Pursuing a Truly Global Environment
Since childhood, I aspired to work in a global setting. As a new graduate, I joined a foreign IT vendor, but because it was a Japanese subsidiary, opportunities for truly global work were limited. I wanted to experience upstream processes and therefore moved to another IT consulting firm. During that time, I had a child, who was prone to illness, so I transferred to an automotive-related company with good access from home and became an in-house systems engineer. Several years later, I had a second child, but I felt my career had hit a dead end. I then moved to a major Japanese IT vendor, working as a SAP consultant. I achieved my goal of becoming a manager but still yearned for a truly global role. In 2021, I joined Nissan.
After a long, winding career pursuing a global environment, I finally found the environment I was seeking. “Whether I can work with people I want to work with” was also a key criterion for choosing a company, and in that respect, Nissan fulfills that wish.
Driving Standard SAP Processes
as a Center of Excellence
Currently, as a Senior Manager, I oversee SAP-related operations within the ERP system. Nissan has introduced SAP across its regional offices and affiliates worldwide, and we are continuously improving and adding functions to each. Our team, as the global CoE, is responsible for disseminating SAP standard processes and consolidating the status of each region and affiliate. We strengthen global SAP governance, support projects, ensure maintenance and operations, and manage licenses.
Specific tasks include managing all SAP applications across the group, creating migration roadmaps and guidelines, and bridging various projects. Although Japan acts as the CoE, our governance style is not top-down. Each region and affiliate operates according to its own situation, and we support the diffusion of standardized processes through knowledge sharing and bottom-up initiatives.
Communicating from the Other Party’s Perspective,
Not Top-Down
Having worked as a vendor for many years, I now have the opportunity to participate in projects from the planning stage, as part of an operating company. Unlike vendors who join after decisions are made, being involved from the “leveling” phase of planning is a unique experience for a business organization.
Furthermore, as I mentioned earlier, our culture is not top-down. It’s crucial to approach with consideration for others’ positions and circumstances, and to respond flexibly. “Global environment” here means “a web of diverse cultures and values.” No matter how solid your strategy, it’s unlikely to succeed globally without adaptation. This job requires strong soft skills to persuade and motivate people without clear, predetermined answers. On the other hand, our efforts can have significant impacts on a global scale, which is one of the greatest pleasures of this work.
A Truly Global Environment - Open to All
Because our work covers all regions and affiliates comprehensively, a high level of perspective is essential. This makes Nissan an ideal environment for those interested in global work. Like Nissan itself, the Digital Employee Experience Department is a diverse organization that works daily with international members and vendors.
Even employees who joined without speaking English fluently are active, and not everyone is strongly global-minded. Some have chosen Nissan specifically to advance their careers into upstream development. Experience in the automobile industry is not a prerequisite; the company’s doors are wider than you might think.
As a new organization, the Digital Employee Experience Department attracts significant attention from the company. It is no exaggeration to say it will have a major influence on Nissan’s future. We welcome those interested in leading Nissan’s IT transformation while developing their careers.