Japanese-English Internal Controls & Governance Lead｜Permanent Part-Time

About This Position

⚫︎ Melbourne CBD, Victoria
⚫︎ Permanent Part-time – approximately 2 to 3 days per week
⚫︎ Market-aligned remuneration, based on experience (Base + Super)

An established Australian organisation with a head office in Japan is seeking an experienced Japanese-English bilingual professional to take ownership of its internal controls and governance framework.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director in Australia, you will have the mandate to bring greater structure, consistency and accountability to contracts, policies, approvals and corporate records – while helping ensure that group requirements work as intended in day-to-day Australian operations.

This is a senior, hands-on individual-contributor position with no direct reports. Governance-related activities previously managed by the Managing Director will transfer to this role, working across Finance, HR, IT, Operations and other business functions to build clearer, more consistent and better-controlled ways of working.

The scope extends well beyond checking documents or administering established procedures. You will identify gaps, organise information, develop practical solutions and follow actions through to completion.

An important early priority will be bringing structure to contracts, commercial terms, policies, approval records and other key corporate documents currently held across different departments or locations, establishing greater visibility over what exists, who owns it, when action is required, and whether appropriate approvals and supporting documentation are in place.

Regular collaboration with the Risk Management and Corporate Planning functions at the company’s head office in Japan is expected, alongside close work with local management, department heads and the organisation’s in-house legal counsel in Australia.

This position will suit someone who understands both Japanese and Australian business environments and can operate professionally in Japanese and English.

The role is designed for an experienced professional who can draw on established knowledge, assess priorities independently and begin adding value from an early stage. While business context and stakeholder support will be provided, the position requires confidence operating without detailed technical training or close day-to-day supervision.

What does your next role look like?

Your responsibilities will include:

• Understanding policies, requirements and instructions issued by the Japanese head office and global stakeholders
• Translating head-office requirements into clear local actions, responsibilities and implementation schedules
• Reviewing gaps between group requirements, Australian operations and existing local policies or procedures
• Coordinating across Finance, HR, IT, Operations and other departments to ensure required actions are understood and completed
• Supporting the local implementation and ongoing operation of J-SOX and other internal control requirements
• Maintaining process documentation, evidence, approvals and control records, while identifying weaknesses and developing practical remediation actions
• Tracking agreed improvements and following up with responsible stakeholders through to completion
• Managing and improving Delegation of Authority, approval pathways and the retention of important approval records
• Supporting Board administration, including agendas, meeting materials, minutes, resolutions, signatures and corporate records
• Establishing and maintaining effective registers for policies, contracts and other important corporate documents
• Bringing together contracts and commercial terms held across different business areas and improving visibility over ownership, approval status, renewal dates, key conditions and supporting records
• Identifying inconsistencies in supplier agreements, commercial terms or approval practices and raising them appropriately
• Improving document access, filing structures, version control and retention practices
• Drafting and updating local policies and procedures, working with relevant departments to embed them into day-to-day operations and confirm that they are followed in practice
• Identifying governance, compliance and operational risks before they become larger issues, and presenting practical recommendations to the Managing Director
• Coordinating with local in-house legal counsel where specialist legal judgement is required
• Supporting the collection, control and reporting of sustainability-related information, KPIs and supporting evidence
• Coordinating with external advisers, auditors and consultants where required

A little about you

To succeed in this position, you will bring:

• Professional-level Japanese and English communication skills
• Experience working in a Japanese organisation, or substantial experience working directly with a head office and stakeholders in Japan
• A practical understanding of Japanese corporate structures, reporting expectations, decision-making and approval processes
• Relevant experience in internal control, corporate governance, risk, compliance, internal audit, J-SOX, SOX, corporate planning or a closely related area
• Experience implementing group or global policies within a local business
• Demonstrated ability to work across several departments and move improvement actions forward
• Experience bringing structure to contracts, policies, approval records or other important corporate information
• The ability to identify gaps, organise complex or incomplete information and recommend workable solutions
• Confidence communicating with senior management, general managers and department heads
• Strong written communication and documentation skills in both Japanese and English
• High levels of integrity, discretion, accuracy and professional judgement
• A proactive, organised and self-directed working style
• The ability to distinguish between operational governance matters and issues requiring specialist legal advice
• Unrestricted working rights in Australia

Experience with J-SOX, SOX, internal audit or internal control testing will be highly regarded.

Exposure to Board administration, Delegation of Authority, contract registers, policy management, document retention, sustainability reporting or non-financial reporting will also be advantageous.

A legal qualification is not required. This is not a Legal Counsel position – the successful candidate will work alongside legal professionals when specialist advice is needed.

Location

Melbourne CBD

Working Hour

Permanent Part-time, approximately 2 to 3 days per week.
The preferred working pattern will be confirmed directly with suitable candidates.

Salary range

Remuneration will be benchmarked to market rate based on experience and structured as base salary plus superannuation.

Working flexibility

This role is primarily office-based, with the flexibility to work from home when circumstances allow.

Start From

An immediate start is preferred, though timing can be discussed for the right candidate.

Application due date

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and shortlisting may begin before the position is filled. Early applications are encouraged.

What this opportunity offers

• A trusted role reporting directly to the Managing Director
• Real ownership of internal control and governance improvement—not a review-only mandate
• Regular professional engagement with senior stakeholders in Australia and Japan
• The opportunity to build structure and consistency across important company processes
• Broad exposure across policies, contracts, approvals, Board records, risk and sustainability reporting
• Meaningful work where your recommendations can directly shape how the organisation operates
• A senior permanent part-time opportunity where your experience and judgement are valued
• The chance to use Japanese and English in a substantive business role—not simply as a translator or communication intermediary

Career Meister’s View

This is a rare permanent part-time opportunity for an experienced bilingual governance or internal control professional who enjoys bringing order, clarity and accountability to a business.

The successful candidate will not simply review whether a policy or document exists. They will help ensure that responsibilities are clear, records are reliable, approvals are appropriate and agreed processes function as intended in practice.

Backgrounds in internal control, internal audit, risk, compliance, corporate governance or corporate planning are all relevant. Your exact current job title matters less than your ability to enter a complex environment, understand what is required and independently build a practical path forward.

Take the Next Step

If you are an experienced Japanese-English bilingual professional who can combine governance knowledge with practical implementation, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please apply with your English resume. 

Shortlisted candidates will receive further confidential information about the organisation and the position.

All applications and enquiries will be handled in strict confidence.