Category Manager - New Categories

Why BAT Japan

Most brand managers wait years for regional scope and a budget of their own. Here both come with the job.

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A market-leading annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility)

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Health cover, transport support and a flexible holiday plan with additional incentives

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English and Japanese language training, delivered on company time

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A published capability framework for every role and grade — so you know precisely what the next grade requires, not just that progression exists — plus online learning and structured leadership programmes

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Global Top Employer for the ninth consecutive year — certified across five regions and a record 44 countries

Tokyo, Japan · Full-time · Manager · Scope: Japan, Korea and Taiwan

Build a brand in a category that didn't exist a decade ago, in the region that decides how it develops.

BAT is a global multi-category consumer goods business. Our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™, with a vision to build a smokeless world: as at 31 December 2025, 34.1m consumers used our Smokeless Products, generating 18.2% of Group revenue, and our ambition is 50m Smokeless consumers by 2030. North Asia is one of the most advanced smokeless markets anywhere — which means the marketing playbook here is being written rather than borrowed.

The role

You lead brand strategy and delivery for our new categories across Japan, Korea and Taiwan: what we stand for, who we're for, what we launch, how it's priced and packaged, and how it's communicated. You hold your own budget and you're accountable for the results — including the post-launch review that says whether the plan was right.

What you'll own

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Brand strategy on a one-to-four-year horizon — positioning, audience, innovation pipeline and the full marketing mix

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Adapting global brand direction for three very different markets without losing what makes the brand coherent

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The communications strategy, grounded in consumer insight, competitor behaviour and where the technology is going

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Creative, media, design and innovation agencies — briefing them, steering them, and evaluating them honestly

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Your full-year budget: allocating it, defending it, and releasing or requesting funds as the plan changes

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Approval of trademarks, product claims and campaign elements through Legal, R&D and Insights, on time

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Brand integrity in market — spotting where execution has drifted from strategy and correcting it

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Working relationships with the consumer experience and deployment teams who turn your strategy into what a consumer sees

What you'll bring

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Ownership of a brand or category — including the commercial numbers, not just the campaign

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Strength in communications and digital marketing, which this category depends on more than most

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Confidence with pricing and profitability, and the judgement to argue for a position

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Useful, not essential: brand building in a new or disrupted category

Qualifications

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5+ years in brand marketing at an international consumer goods company or a consumer-facing business with real pace

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A university degree

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Native-level Japanese and business English. Korean is a bonus, not a requirement

Whoever you are and wherever you're from, you can belong here — many nationalities, ages, genders and professional backgrounds, supported by Women in Leadership and B-United, our LGBTQ+ and allies network. Our Global Returners programme supports people restarting after time away from work. Need an adjustment during the process? Just tell us.