Public Affairs and Government Programs Lead

This role is part of the Public Affairs & Communications team and connects business strategy with policy priorities to create public funding programs supporting the early realization of fusion energy. The work covers Japanese ministries, overseas agencies, international institutions, research organizations, and industry partners.

Daily responsibilities include monitoring funding programs from Japan’s Cabinet Office, MEXT, METI, and the Ministry of Defense, as well as relevant programs in the UK, US, EU, and at ITER. The role analyzes budget cycles and policy changes, then provides information and strategic recommendations to internal decision-makers. It identifies unmet business needs and policy priorities, designs and proposes new funding schemes, prepares materials, and participates in expert meetings and public-comment processes.

The successful candidate manages the full grant lifecycle, from finding and prioritizing opportunities through proposal preparation, internal coordination with R&D, engineering, finance, and legal teams, post-award performance tracking, reporting, settlement, and audit responses. The role also develops management systems and internal workflows. Further responsibilities include maintaining relationships with government and agency policy staff, working with global offices in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany, developing partnerships with academic and research institutions, and coordinating opportunities for international joint funding.

Compliance duties include working with the finance and governance team to address the Act on Proper Subsidy Management, grant-related legal requirements, contract terms, and export-control regulations. The role helps strengthen governance, educates project leads and finance personnel, and identifies and resolves compliance risks early.

Applicants must have at least five years of practical experience handling the full lifecycle of government grants or subsidies, including settlement and audit responses. They must understand Japanese government agencies and funding-program structures at a practical level, connect policy developments with business strategy, and lead coordination across multiple internal functions. The role also requires initiative in creating processes for unprecedented problems. Japanese writing and presentation ability at native or equivalent level and business-level-or-higher English communication ability are required.

Required IT experience includes Slack or Teams, Microsoft Office or Google applications, and hosting online meetings using Teams or Zoom. Work-related AI use is preferred, excluding simple tasks such as translation. Preferred experience includes public R&D funding in energy, space, semiconductors, or advanced manufacturing; involvement with UK, US, EU, or ITER funding programs; work in policy-making environments such as central ministries, research institutions, or think tanks; a science or engineering background or experience translating advanced technical content into policy or business language; and management of team members or external consultants.

The position is full-time and indefinite-term according to the job data, although contract-employee hiring may also be possible. The annual salary range is JPY 7,000,000 to 9,000,000, with a monthly salary system and variation based on experience, company performance, and individual evaluation. Working hours are 9:00 to 18:00 with a one-hour break, with a flextime system available where applicable. The main workplace is the Tokyo office in Ota City; work at the Tokyo satellite office in Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, is also possible from June 2026. Remote work may be discussed for residents within commuting distance. Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays are off, with at least 120 annual holidays. Benefits include social insurance, other company benefits, salary increases, and special paid leave granted upon joining. Domestic or overseas transfers may be possible.