Our client is a UK based consulting firm who are working with an international pharmaceutical company, to launch an insourcing initiative in Japan and is currently in the planning and scoping phase. To support this effort, they are seeking a bilingual Programme Manager (Japanese-English) to collaborate with the local HR team and coordinate with external vendors to build a detailed transition plan.

This is a part-time, remote role operating in the Asia time zone, with an initial engagement duration of approximately 3 months.

What You Will Be Doing

• Programme Management & Planning Support
• Act as the PMO lead during the planning phase of the insourcing initiative.
• Collaborate with the Japan HR team to build a comprehensive transition plan, including:
• Task and work classification
• Organisational design
• Resource and workforce planning
• Business case development
• Stakeholder & Vendor Coordination
• Liaise with the current third-party vendor to ensure alignment with transition timelines and deliverables
• Coordinate across internal HR, operational, and transformation teams to maintain project alignment
• Drive clear and timely communication with all stakeholders, both internal and external
• Project Tracking & Communication
• Monitor and report on project milestones, risks, and dependencies
• Prepare regular status updates and present key insights to stakeholders across geographies

Your Background

• Must Have:
• Language Skills:
• Fluency in Japanese and English (both written and spoken) is essential
• Experience:
• 7+ years of experience in programme management, PMO, or HR transformation, ideally with exposure to shared services or insourcing initiatives
• Strong familiarity with regulated industries, particularly pharmaceuticals or financial services
• Skills:
• Ability to coordinate across cross-functional and international teams
• Solid understanding of HR processes, workforce planning, and organisational change
• Proven ability to manage project complexity and stakeholder relationships remotely
• Nice to Have:
• Prior experience working in or with Japanese corporate environments.
• Familiarity with insourcing or vendor transition projects in Japan or similar markets.

Other Important Information

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration: Approx. 3 months

Utilisation: Part-time (~0.5 FTE)

Work Model: Remote, must operate within the Asia time zone