Program Manager (UX), Mobility Vision, Woven Products

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Program Manager (UX), Mobility Vision, Woven Products Company: Woven by Toyota Location: Tokyo, Japan Job Type: Employee Category: Operations - Product & Program Management (with a UX focus) Date Posted: 2025-08-06 Experience Level: 5+ Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for defining and executing the user experience (UX) strategy for Woven by Toyota's mobility vision products, focusing on understanding customer needs and translating them into tangible product requirements through advanced research methodologies.
• The Program Manager will act as the primary customer advocate throughout the product lifecycle, from initial planning and development to operational phases, ensuring a human-centric approach to innovation.
• Key responsibilities include managing end-to-end customer research projects, synthesizing complex findings into actionable insights, and collaborating cross-functionally with product managers, engineers, and external partners to drive product success.
• The role demands a proactive approach to process creation and improvement, requiring the individual to be detail-oriented, adaptable, and comfortable working in a dynamic, evolving environment, often taking ownership of tasks outside their immediate expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Program Manager (UX)", the core responsibilities lean heavily into UX research, product validation, and customer advocacy. This suggests a strong operational focus on ensuring the product development process is deeply informed by user needs, rather than traditional project management of timelines and resources alone. The emphasis on "inventing new products and services" and "owning tasks not in their area of expertise" points to a dynamic, entrepreneurial operations environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute customer research projects to deeply understand user needs, market trends, and the latest technologies, synthesizing findings into clear, actionable insights for product teams.
• Develop comprehensive project plans for new product initiatives, meticulously tracking progress and ensuring alignment with user experience principles and business objectives.
• Serve as the primary customer expert and advocate throughout all project phases, from ideation and concept validation to development and operational launch, ensuring a human-centered approach.
• Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers to translate research findings and user needs into detailed, tangible product requirements and user stories.
• Manage and guide outsourced resources (e.g., research agencies, design contractors) to ensure project deliverables meet high standards for user experience and strategic alignment, balancing realistic outcomes with ideal user aspirations.
• Conduct value validation for new products from a customer's viewpoint, leveraging methodologies like Lean Startup or Design Thinking to iterate and refine product concepts.
• Contribute to the business planning of new products from inception, with a particular focus on B2C product strategies and market fit.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product thinking, deep user empathy, and operational execution. The "customer expert" and "value validation" aspects are key operational functions in a product development context, ensuring market fit and customer adoption. Managing outsourced resources is a critical operational task, requiring vendor management and quality assurance skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Business, Design, Engineering) or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in UX research, UX design, business planning, product management, or a closely related field, with a strong emphasis on understanding and advocating for the customer.
• Proven track record of leading and conducting user interviews and qualitative research, with the ability to effectively synthesize complex data into compelling presentations for diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in business planning for new products, ideally from scratch, with a preference for experience in B2C product development.
• Experience in validating product value from a customer perspective using frameworks such as Lean Startup or Design Thinking.
• Experience in developing products that integrate both hardware and software components.

Required Skills:

• Advanced Research Skills: High sensitivity and capability in researching brand new services, latest market trends, and cutting-edge technology to inform product strategy.
• User Interview & Synthesis: Proficiency in leading user interviews, analyzing qualitative data, and creating clear, impactful summaries for internal and external partners.
• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional communication, presentation, collaboration, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Business Acumen: Strong understanding of business planning principles and the ability to translate user insights into viable business strategies.
• Language Proficiency: Business-level proficiency in both English and Japanese is essential for effective communication and collaboration in a global team.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within a dedicated design organization.
• Experience in the Automotive or a related industry.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and product lifecycle management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for business-level English and Japanese is critical for operational success in a global organization like Woven by Toyota, impacting internal communications, stakeholder management, and understanding of diverse market needs. The emphasis on "advanced research skills for brand new services" highlights the need for an operations professional who can work with ambiguity and define new processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing successful UX research projects from inception to insight delivery, highlighting the impact of user research on product decisions.
• Include case studies that illustrate experience with business planning for new products, detailing market analysis, strategy formulation, and product validation processes.
• Provide examples of how user needs and market trends were translated into tangible product requirements and user stories, showcasing a clear process for this translation.
• Showcase experience managing outsourced resources or vendors for UX-related projects, detailing project scope, quality assurance, and outcome management.

Process Documentation:

• Exhibit a structured approach to planning and executing customer research projects, including methodology selection, participant recruitment, data collection, and analysis.
• Present examples of creating detailed project plans and tracking progress, particularly for new product initiatives where processes may need to be defined or adapted.
• Demonstrate how user experience principles were integrated and maintained throughout different project phases (planning, development, operational).

