Growth Marketer, Lifecycle - Japan
Speakπ Core Information
πΉ Job Title: Growth Marketer, Lifecycle - Japan
πΉ Company: Speak
πΉ Location: Tokyo, TΕkyΕ, Japan
πΉ Job Type: Full-time
πΉ Category: π― Performance Marketing, π Growth Marketing
π Essential Job Details
π Job Overview
This role focuses on managing and enhancing Speak's customer relationship marketing (CRM) initiatives in Japan to maximize customer lifetime value (LTV) and sustain growth in this scaling market. The Growth Marketer will develop and implement comprehensive lifecycle marketing strategies across the full customer journey, from acquisition to retention, with specific focus on the Japanese market.
ASSUMPTION: This is a full-time position based on the comprehensive nature of responsibilities and the company's growth stage. The job type wasn't explicitly stated in the original listing but indicates a permanent role requiring dedicated focus.
π Key Responsibilities
- β Write creative copy and launch CRM campaigns on Email and LINE
- β Track and manage the performance of ongoing CRM campaigns
- β Analyze data to identify growth opportunities throughout the user lifecycle
- β Collaborate with Product, Paid Marketing, and Brand Marketing teams to create synergistic CRM projects
- β Develop and implement a robust, long-term CRM strategy for the Japanese market
ASSUMPTION: The last responsibility about developing a long-term CRM strategy is inferred from the job overview stating this is a key priority for the role.
π― Required Qualifications
Education: Not specified
Experience: 2+ years of experience in CRM marketing and growth marketing
Skills:
- Strong copywriting abilities that resonate with diverse audiences while maintaining brand voice
- Analytical mindset with experience measuring campaign effectiveness
- Data-driven decision making capabilities
- Fluent business English communication skills
- Ability to communicate execution plans to international stakeholders
ASSUMPTION: While Japanese language skills are not explicitly mentioned, they would likely be necessary for a Japan-focused role crafting marketing copy. The omission may indicate that Japanese fluency is considered a given for this position.
π° Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Not specified
Benefits: Not specified in detail, but company mentions the opportunity to work with a "fantastic, tight-knit team" at a "magical time" when individuals can make significant impact
Industry Comparison: Not specified
ASSUMPTION: As a Series C funded company with a $1B valuation as of December 2024, Speak likely offers competitive compensation and benefits within the Tokyo tech/startup ecosystem, potentially including equity options given their funding stage.
π Applicant Insights
π Company Context
Industry Position: Leading AI-powered language learning platform that has become the top-grossing education app in South Korea, now expanding globally to over 40 countries
Company Size: Team of more than 90 people distributed across San Francisco, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei, and Ljubljana
Company Stage: Series C funded startup with $1B valuation as of December 2024, backed by prominent investors including Accel, OpenAI, Founders Fund, Y Combinator, Khosla Ventures
ASSUMPTION: The company is in a significant growth/scaling phase based on their recent Series C funding, valuation milestone, and stated expansion plans.
π Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid to Senior level, based on the 2+ years experience requirement and significant strategic responsibilities
Reporting Structure: Not specified
Team Size/Composition: Not specified
Growth Opportunities: Potential for significant impact on company trajectory as stated: "a single person could significantly change the course of the company"
ASSUMPTION: This role likely reports to a Head of Marketing or Growth Director, with potential collaboration across the global marketing team, given the cross-functional nature of lifecycle marketing.
π Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Likely office-based in Tokyo, as the company mentions having a dedicated office there
Geographic Context: Tokyo is Japan's largest city and a major hub for technology and innovation in Asia, with a large population of English language learners
Work Schedule: Not specified
Regional Considerations: Working in Japan may require understanding of local business customs and consumer behavior; LINE is mentioned as a key platform (which is significantly more popular in Japan than email for marketing communications)
ASSUMPTION: Based on the mention of Tokyo office and Japan-specific focus, this appears to be an in-office role, though some flexibility may exist given the company's global distribution.
