Senior Product Manager

About Cogent

Cogent Labs, an AI startup based in Tokyo, has been at the forefront of AI innovation for a decade since 2014. Our journey has been marked by rapid growth and cutting-edge technological advancements, making us a prime destination for ambitious professionals seeking to make a real world impact in solving a wide range of business problems.

Our flagship product, SmartRead, has revolutionized document processing with its advanced AI based automated document processing capabilities. Building on this success, we're expanding our portfolio with SmartFind, which uses conversational interface like Chat GPT, and workflow automation tools in 2025. What sets us apart is our commitment in developing in-house, cutting-edge AI technology including proprietary large document models.

At Cogent Labs, we foster a culture of ownership and teamwork like a professional sports team. We are a meritocratic, results-driven team, looking for a self-starter and highly motivated individuals who thrive on challenges in a closely collaborating team environment.

While our engineering team faces exciting technical challenges everyday, the team maintains exceptionally high standards for each other, creating a supportive environment that encourages knowledge sharing and collaborative learning and work. Also, if you're ambitious, you'll have plenty of opportunities to propose new ideas, own them and lead projects at any level.

Job Summary

We are launching a new Product Management team reporting directly to the CTO and seek an experienced Senior Product Manager. This pivotal role involves translating our cutting-edge AI technology into successful B2B SaaS products, bridging the gap between deep technical development and strategic business goals. You will leverage your deep technical understanding (especially in AI), B2B market knowledge, and bilingual (Japanese/English) fluency to drive product innovation and success.

Responsibilities

• Define & Drive Product Strategy: Own the product vision, strategy, and roadmap, translating technical possibilities and market insights into clear business value.
• Lead Product Development: Guide the end-to-end product lifecycle in close collaboration with R&D engineers, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives from concept through launch and iteration.
• Bridge R&D and Business: Act as the key interface between technical teams, business stakeholders (Sales, Marketing, Leadership), customers, and strategic partners.
• Champion Product Success: Utilize research, data, and stakeholder input to make informed product decisions, manage priorities, and ensure successful product outcomes.

Who You will be working with

• A dedicated UX designer and full stack engineers
• The CTO, who you’ll report to and collaborate with on high-level product and platform strategy
• The CEO, who you’ll work with closely on understanding and defining longer term product direction

Required skills

• 5+ years of Product Management experience, ideally with B2B SaaS products.
• Essential: Native or near-native fluency in both Japanese and English (written and spoken).
• Proven ability to understand complex technical concepts and effectively connect them to business strategy and market needs.
• Demonstrated success working directly with R&D/engineering teams.
• Strong strategic thinking, leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (technical or business preferred).
• Good to have: Experience with AI/ML, document processing, workflow automation
  

Why Join Cogent Labs

• Directly influence product strategy and technology direction, reporting to the CTO.
• Play a foundational role in a new, high-impact team.
• Join an innovative tech company in a dynamic environment.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.

Nice-to-have skills

• Experience with AI/ML, document processing, workflow automation
  
  

Team culture

The Cogent Labs engineering department is continuously working towards developing a culture improving and rewarding the following qualities:

• Team effort: A cohesive team can be more effective than an isolated prodigy. Engineers are expected to work well in groups and look for opportunities to empower their colleagues.
• Ownership: Take full responsibility for your own projects and tasks and if needed, cross over boundaries in order to successfully deliver your project.
• Self-improvement: Create an environment where engineers can focus on their engineering tasks and self-improvement without excessive outside disturbances.
• Experimentation: Engineers should have some freedom in experimenting with new ideas and technologies, as this ultimately could translate into building better products or the creation of valuable new IP.
• Quality & Excellence: Maintaining a mindset of developing high quality features and code. We avoid cutting corners as much as possible.
• Customer Service: Being customer focused, not only externally but internally as well. This means developing services that not only improve the experience of our end customers, but also being ‘customer service’ oriented within your team and the company as a whole by helping out others and sharing knowledge.

The ideal candidate

• Can empathize Cogent Labs’ VISION and MISSION.
• Is a team player who aims for higher goals.
• Has integrity and humility, and shows respect and gratitude to others.
• Prefers open and transparent communication.
• Has a strong growth mindset.
• Can receive feedback positively and provide constructive feedback to others.

What we offer

• Competitive Salary - Based on skills and experience
• Performance bonus eligibility twice a year
• Stock Option

Benefits

• Visa Sponsorship
• Support for language training
• Free in-office breakfast, coffee, tea, drinks and snacks
• Subsidized gym membership
• Monthly commute expense
• Japanese Social Security - all applicable (Health Insurance, Pension, employment insurance etc.)
• Maternity leave, childcare leave (including male employees)
• Yearly health checkup
• Paid Holiday - Maximum 20 days per year (additional Congratulatory, Bereavement leaves available).
• Holiday - Sat & Sun, Japanese National Holidays, and Year-end and New Year holidays.