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio demonstrating a structured approach to UX research, product validation, and cross-functional collaboration is paramount. Candidates will need to showcase their ability to define and manage processes in a developing product environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Competitive Salary - Based on experience.
• As this role is based in Tokyo, Japan, the salary would align with market rates for experienced Program Managers with UX expertise in the automotive and technology sectors in Japan. A typical range for a highly experienced professional in this field in Tokyo could be ¥8,000,000 - ¥14,000,000 annually, depending on the specific scope of responsibilities and candidate qualifications.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Flexible Working Time: Offers adaptability for managing research activities and team collaboration.
• Paid Holiday: 20 days per year (prorated), providing ample time for rest and personal development.
• Sick Leave: 6 days per year (prorated), supporting employee well-being.
• Holidays: Observance of Saturday, Sunday, Japanese National Holidays, and other company-defined holidays.
• Japanese Social Insurance: Comprehensive coverage including Health Insurance, Pension, Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, and Long-term Care Insurance.
• Housing Allowance: Financial support for accommodation costs.
• Retirement Benefits: Provisions for long-term financial security.
• Rental Cars Support: Assistance with transportation needs.
• In-house Training Program: Opportunities for continuous learning, including software studies and language studies, to enhance professional capabilities.

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are not explicitly defined but are supplemented by "Flexible working time," indicating a focus on output and results rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule. This flexibility is beneficial for managing international collaboration and research cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for senior technical and program management roles in Tokyo, Japan. The benefits package is comprehensive, with particular emphasis on support for living in Japan and continuous professional development, which are attractive to operations professionals seeking stability and growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Technology & Mobility Services. Woven by Toyota is at the forefront of transforming the automotive industry into a mobility services provider, integrating advanced software, AI, and autonomous technologies. Company Size: Woven by Toyota is a significant entity within the Toyota Group, aiming to foster a startup-like culture within a large corporate structure. Specific employee numbers are not provided, but it's a growing organization with global ambitions. Founded: Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (now Woven by Toyota) was established in 2018, signifying its relatively young age and agile, forward-thinking approach.

Team Structure:

• The team is described as diverse in nationality, language, and gender, valuing Toyota's culture while operating with a dynamic, initiative-driven mindset.
• Members are expected to take initiative, adapt proactively, and drive their work autonomously, suggesting a flat or matrixed organizational structure where individual contribution is highly valued.
• Collaboration is cross-functional, involving product managers, engineers, and potentially external partners, requiring strong communication and integration skills.

Methodology:

• The team's mission is to identify customer needs through careful validation, implying a data-driven and user-centric approach to product development and service creation.
• Emphasis is placed on being "scrappy" and creating missing processes, indicating an iterative, experimental, and agile operational methodology.
• The use of concepts like "A Living Laboratory™", "Human-Centered", and "Ever Evolving City™" for Woven City suggests a commitment to real-world testing, user feedback loops, and continuous improvement cycles in their operations.

Company Website: https://woven.toyota/en

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is a blend of traditional automotive excellence and modern tech startup agility. Operations professionals here need to be comfortable with ambiguity, proactive problem-solving, and driving change within a large, established organization. The "scrappy" and "create the missing process" ethos is key to understanding the operational environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Program Manager with a significant specialization in UX, indicating a mid-to-senior level position. It requires independent execution of research, strategic input into product planning, and management of external resources. The expectation to "own tasks not in their area of expertise" and "create the missing process" suggests a path towards more senior operational or product leadership roles, particularly in areas of user-centric product development and strategy.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, the role's responsibilities suggest reporting to a senior manager within a product or strategy team, likely overseeing mobility vision initiatives. Collaboration will be extensive across product management, engineering, and potentially design departments.

