Sales Lead
1. About us
NanoFrontier is a deep-tech startup that provides end‑to‑end R&D to mass production for nano‑particle materials. Our core is the reprecipitation (re‑precipitation) method developed over many years at Tohoku University. We develop, manufacture, and assure the quality of materials for energy, environment, and life-science domains. We also offer contract manufacturing and technology licensing, and rapidly drive joint research/PoC with manufacturers and academia from our Sendai base (HQ) and Tokyo hub.
2. What you will drive
To scale commercialization, we need a repeatable sales motion and accurate forecasting. You will design territories/quotas/review cadence, standardize proposals/quotes/SLAs, and run CRM with pipeline, actuals and forecasts. We are looking for someone who can establish winning playbooks and build a repeatable sales organization.
Why this role is exciting
- Develop products/technologies that customers actually need for commercialization
- Design 0→1 sales motion yourself (playbook/pricing/SOW)
- Work on real, production‑bound opportunities in tight collaboration with engineering, manufacturing and QA
- Small team with fast decision‑making
- Through our Co‑Creation Lab with Tohoku University, an adjunct position can be arranged, enabling a dual career across academia and industry
3. Key responsibilities
- Territory/account ownership, quota/KPI design, 1:1s and coaching
- Pipeline management and weekly forecast/issues using CRM
- Deal reviews and playbook updates (discovery questions/demo/objection handling)
- Operate quote/contract templates, approve discount/sample/credit
- Define MQL/SQL and partner with Customer Success; coordinate with technical teams
- Hiring, onboarding and performance design (including incentive design)
4. Requirements
Must‑have
- Strong alignment with NanoFrontier’s mission/business
- 5+ years of B2B sales in chemicals/materials/equipment/semiconductors or similar
- End‑to‑end ownership of technical deals from PoC to SOW signing (requirements, quote, negotiation)
- Pipeline management and reporting using CRM
- Japanese (business, negotiation) and English (reading/writing for emails/materials)
Nice‑to‑have
- Experience in industry‑academia collaboration and public grants (e.g., NEDO/JST)
- Knowledge of chemical regulations, SDS, export control
- Tradeshow operations and demand generation with Marketing
- Deals with overseas customers/partners
Who you are
- Run short cycles of hypothesis → proposal → consensus even with incomplete information
- Log changes and share transparently to avoid misses
- Manage via numbers and continuously improve gross margin, conversion, and cycle time
5. Location & workstyle
- Location: Tokyo (client/expo/university visits as needed)
- Workstyle: Hybrid (2–3 days in office)
- Hours: Flexible (core 10:00–16:00)
6. Benefits
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Time off | Five‑day workweek, paid leave, year‑end/new‑year holidays |
| Insurance | Social insurance |
| Housing | Company housing program |
| PC & tools | Company laptop. Company‑paid ChatGPT. Other tools per discussion/approval |
| Health | Massage & gym support |
| Meal | Tohoku University cafeteria meal card (TBD) |
| Career support | Certifications, technical books, exam fees, etc. |
| Grant incentive | Incentive plan upon grant awards |
| Relocation | Moving to Sendai from Tokyo: up to JPY 1M grant via Sendai City program (subject to approval). Other regions: TBD |
7. Selection process
- Casual chat: 30–60 min
- Technical interview/discussion: 60+ min
- Offer meeting
We aim to get back within 3 business days for each step. Steps may be adjusted depending on candidate situation.
8. Company info
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Company: NanoFrontier Inc. (HQ: Urban Net Sendai Central Bldg. 2F, Aoba‑ku, Sendai, Miyagi)
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Mission: “Toward a society where every resource circulates smoothly and is used in its optimal form.”
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Business:
(1) R&D, manufacturing and sales of reagents and functional materials using organic nanoparticle technology
(2) Contract manufacturing of organic nanoparticles and related technologies
(3) Licensing and consulting in organic nanoparticle technology
(4) All related businesses
9. How to apply
Please apply using the embedded form on this page. Prepare:
- Resume/CV (with photo)
- Work history (if separate)
- Portfolio or publication list (optional)