πΌ Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process: For growth marketing roles at tech startups, interview processes typically include initial screening, skills assessment (possibly a marketing case study or campaign analysis), and team/culture fit interviews
Key Assessment Areas: Candidates will likely be evaluated on their CRM campaign results, analytical abilities, creative copywriting skills, and understanding of the Japanese market
Application Tips: Highlight specific CRM campaigns you've managed, quantifiable results (open rates, conversion metrics, retention improvements), and experience with the Japanese market
ATS Keywords: CRM, lifecycle marketing, growth marketing, LINE, email marketing, user retention, LTV, customer journey, Japanese market, campaign optimization, data analysis
ASSUMPTION: These insights are based on standard industry practices for growth marketing roles at tech startups, customized to this specific position's requirements.
π οΈ Tools & Technologies
- LINE (Japanese messaging platform for marketing)
- Email marketing platforms (likely tools like Customer.io, Braze, or similar)
- Analytics tools for campaign measurement and data analysis
- CRM systems for customer data management
ASSUMPTION: While only LINE and email are explicitly mentioned, lifecycle marketers typically use various analytics, segmentation, and automation tools. The specific tech stack is not detailed in the listing.
π Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values: The company emphasizes mission-driven work ("reinvent the way people learn"), thoughtful growth, craft-oriented work, personal growth, and having significant impact
Work Style: Collaborative across functions (Product, Paid Marketing, Brand Marketing), data-driven, and mission-oriented
Self-Assessment: Candidates should consider their alignment with educational/learning missions, ability to work across global teams, and desire to create measurable impact in a growing company
ASSUMPTION: These values are inferred from the company description which emphasizes mission, craft, team quality, and impact potential.
β οΈ Potential Challenges
Working across global teams may require flexibility with meeting times across time zones. Developing effective CRM strategies for the Japanese market likely requires deep cultural understanding. The role combines both creative (copywriting) and analytical skills, requiring versatility. As a scaling company, processes may still be evolving.
ASSUMPTION: These challenges are inferred based on the global nature of the company, the specific market focus, and the typical challenges facing growth-stage startups.
π Similar Roles Comparison
This role combines elements of traditional CRM Manager, Lifecycle Marketing Manager, and Growth Marketing roles, with specific Japan market focus. Unlike pure growth marketing roles that might focus primarily on acquisition, this position emphasizes the full customer journey with retention as a key objective. Compared to global marketing roles, this position requires specific regional expertise.
ASSUMPTION: This comparison is based on standard industry role structures in growth and lifecycle marketing.
π Sample Projects
- Developing a segmented email onboarding series for new Japanese users to improve activation rates
- Creating and launching targeted LINE campaigns to re-engage dormant users based on their learning patterns
- Analyzing user behavior data to identify key drop-off points in the customer journey and designing interventions
- Collaborating with the product team to develop in-app messaging that enhances retention at critical user milestones
ASSUMPTION: These projects are illustrative examples based directly on the listed responsibilities and common lifecycle marketing initiatives.
β Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does Speak measure success for CRM and lifecycle marketing initiatives in the Japanese market?
- What are the key differences you've observed between user behavior in Japan versus other markets where Speak operates?
- How do the marketing, product, and data teams collaborate on lifecycle initiatives?
- What are the biggest challenges to customer retention currently, and how might this role address them?
- How does Speak's lifecycle marketing strategy differ between communication channels (LINE vs. email) in Japan?
ASSUMPTION: These questions are suggested based on the specific role requirements and company context, and would demonstrate thoughtful engagement with the key challenges of the position.
π Disclaimer
β οΈ This enhanced job description was AI-generated based on the original job listing. Information has been organized and supplemented with industry-standard insights where details were not provided. All assumptions are explicitly labeled. Applicants should verify all details directly with the employer before making decisions based on this content.
π Next Steps for Applicants
To apply effectively for this role:
- Tailor your resume to highlight specific CRM and lifecycle marketing experience, especially any work with Japanese markets or LINE campaigns
- Prepare a portfolio of previous campaign examples with clear metrics showing impact
- Research Speak's language learning app and ideally download/use it to understand the product firsthand
- In your application, demonstrate understanding of the Japanese market's unique characteristics for language learning apps
- Connect with current Speak employees on LinkedIn to learn more about company culture
- Prepare specific examples that showcase both analytical skills and creative copywriting abilities