Operations Impact: The Operations Manager's insights will directly influence the development of new mobility products and services. By ensuring a deep understanding of customer needs and validating product value, the role has a direct impact on market adoption, user satisfaction, and ultimately, Toyota's transformation into a mobility company. This role is critical for ensuring that the "human-centric innovation" mission translates into successful, user-loved products.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in UX research methodologies, user-centric product development, and mobility services within a leading automotive innovation hub.
• Leadership Development: Potential to lead larger, more complex product initiatives, manage teams of researchers or program coordinators, and influence strategic product roadmaps.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain extensive experience working with diverse teams across engineering, software development, AI, and business strategy, broadening professional capabilities.
• Industry Expertise: Become a subject matter expert in the rapidly evolving field of mobility, autonomous driving, and connected vehicle technologies.
• Process Innovation: Opportunity to define and implement new operational processes for product research and validation, contributing to the team's efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory in this role is strongly tied to the ability to navigate and improve operational processes within a novel product development environment. Success here could lead to leadership in product strategy, operations management, or specialized UX roles within the automotive tech sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company follows a hybrid workstyle, combining office-based work with remote flexibility. This suggests a modern workplace designed for collaboration and individual focus. Office Location(s): The primary location is Tokyo, Japan. However, day trips or work assignments in Woven City (Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture) may be required depending on future circumstances, indicating a need for flexibility and willingness to travel for on-site validation and research.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is described as dynamic and uncertain, requiring members to be adaptable and proactive. This fosters a culture of continuous learning and problem-solving.
• Collaboration is a key aspect, with a diverse team that values initiative and autonomy. This implies open communication channels and a supportive, yet results-oriented, atmosphere.
• Access to advanced technologies and the opportunity to work on cutting-edge mobility solutions will be integral to the daily workspace.

Work Schedule:

