At Koala we believe that designing better habitats leads to better lives – for our people, our planet, and the communities we’re part of. For a decade we have been perfecting our approach to furniture design; creating beautiful, flexible, innovative and sustainable products that solve the needs of real people.

Why we have this role @ Koala

Brand marketing has played a big role in Koala Japan’s growth—from viral PR stunts to influencer content that drive word of mouth. This role is about owning and elevating our top of funnel marketing strategy: creating buzz, organic awareness, and excitement around our brand. You’ll lead PR, influencer marketing, partnerships, offline media and events—all while collaborating closely with our Creative, Performance, and Global Brand teams.

What key responsibilities does this role have @ Koala?

• Brand Awareness: Build marketing initiatives that grow organic brand interest (e.g. search volume, SOV) and drive cultural buzz around Koala.

• Own Koala’s top-of-funnel calendar—developing strategic moments through influencer campaigns, PR, partnerships, and brand activations.

• Generate disruptive, storytelling-led campaign ideas that spark word of mouth and earned media.

• Plan and execute events (owned and sponsored) that amplify brand stories and connect with consumers in memorable ways.

• Collaborate with our Influencer Marketing Specialist to scale always-on and campaign-based creator programs, following DTC best practices.

• Partner with our PR Manager to develop and execute a 12-month PR roadmap aligned with product launches and cultural moments.

• Localize Koala’s global partnerships and proactively pitch original collaborations with Japanese brands that drive brand relevance and reach.

• Partner with the Performance Marketing team to explore strategic use of Out-of-Home and offline placements.

• Combine brand-building instincts with Koala’s performance mindset—test, learn, and optimize for impact.

• Push boundaries with unconventional PR stunts and campaign formats that earn attention and media coverage (e.g. TV, social buzz).

• Analyze PR, influencer, and other TOFU initiatives using Koala’s tools and reporting frameworks to optimize for ROI and brand KPIs.

• Stay ahead of cultural, platform, and creator trends in both the global and Japanese market.

• Coach and lead a small team of specialists, fostering a high-performance and collaborative environment.

Ideal background... 

• 10+ years of proven experience in brand marketing, PR, influencer marketing, or brand partnerships in Japan

• Strong leadership experience managing cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, creative environment

• Cultural Insight: Ability to spot what’s trending in Japanese popular culture—from mainstream moments to niche subcultures—and translate those insights into impactful brand storytelling

• A strong network across media, journalists, influencers, and creative partners

• Demonstrated experience concepting and executing disruptive, earned-media-driving campaigns

• Ability to combine creative vision with data-led analysis and campaign reporting

• Native-level Japanese fluency and professional English proficiency required

Treehouse Perks and Privileges…

Koala is only as good as its employees are happy - and we’re one happy international bilingual bunch! We offer our teams hybrid working options and the freedom and autonomy to do their best work in a way that works for them! Whether that’s working your own version of 9-6, working from home in your pajamas from time to time or hanging out at our Treehouse (this is what we call our office digs) in Omotesando, or enjoying the 20+ days annual leave (+generous time off for volunteer, parental, Koala life leave and more) you decide whatever helps you find your flow! The Treehouse has plenty of social activities to get involved with, including Thursday lunches, and help you get to know your fellow Koalas better as well as free Koala products for all employees - who better to shout from the tree tops how awesome our products are, right?! We also recognise that we can’t grow as a brand unless we support the growth of our teams so this is a strong focus for us via our Learning Management platform Juno, as well as individual and team growth budgets and dedicated days. Lastly and importantly our employee experience respects and embraces all families, formed, found and evolving. You’ll have access to our Employee Assistance Program, which includes unlimited sessions for financial, work, relationship, family or wellbeing support. We believe that simply doing ‘no harm’ isn’t good enough. So, how are we doing our part? BCorp Certified, WWF Partnership, volunteer days, a member of SoftLanding, 1% and so much more.

All in all, the Koala Kommunity is a great place to hang out and belong to!

Koalities we look for…

At Koala, we do things a little differently and we don’t shy away from the fact that we expect a lot from our employees! We want you to challenge expectations, always look to make a difference and give us something different from the norm. We want people that bring great energy, that have a long-game focus and are always curious to find new angles and approaches to the way we work. We're a team full of entrepreneurial spirit and have a relentless focus on 'what's next' but while always reviewing 'what's been done' and learning, growing and adapting. We're confident, but NEVER arrogant and we adapt to change uber quickly. Honesty and selflessness drive everything we do, as well as a total focus on exceeding our customers’ expectations. So if you feel like this could be you... well what are you waiting for? Drop us a line, and let's see what you've got! ;)

There’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ candidate, Koala is a place where everyone has opportunity. So however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day. We’re an equal opportunity employer, and recognize that a diverse workforce is crucial to our success as a business.

To read more, check out our careers, LinkedIn, or the great work we do with Work180.