Head of Financial Operations, Japan

The role

You will lead Square's financial operations strategy in Japan. You will manage payment and banking partner relationships and strengthen operational resilience to support growth.

What you will do

• Lead the execution of Square Japan's Financial Operations priorities.
• Own operational performance for incoming and outgoing payments.
• Build and manage senior relationships with banks, acquirers, card networks, and regulators.
• Lead commercial and operational negotiations with payment and banking partners.
• Represent Square Japan in partner, industry, regulatory, and public forums.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to launch new capabilities and resolve challenges.
• Identify opportunities to improve authorization, settlement, and operational controls.
• Monitor regulatory, network, partner, and industry changes in Japan.
• Establish governance, reporting, operating rhythms, and escalation paths.

Required qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in fintech, payments, banking, card networks, acquiring, issuing, payment operations, or related financial services roles.
• Deep expertise in Japan's payments ecosystem, including card networks, acquirers, issuers, processors, banks, regulators, government bodies, and industry associations.
• A strong track record building and influencing senior relationships with partners, financial institutions, regulators, industry bodies, and market stakeholders.
• Strong commercial judgment, including experience negotiating complex agreements.
• Experience representing a company externally with senior partners, regulators, government stakeholders, industry bodies, or public facing audiences.
• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Experience leading complex cross functional initiatives.
• Executive level communication and presentation skills in English.
• Native or business level Japanese proficiency.

Nice to have

• Experience working directly with key regulators or government bodies in Japan, including METI, JFSA, or relevant payments and financial services authorities.
• Understanding of Payment Facilitator, acquiring, issuing, settlement, clearing, reconciliation, and card network operating models.
• Experience working in a US headquartered fintech, technology, payments, or financial services company.
• Media training or experience serving as an external spokesperson, industry representative, or senior market leader.

Benefits

• Remote work
• Medical insurance
• Flexible time off
• Retirement savings plans
• Modern family planning

About the company

Block is one company built from many blocks, including Square, Cash App, Afterpay, TIDAL, Bitkey, and Proto. The company builds tools to make commerce and financial services more accessible.