• While "Flexible working time" is offered, the role involves managing research projects, collaborating with teams, and potentially requiring travel to Woven City. This means the schedule will need to accommodate project deadlines, team meetings, and on-site validation activities, balancing flexibility with operational demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and potential travel to Woven City require operations professionals to be adept at managing their time and tasks across different locations and work modes, emphasizing self-discipline and effective remote collaboration tools.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with minimum qualifications and preferred skills, focusing on UX research and product planning experience.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about your experience, motivations, and understanding of UX research principles, covering responsibilities and how you approach challenges. This stage will likely delve into how you've managed research projects and synthesized findings.
• Team/Peer Interviews: Conversations with potential teammates (e.g., product managers, engineers) to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit. You may be asked to present a past project or case study.
• Case Study/Challenge: A potential assignment or presentation focused on a hypothetical UX research scenario or product validation challenge. This will assess your problem-solving approach, research methodology, and ability to articulate recommendations.
• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to confirm overall fit and discuss career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Focus on projects where your UX research directly led to product improvements, new feature development, or strategic pivots. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., improved user satisfaction scores, increased conversion rates).
• Process Clarity: Clearly articulate your research process for each project – problem definition, methodology, execution, analysis, and recommendations. Highlight how you synthesized complex data into actionable insights.
• User-Centricity: Emphasize how user needs and insights were at the core of your work and how you advocated for the user throughout the product lifecycle.
• Collaboration Examples: Include projects where you collaborated effectively with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, demonstrating strong communication and teamwork.
• Adaptability: If you've had to "create missing processes" or work with ambiguity, showcase examples of how you established structure and drove progress in such environments.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Methodology: Be prepared to discuss various UX research methods (interviews, surveys, usability testing, contextual inquiry) and when to apply them.
• Problem-Solving: Practice breaking down complex problems, identifying key user needs, and proposing research-driven solutions.
• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare to present your findings and recommendations clearly and concisely, tailoring your message to different audiences (technical vs. non-technical).
• Market Trend Awareness: Stay updated on current trends in mobility, UX design, and AI, as these may be relevant to case study discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a blend of technical UX skills, operational process thinking, and strong communication. A well-curated portfolio that demonstrates impact and a clear, user-centric process will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for user interviews, surveys, and qualitative data analysis (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Dovetail, Miro, Mural).
• Project Management Software: Experience with tools for planning, tracking, and managing project progress (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello, Monday.com).
• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in communication and collaboration platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace.
• Presentation Software: Expertise in tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote for creating compelling research summaries and presentations.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, experience with tools that can help analyze user data and market trends (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets, potentially basic SQL or BI tools) would be beneficial.
• Dashboarding Tools: Familiarity with creating dashboards to visualize research findings and track project progress is a plus.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how user data is managed and how insights can feed into product development and customer relationship management is valuable. Knowledge of how to integrate research findings into product backlogs or CRM systems could be an advantage.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis is on tools that support research execution, data synthesis, project management, and effective communication. A proactive approach to learning new tools relevant to the evolving mobility landscape will be advantageous.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centered Innovation: A core value that drives all product and service development, ensuring that user needs and well-being are paramount in every decision.
• Proactive Initiative & Autonomy: Members are expected to take ownership, drive their work independently, and contribute actively to problem-solving and process improvement.
• Adaptability & Agility: The ability to thrive in a dynamic and uncertain environment, embracing change and pivoting strategies as needed, is highly valued.
• Collaboration & Diversity: A commitment to working effectively with a diverse global team, valuing different perspectives and fostering an inclusive environment.
• Detail-Oriented & Scrappy: A balance between meticulous attention to detail in research and a resourceful, "get-it-done" attitude, especially when processes are undefined.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with product managers, engineers, and other business functions to ensure user insights are integrated into the product development lifecycle.
• Open Communication: Encouraging candid feedback and knowledge sharing to foster continuous learning and process refinement.
• Customer Advocacy: A shared commitment to championing the customer's voice and needs across all teams and discussions.
• Experimental Approach: Willingness to test new ideas, validate hypotheses, and iterate based on learnings, reflecting a culture that embraces experimentation in its operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding and embodying Woven by Toyota's values, particularly the blend of human-centricity, autonomy, and adaptability, will be key to fitting into the team's operational culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining New Processes: As a program manager in a rapidly evolving field, you'll often need to create or refine operational processes for research, validation, and product planning where none currently exist. This requires strong initiative and problem-solving skills.
• Working with Ambiguity: The mobility vision space is new and constantly changing, meaning you'll need to be comfortable navigating uncertainty and defining clear paths forward with incomplete information.
• Balancing Ideal vs. Realistic Outcomes: Effectively managing expectations and finding practical solutions that align with user aspirations and business constraints will be a recurring challenge.
• Cross-Cultural & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ensuring clear communication and alignment across diverse teams with different backgrounds, languages, and priorities requires advanced interpersonal and diplomacy skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Mobility Tech: Gain unparalleled exposure to cutting-edge technologies in autonomous driving, AI, software-defined vehicles, and smart city concepts.
• UX Strategy in a New Domain: Develop expertise in applying UX principles to a novel and complex product ecosystem, shaping the future of mobility.
• Process Improvement Leadership: Opportunity to design and implement operational frameworks that enhance product development efficiency and user-centricity.
• Industry Events & Training: Access to internal and external training programs, workshops, and potentially industry conferences to stay abreast of the latest UX research and mobility trends.
• Mentorship: Potential to learn from experienced leaders within Woven by Toyota and the broader Toyota ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are directly tied to the operational demands of innovation. Overcoming them offers significant opportunities for professional growth and skill development in a high-impact area.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Customer Needs Identification: "Describe a time you identified a critical customer need that was previously unmet. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" Prepare to discuss your research methodology and how you translated insights into actionable recommendations.
• Process Creation: "Tell me about a situation where you had to create a new process or significantly improve an existing one to achieve a business objective. What steps did you take?" Focus on your ability to bring structure to ambiguous situations and drive efficiency.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: "How do you ensure that user insights are effectively communicated and integrated into product development by engineering and product management teams?" Prepare examples of your communication and collaboration strategies.
• Handling Ambiguity: "Describe a project where you had limited information or unclear requirements. How did you approach it, and what did you learn?" Highlight your initiative, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Woven by Toyota's Mission: "What excites you most about Woven by Toyota's mission and our role in transforming mobility?" Research the company's pillars (AD/ADAS, Arene, Woven City, Cloud & AI) and articulate your alignment.
• Hybrid Work Style: "How do you maintain productivity and collaboration in a hybrid work environment?" Be prepared to discuss your strategies for effective remote and in-office collaboration.
• Toyota Culture Integration: "How do you balance a startup-like agility with the established culture and values of a large organization like Toyota?" Show an understanding of both aspects and how you can bridge them.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as narratives. Clearly define the problem, your approach (methodology), the actions you took, and the results achieved.
• Visual Appeal: Use clear visuals, diagrams, and concise text to illustrate your research process and findings. Ensure your slides are well-organized and easy to follow.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., improved user satisfaction, efficiency gains from process improvements, successful product validations).
• Process Focus: Highlight the operational processes you used or developed within your projects, showcasing your ability to bring structure and efficiency.
• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your methodology, decision-making process, and the challenges you faced. Be ready to elaborate on any aspect of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect interview questions that probe your operational capabilities in research, process definition, and cross-functional execution, particularly within the context of innovation and user-centricity. Demonstrating adaptability and a proactive mindset will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Program Manager (UX) position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight specific projects demonstrating your UX research, user interview, and product validation experience. Emphasize instances where you’ve contributed to new product planning or created operational processes.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience, your advanced research skills, and your business-level English and Japanese proficiency. Use action verbs and quantify achievements where possible.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Woven by Toyota, its mission, its four pillars, and its unique culture that blends startup agility with automotive heritage. Understand the significance of "A Living Laboratory™" and "Human-Centered" principles.
• Interview Preparation: Practice answering common UX research and program management questions, focusing on behavioral examples that showcase your initiative, adaptability, and problem-solving skills in dynamic operational environments. Prepare a concise presentation of a relevant project from your portfolio.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.