Publishing Production Controller (Japanese Speaking)

Company Overview:

This company has a wide range of businesses, including the publication of books, the production and distribution of anime, game development, e-books, merchandising, e-commerce, Japanese entertainment content production, and distribution.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field

• English: Internal Conversation Level (TOEIC score is preferred)

• Japanese: Business Conversation Level (JLPT N2 or above)

• Experience in production management.

• Proven ability to coordinate and manage multiple stakeholders across editorial, design, and production teams.

• Business-level proficiency in Japanese (required).

• Strong ability to manage schedules, priorities, and risks across multiple projects simultaneously.

• Basic data analysis and reporting skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets (e.g., VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, IFS, Pivot Tables).

• Experience in publishing production or editorial operations.

• Experience coordinating with external vendors, particularly printing companies.

• Prior experience in a managerial or ownership-level role is preferred.

• Experience working across multiple companies or business units.

Responsibilities:

Job Scope: 

Ensure publishing production is completed on schedule, runs smoothly, and remains free from disruptions. The Publishing Production Controller is responsible for establishing stable and predictable production operations, taking full ownership of production execution and coordination. The role extends beyond editorial and design processes to cover the entire production value chain, including printing, vendor management in Thailand and Japan, and data-driven process improvement.

Publishing Production Control:

• Take ownership of the end-to-end publishing production process, from manuscript preparation to final printed output.

• Manage editorial workflows and coordinate closely with design teams.

• Oversee the complete production cycle, ensuring efficient execution at each stage.

• Coordinate with editorial, design, production, and operations teams to ensure smooth and timely delivery.

Production Stability & Data Monitoring:

• Monitor key production metrics, including lead time, schedule adherence, cost, and workload distribution.

• Use data to identify risks and deviations at an early stage.

• Ensure stable and consistent production operations through data-driven monitoring.

• Support management decision-making by providing accurate and insightful production data.

Printing Vendor Management (Thailand and Japan):

• Manage relationships with printing vendors in Thailand and Japan for both KAM and FPP operations.

• Coordinate and communicate effectively with vendors to ensure smooth collaboration.

• Compare quotations and manage costs to ensure competitive pricing and budget control.

• Confirm production schedules and oversee delivery timelines.

• Handle and resolve quality issues when they arise.

• Act as the main point of contact between internal teams and printing vendors

Cross-Company Coordination (KAM & FPP):

• Ensure production processes and standards are consistently aligned across KAM and FPP operations.

• Balance overall group efficiency with the specific operational needs and product characteristics of each company.