Senior Lead, Responsible Officer

Agoda Japan holds a travel agency license under Japan's Travel Business Act. As part of the license requirements, Agoda Japan has appointed a qualified Responsible Officer, known in Japan as a Certified Travel Services Supervisor (総合旅行業務取扱管理者). We are looking for a motivated professional to join Agoda Japan as a new Responsible Officer and support our existing travel business operations. Responsible Officer-related responsibilities are expected to account for approximately 20% of the role.

Responsibilities

Serve as the qualified Responsible Officer for Agoda Japan's travel business; Support relevant teams in ensuring that travel agency-related operations in Japan are conducted in accordance with applicable laws, internal policies, and business procedures; Support Agoda Japan's engagement with travel industry bodies and regulatory authorities (such as JTA, JATA, and MLIT), including reviewing and contributing to outgoing correspondence and, where appropriate, attending relevant meetings; Provide continuity for regulatory engagement where the primary contact is unavailable; Review internal procedures, manuals, and SOPs related to travel services, and provide recommendations for improvement where appropriate; Review customer complaints and inquiries related to the travel agency business including escalations above defined thresholds (such as relocations, refund and compensation cases, and PR-sensitive matters) and discuss appropriate responses with relevant teams as needed; Monitor complaints and operational issues for recurring or serious trends, and share or escalate them to relevant stakeholders when appropriate; Receive and review reports on supplier performance issues relating to Japan inventory, and provide input to improve their performance as per the agreed SLAs; Review significant changes to customer-facing information related to the Travel Business Act, including Japan-facing disclosures, Terms of Use, and booking-related communications, and provide input; Maintain appropriate records of regulatory inquiries, RO reviews and endorsements, and other supporting materials relating to the travel agency business; Support internal training, periodic reviews, and other activities related to the management of travel operations; Provide input and recommendations to relevant business owners on matters within the RO scope

Requirements

A valid qualification as a Certified Travel Services Supervisor (総合旅行業務取扱管理者); Experience in travel, online travel, hospitality, e-commerce, customer support, compliance, business operations, or a related field; Strong communication skills and the ability to coordinate effectively with internal and external stakeholders in sensitive or complex situations; A practical, solution-oriented mindset and the ability to take ownership of ambiguous or evolving issues; Strong Japanese communication skills, both written and spoken; Basic business English skills; The ability to manage multiple tasks and stakeholders while working independently

Nice to have

Experience reviewing or improving SOPs, business procedures, or internal policies; Experience in customer support, complaint handling, business improvement, or project management; Experience working with international teams in English