Director - Operations, North Asia (Japan and Korea)

Our Purpose - Bridging the World Through Travel We believe travel allows people to enjoy, learn and experience more of the amazing world we live in. It brings individuals and cultures closer together, fostering empathy, understanding and happiness. We are a skillful, driven and diverse team from across the globe, united by a passion to make an impact. Harnessing our innovative technologies and strong partnerships, we aim to make travel easy and rewarding for everyone.

Get to Know Our Team

This role is based in Yokohama, with regular travel to Seoul and Bangkok.

Japan and Korea are two of Agoda's most strategically important markets  and among the most complex to operate in. Both markets carry high customer and partner expectations, active regulatory environments, and a strong local industry culture that demands senior, trusted, and culturally fluent leadership.

As Agoda scales its North Asia presence and deepens its investment in Japan (JP) and Korea (KR), we are building a dedicated senior leadership role to own this market end to end from customer operational performance to external stakeholder representation at the highest levels.

The Opportunity

As the Director, or Senior Director for North Asia Customer and Partner Success, you will be the most senior CEG leader on the ground in Japan (JP) and the primary face of Agoda's customer service and partner operations for both Japan and Korea.

This is a high-visibility role with direct exposure to Customer Service leadership and the chance to influence major operational decisions. You will own the operational performance of Japan and Korea customer service operations teams across Accommodations and Flights, while simultaneously representing Agoda in senior external forums including government and industry bodies, key Supply and hotel partner meetings, and cross-functional internal discussions on market strategy, regulatory readiness, and CX improvement.

You will work closely with Agoda's leadership teams in CEG, Supply, Legal, and others acting as the connective tissue between on-the-ground operational realities and senior strategic decision-making.

The level of this role (Director, or Senior Director) will be determined based on the candidate's relevant experience, depth of external stakeholder relationships, operational leadership scope and interview evaluation. We are open to offering the right level for the right person.

In This Role, You'll Get To

Lead North Asia Operations

• Own the end-to-end operational performance of JP and KR customer service teams driving SLA, DSAT, overall quality, and efficiency outcomes across In House and BPO teams
• Lead and develop a team of Regional Managers and Team Managers across Yokohama, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and partner BPO sites
• Set operational priorities and OKRs for North Asia aligned to CEG's broader strategy
• Partner with WFM, Analytics, Automation/ Tools and CX to drive data-led decisions and continuous improvement

Be the Senior External Face for JP and KR

• Represent Agoda in senior external meetings with government, industry associations, and key Supply and hotel partners in Japan and Korea with the Supply team.
• Build and maintain trusted, senior-level relationships with external stakeholders acting as a credible and confident voice for Agoda's commitments and direction
• Partner with CSI, Legal, Regulatory, and Supply PMO on market-specific compliance, regulatory readiness, and partner satisfaction topics
• Represent the JP and KR operational perspective in CEG-level forums and leadership discussions

Drive Customer and Partner Experience

• Champion localization excellence by ensuring that the customer and partner experience in JP and KR reflects the cultural, linguistic, and regulatory context of each market
• Partner with CX and SOP teams to translate local customer insights into product and process improvements
• Own escalation handling for high-severity JP and KR cases  ensuring the right intervention, the right resolution, and the right external messaging where needed

Build the Right Team and Leadership Bench

• Attract, develop, and retain strong operational leaders at RM and TM level in both markets
• Build succession depth and raise the bar on leadership capability across JP and KR
• Partner with TD and HRBP on talent development, performance management, and organizational health

What You'll Need to Succeed

• 10+ years of people leadership experience in customer service operations, escalation management, or operational leadership ideally within an OTA, travel platform, or e-commerce environment
• Fluency in Japanese (spoken and written) is essential as this role requires confident, senior-level communication with external Japanese stakeholders
• Proven track record of leading large operational teams managing multi-site, multi-funnel customer service organizations with measurable quality and performance outcomes
• Strong external stakeholder management experience; comfortable representing a company at the level of government bodies, industry associations, and senior partner leadership
• Cultural fluency in the Japanese market (Korean is an added advantage) with deep understanding of local business customs, communication styles, and regulatory environment
• Analytical mindset; ability to use data to diagnose operational gaps, drive decisions, and influence stakeholders with evidence
• Executive presence and communication skills in both Japanese and English and can operate effectively across internal and external audiences at senior levels
• Entrepreneurial and ownership mindset; comfortable operating in fast-moving environments with the ability to make decisions and drive outcomes without constant direction

It's Great If You Have

• Korean language proficiency (spoken and/or written)
• Direct experience working with or representing companies in front of government/regulatory bodies
• Background in OTA or travel platform operations
• Experience managing BPO partnerships and vendor governance at a senior level
• Familiarity with Agoda's product ecosystem or similar travel booking platforms