrive in a fast-paced, global environment. The ideal candidate will possess strong business acumen, a deep understanding of corporate operations, and excellent interpersonal skills to support both strategic planning and day-to-day execution.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement business strategies, policies, and procedures to optimize efficiency. Monitor performance metrics and ensure quality, timely execution of operational plans.
• Lead the planning and execution of cross-functional programs. Ensure initiatives are delivered on time, within scope and budget, and aligned with business priorities. Continuously assess and adjust programs to support growth and scalability.
• Act as the primary point of contact for gathering information from stakeholders and managing Japan's daily, weekly, and monthly report and business reviews.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Head of Ada APAC, supporting business strategy, market expansion, and organizational growth.
• Manage the Head of Ada APAC’s agenda and priorities to ensure alignment with broader company objectives.
• Prepare high-quality executive presentations, briefing materials, and reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Drive the creation of measurable, trackable goals with stakeholders, and ensure accountability through monthly tracking and reporting. This includes annual goals.
• Collaborate with Business Managers across other regions to ensure consistency and alignment in global business practices.
• Partner with HR to support talent reviews, leadership development, organizational planning, and internal communications.
• Provide administrative support for executives as needed, including meeting coordination, travel arrangements, and event planning.

Skills & Experience

• Fluent in both Japanese and English
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, or a related field; MBA or relevant master’s degree preferred.
• Extensive experience managing large-scale, cross-functional programs in a global organization.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with budgeting, cost control, ROI analysis, and executive-level financial reporting.
• Proven ability to partner with senior leadership to translate strategic priorities into actionable initiatives across technical and non-technical teams.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with a track record of building consensus across diverse regions and functions.
• Demonstrated strength in strategic thinking, operational execution, and identifying areas for continuous improvement and process optimization.
• Proficient in enterprise business tools, including Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint), project management software.
• Adept at navigating fast-paced, high-growth environments, managing competing priorities while maintaining attention to detail and execution quality.
• Experience supporting or acting as a Chief of Staff or Business Manager to senior executives, with the ability to anticipate needs and drive alignment across complex organizations.
• Familiarity with data center, or infrastructure capital investment is a plus.

Reporting Relationships

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.