Director, Sales Development, Japan

Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence. This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk. Based in Tokyo, we are seeking a Director to lead our high-growth Japan Sales Development team. As the leader of Sales Development, you will be responsible for owning the management of overall inbound business development and outbound prospecting pipeline strategy and execution. You will lead & motivate a team of highly driven SDRs and implement efficient processes & tools that optimize for scale in a fast-paced innovative and collaborative environment. This role reports to the Senior Director, Sales Development (APJ). This is a high visibility role that is responsible for hiring, on-boarding, and coaching a group of high performing sales professionals while collaborating with many other departments within our Go To Market Function (Marketing, Operations and Sales etc.). You will own Japan xDR Go to Market strategy, with a goal of improving the existing teams productivity, efficiency and outbound quality to build and progress pipeline to revenue. At Okta, our mission is to maintain a people-first, diverse, and inclusive culture. You will be responsible for building the Japan xDR team culture with a focus on coaching and mentoring. You will need to be an expert in prospecting and account planning strategies with a high growth company and must be able to educate others effectively in these areas. You will also focus on enabling continued growth of their reps in preparation for their progression here at Okta. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are eager to take ownership over a large revenue generating piece of the business, we want to hear from you! Core Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Business Impact • Own the end-to-end strategy for Sales Development across Japan, setting the sales vision, operating model, and key performance metrics that fuel regional growth. • Establish operational rigor and a culture of high performance across the SDR organization, ensuring the team is aligned to the go-to-market strategy and consistently produces high-quality pipeline. • Translate market trends, customer insights, and competitive intelligence into targeted prospecting strategies that elevate pipeline performance across segments. • Drive cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Channel, and RevOps to ensure alignment on account coverage, persona focus, inbound/outbound prioritization, and the SDR → AE handoff model. Outbound Excellence & Leading by Example • Develop and lead the execution of a robust outbound strategy that systematically generates high-quality new business pipeline. • Model exceptional outbound behaviors by actively participating in call blitzes, demonstrating best-in-class outreach techniques, objection handling, and call preparation. • Set and reinforce high standards for outbound quality, personalization, and consistency—ensuring the team understands what “great” looks like. • Leverage tools, AI, intent data, and industry insights to create advanced outbound plays, win-back motions, event-triggered outreach, and persona-based engagement strategies. • Inspect outbound performance regularly, identifying root causes of gaps and driving rapid corrective actions across the team. Operational Excellence & Execution Discipline • Ensure tools, systems, and processes (e.g., Outreach, CRM, data enrichment, AI tools) are optimized to support efficient prospecting and high conversion outcomes. • Conduct regular inspections of operational workflows, prospecting motions, and productivity metrics, driving continuous improvement and operational innovation. • Implement governance frameworks to uphold SDR productivity, quality, compliance, and forecasting accuracy. • Develop scalable mechanisms for pipeline generation, including playbooks, sequences, cadences, discovery frameworks, and qualification standards. • Partner with RevOps to build capacity models, coverage plans, and forecasting processes based on ramp profiles and inbound supply. Talent Development & Frontline Leadership • Build, coach, and inspire a high-performing SDR leadership bench, creating strong second-line leaders capable of developing their teams. • Implement structured coaching frameworks that elevate SDR skills in prospecting, qualifying, discovery, and opportunity creation. • Provide targeted, actionable feedback supported by regular call reviews, performance inspections, and structured development plans. • Develop career pathways that enable rapid ramp, strong performance, and optimized tenure, while promoting internal mobility into AE and other GTM roles. • Drive a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement—ensuring underperformance is addressed quickly and equitably. • Foster an inclusive, engaged, and collaborative team environment where individuals feel supported, challenged, and motivated to succeed. Cross-Functional Partnership & Stakeholder Alignment • Partner closely with Marketing to ensure inbound demand, scoring, routing, and follow-up SLAs are aligned and optimized. • Collaborate with Sales Leaders to continuously refine territory models, target personas, and qualification standards to maximize coverage and opportunity quality. • Work jointly with Enablement to design onboarding, ramping programs, skills development sessions, and ongoing coaching tracks. • Serve as the voice of the SDR organization at the leadership table, ensuring the team’s insights inform regional planning and go-to-market strategy. Pipeline Gr