Founding GTM Recruiter - Japan

About The Role

We are hiring a Founding GTM Recruiter to join our International Talent team, based in Tokyo.

You will partner closely with GTM leadership across Japan to build high-quality pipelines for a wide range of roles.

You will be expected to operate with urgency, precision and high judgment. You will not simply manage process. You will help shape markets, map talent, influence hiring strategy and close bar-raising candidates in highly competitive environments.

The ideal person has a builder/operator mindset, understands what great commercial talent looks like in high-growth technology companies, and knows how to create momentum in ambiguous, fast-moving markets.

What You’ll Do

• Own end-to-end recruiting for GTM roles across Singapore and the wider Japan region.

• Build deep talent maps across enterprise software, AI, developer tools, cloud, infrastructure and high-growth technology companies.

• Partner with hiring managers to define role requirements, calibration, interview process and candidate profile.

• Source, engage and close exceptional passive candidates.

• Represent Cognition’s story with clarity, credibility and energy in market.

• Drive candidates through a high-bar hiring process while maintaining an excellent candidate experience.

• Use data and market insight to help leadership understand pipeline quality, conversion, compensation signals and hiring risks.

• Work closely with international talent leadership to improve process, raise the bar and build scalable recruiting muscle across Japan.

• Act as a talent advisor, not an order taker.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience recruiting GTM talent for high-growth technology companies.

• Strong understanding of enterprise software, SaaS, AI, infrastructure, developer tools or cloud markets.

• Experience hiring across Japan and broader markets

• Ability to identify and engage high-calibre passive candidates.

• Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to push back, calibrate and advise senior hiring leaders.

• Excellent written and verbal communication with Fluency in Japanese and English

• High agency, high ownership and strong attention to detail.

• A track record of hiring bar-raising commercial talent in competitive markets.

• Comfort operating in a fast-changing, 0 to 1 environment.

• Strong sourcing discipline and the ability to build pipeline without relying on inbound or agencies.

• A builder mindset: you improve the system while delivering the work.

What Makes You Stand Out

• You have helped build early GTM teams in new international markets.

• You have recruited for frontier AI, developer tools, infrastructure, cloud or enterprise software companies.

• You understand both commercial hiring and technical-adjacent GTM roles.

• You have experience partnering with regional GMs, Sales VPs or founding country leaders.

• You are comfortable moving between strategic talent mapping and hands-on execution.

• You care deeply about quality, not just speed.

• You know how to close candidates who have multiple options.