Japanese Language Expert

Role & responsibilities:

• Process vendor invoices, ensuring accuracy and compliance with company policies.
  
• Communicate with Japanese vendors or internal stakeholders to clarify billing details, payment terms, and discrepancies.
  
• Verify supporting documents (purchase orders, receipts, etc.) in Japanese and translate as needed for internal teams.
  
• Handle payment runs and maintain records of transactions.
  
• Support month-end and year-end closing activities for AP.
  
• Generate and send invoices to Japanese clients in accordance with contracts or service agreements.
  
• Track incoming payments and ensure timely receipt of funds.
  
• Coordinate with Japanese clients to resolve payment delays, discrepancies, or disputes.
  
• Translate customer communications and reconcile outstanding balances.
• Prepare and verify bilingual invoices (Japanese, English) for accuracy and compliance with tax regulations.
  
• Maintain invoice logs and update accounting systems with correct billing data.
  
• Liaise with Japanese counterparts to ensure proper tax treatment and documentation.
  
• Translate financial documents, bank statements, and reports from Japanese to English (and vice versa).
  
• Support preparation of monthly/quarterly reports for Japanese management.
  
• Assist in internal and external audits by providing Japanese documentation or clarifications.
  
• Act as a bridge between Japanese and local finance teams to ensure smooth information flow.
  
• Participate in meetings with Japanese stakeholders, interpret discussions, and document key action points.
  
• Support process improvement initiatives within the finance team by translating process manuals or SOPs.

Preferred candidate profile:

• Language Proficiency:

  JLPT N1 (or equivalent business-level fluency in Japanese and English).

• Finance Knowledge:

  Basic to intermediate understanding of accounting principles, AP/AR cycles, and ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, etc.).

• Technical Skills:

  MS Excel, accounting software, and invoice processing tools.

• Soft Skills:

  Attention to detail, cross-cultural communication, and analytical mindset.