Senior Product Designer, Japan

Since we opened our doors in 2009, the world of commerce has evolved immensely, and so has Square. After enabling anyone to take payments and never miss a sale, we saw sellers stymied by disparate, outmoded products and tools that wouldn't work together.
So we expanded into software and started building integrated, omnichannel solutions - to help sellers sell online, manage inventory, offer buy now, pay later functionality, book appointments, engage loyal buyers, and hire and pay staff. Across it all, we've embedded financial services tools at the point of sale, so merchants can access a business loan and manage their cash flow in one place. Afterpay furthers our goal to provide omnichannel tools that unlock meaningful value and growth, enabling sellers to capture the next generation shopper, increase order sizes, and compete at a larger scale.
Today, we are a partner to sellers of all sizes - large, enterprise-scale businesses with complex operations, sellers just starting, as well as merchants who began selling with Square and have grown larger over time. As our sellers grow, so do our solutions. There is a massive opportunity in front of us. We're building a significant, meaningful, and lasting business, and we are helping sellers worldwide do the same.
The Role
We're looking for a Senior Product Designer based in Japan to lead the design strategy and execution for one of Square's most dynamic and unique international markets. This is a rare opportunity to create original, market-first experiences rooted in the specific needs, behaviors, and expectations of Japanese sellers - and to influence global product thinking in the process. You will oversee design decisions that directly influence the development of our products, from core features to experimental projects. We value T-shaped individuals who can contribute to each stage of product development while also diving deep into specific areas of expertise.
This role is not about simply localizing a global product, it's about innovating from within the Japanese market to shape what "best-in-market" looks like. The work you do here may inform product direction across Square's global ecosystem. You will hold the highest standards for design, contributing to product strategy for Japan in alignment with Square's overall global direction. You will propose and evaluate impactful initiatives, promoting them across the organization and implementing them from ideation through to release.
You'll partner closely with PMs, engineers, marketers, analysts, and in-country experts to research, prototype, and launch high-impact, remarkable, and delightful experiences. You'll also take a hands-on role in customer discovery and product research and story-tell learnings to global teams, given the need to deeply understand seller expectations in Japan - where business norms and customer behaviors differ significantly from those elsewhere. You'll surface insights that shape strategy not just for Japan, but for Square as a whole.
You'll report to the Design Lead for International and play a critical role in our globally distributed design team.
You Will

• Own the end-to-end product design experience for the Japan market, from strategy through execution.
• Originate and champion new product ideas rooted in the cultural and commercial realities of doing business in Japan.
• Lead customer discovery and research, engaging directly with sellers to uncover deep insights that inform product direction.
• Translate findings into thoughtful, effective design strategies and ship high-quality solutions across platforms and surfaces.
• Partner closely with cross-functional teammates, including PMs, engineers, marketers, compliance leads, analysts, and local operations.
• Influence product and go-to-market strategy by representing Japanese seller needs and perspectives.
• Share your thinking globally, contributing ideas and practices that may scale to other markets.

You Have

• 8+ years of experience designing digital products, with strong product thinking, interaction design, and craft.
• Demonstrated success designing for the Japanese market, but has also worked within a global system.
• Experience leading customer research and synthesizing insights into design strategy.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines and time zones.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written) in Japanese and business (verbal and written) English.
• Experience designing across platforms (mobile, web).
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and bring structure to complex product challenges.
• A strong interest in emerging technologies and AI, with a curiosity to explore how they can craft meaningful and innovative experiences.
• Deep familiarity with the Japanese small business or fintech landscape.
• Experience working in a global company or cross-cultural product environment.
• Background in commerce, payments, or financial tooling.

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work hard to evaluate all employees and job applicants consistently, based solely on the core competencies required of the role at hand, and without regard to any legally protected class. We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build an inclusive workplace? Check out our Inclusion & Diversity page
Use of AI in Our Hiring Process
We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws.
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Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.