At Wayve we're committed to creating a diverse, fair and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition  (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law.  

About us   

Founded in 2017, Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology.  Our advanced AI software and foundation models enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any complex environment, enhancing the usability and safety of automated driving systems.

Our vision is to create autonomy that propels the world forward.  Our intelligent, mapless, and hardware-agnostic AI products are designed for automakers, accelerating the transition from assisted to automated driving. 

In our fast-paced environment big problems ignite us—we embrace uncertainty, leaning into complex challenges to unlock groundbreaking solutions. We aim high and stay humble in our pursuit of excellence, constantly learning and evolving as we pave the way for a smarter, safer future.

At Wayve, your contributions matter.  We value diversity, embrace new perspectives, and foster an inclusive work environment; we back each other to deliver impact.  

Make Wayve the experience that defines your career  

The role 

The Head of Fleet Operations (Japan) plays a critical role in Fleet Operations. Its focus is to translate our customer-focused on-road testing strategy into not actionable and tactical plans but also safe and efficient ones. It is an essential position that ensures the continued successful deployment and scaling of our on-road development in Japan as our operational hub is growing.

Key responsibilities:

• Operations Management: Own the end-to-end process of deploying our on-road ADAS testing strategy in Japan, converting strategic milestones into detailed tactical plans.
• Execution: Responsible for delivering key testing outputs and on-road performance metrics, ensuring that goals are met efficiently and effectively.
• Resource optimisation: Optimise resource allocation by balancing fleet availability with team schedules, ensuring maximum productivity and operational efficiency.
• Leadership and Management: Directly manage, oversee and allocate work to team members including a group of operational Shift Leads, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities within the team.
• Flexibility and :Regularly evaluate and adjust operational plans to align with changing customer needs, technological advancements, and strategic key results.
• Stakeholder Management: Serve as a key liaison between strategic planning teams and on-ground operational staff, ensuring seamless communication and alignment.
• Continuous Improvement: Implement continuous improvement practices to enhance testing procedures, safety protocols, and overall team performance.

About you 

In order to set you up for success as a Head of Fleet Operations at Wayve, we're looking for the following skills and experience. 

• Fluent in Japanese and English - this is an essential requirement for this role. 
• Proven experience in operational management, preferably in automotive testing, tech, or a related field.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate high-level strategies into practical operational plans.
• Excellent leadership and people management abilities, with experience in managing diverse teams that operate on multiple shift patterns.
• Demonstrated capability in resource planning and allocation, including fleet and personnel management.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively interact with various stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, adapting quickly to changing priorities
• A keen understanding of ADAS technology and on-road testing requirements is highly advantageous.

We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you feel that Wayve's mission resonates with you and you think that you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.

This is a full-time role based in our office in Shin-Yokohama. This role is Monday to Friday, overseeing a division that operates seven days a week. It will include on-call responsibilities at times. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to travel nationally and internationally as Wayve continues to grow and expand.

Wayve is committed to creating an inclusive interview experience. If you require any accommodations or adjustments to participate fully in our interview process, please let us know

We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you're passionate about self-driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.

For more information visit Careers at Wayve. 

To learn more about what drives us, visit Values at Wayve 

DISCLAIMER: We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non-discriminatory.