Back-office talent needs specialized knowledge as well as an understanding of Japan-specific systems and business practices, which makes it difficult to even define hiring criteria for these roles. At a small Japan entity in particular, recruiters and leadership often cannot fully evaluate a candidate's back-office expertise on their own.
- It is unclear how to design hiring criteria for back-office roles such as accounting, HR, and legal
- The more specialized the position, the fewer people internally can assess a candidate
- It is unclear how broad a role to expect from a small back-office team
- Competition for back-office talent in the hiring market has intensified
This article explains what foreign companies should keep in mind when hiring back-office talent in Japan.
Why Hiring Back-Office Talent Is Difficult
Back-office talent needs specialized knowledge as well as an understanding of Japan-specific systems and business practices, which makes it difficult to even define hiring criteria for these roles. At a small Japan entity in particular, recruiters and leadership often cannot fully evaluate a candidate's back-office expertise on their own.
Japan entities in an expansion phase also tend to expect a single hire to cover a broad range of specialties — accounting, HR, and legal — but the more specialized a candidate is, the more likely they are to avoid such a generalist role, which increases the risk of a hiring mismatch.
Points to Organize When Hiring Back-Office Talent
The following items are worth organizing before starting the hiring process.
| Item | What to Organize |
|---|---|
| Specialty needed | Clarify which area — accounting, HR, or legal — should be the priority |
| Scope of the role | The experience required differs between a hands-on practitioner and a manager who will build out the function |
| Evaluation approach | If expertise cannot be assessed internally, bring in an outside expert's opinion during the selection process |
| Compensation range | Design a salary range in advance based on market rates for specialized talent |
Points for Making the Back Office Function After Hiring
Even after hiring back-office talent, they may struggle to deliver expected results without a working relationship with leadership and the field. It is important to clarify, before hiring, how much authority and discretion the back-office function will be given.
In a small back-office team, work also tends to become siloed around individuals. Alongside hiring, it is important to build out processes and documentation to prevent this.
Summary
- Hiring criteria for back-office talent should account for Japan-specific systems, not just specialized knowledge
- Organize the specialty needed, scope of the role, evaluation approach, and compensation range in advance
- Clarify the working relationship with leadership and the field, and the authority the back office will hold, before hiring
- Build out processes alongside hiring to prevent work from becoming siloed
Contact
JBN provides one-stop support for hiring back-office talent in Japan, from defining requirements through to building the function.
To discuss hiring back-office talent, please contact us.