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At Catawiki, every day brings the extraordinary! Whether it’s Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 Car, a Woolly Mammoth’s Skeleton, Lady Gaga's Jumpsuit or Usain Bolt’s running shoe, we encounter exceptional objects every day.
We’re a one-of-a-kind marketplace for buying and selling special objects. Each week, more than 110,000 unique items are auctioned, all carefully curated by our passionate in-house experts.
Having sold over 25 million unique objects, our mission is to become the world’s most popular destination for special objects. As a growing, diverse and sustainable scale-up, we proudly live by three core values. If these values resonate with you, we’d love to explore how you can join us.
- Taking ownership and driving impact
- Being open to change and feedback
- Being passionate about our mission and our customers.
Pokémon and Trading Cards Expert – Japan
About the Role
We are looking for a commercially sharp Trading Cards Expert based in Japan to grow Catawiki’s Japanese Trading Cards supply. Japan leads global trading card culture, and we need someone who can bring Japanese trends, release insights, and market signals to our platform before anyone else while also understanding European collector demand.
You will curate high-quality auctions, onboard and support Japanese sellers, and bridge the gap between Japanese supply and European demand. With a strong local network and a data-driven mindset, you will help establish Catawiki as a trusted destination for Japanese Trading Cards.
You will work closely with our Japan-based Sales & Experts team, while also collaborating daily with colleagues across Europe. Comfort with remote communication and working in a diverse, international environment is essential.
In This Role, You Will
Curate & Screen Lots
- Evaluate and approve lots for authenticity, condition, grading, and market demand.
- Provide accurate estimated values based on your expertise and market data.
- Reject unsuitable submissions professionally and clearly.
- Help sellers improve listing quality through better descriptions, photos, and pricing.
Build High-Quality Auctions
- Create weekly auctions featuring Pokémon, MTG, One Piece, Dragon Ball, and other major Japanese TCGs.
- Identify early trends in Japan e.g. scarcity, promos, limited releases, and turn them into strong auction content.
- Ensure auctions match the tastes and expectations of Catawiki’s audience.
Engage, Support & Educate Japanese Sellers
- Onboard sellers from your local network and continuously expand that network.
- Guide sellers through how Catawiki works in listing process, auction dynamics, pricing, grading expectations, shipping standards, and dispute avoidance.
- Provide hands-on support to help sellers succeed on the platform.
- Work closely with our Japan-based team to align onboarding and seller education.
Act With a Commercial & Entrepreneurial Mindset
- Spot supply opportunities fast: exclusive sets, early releases, graded cards, tournament promos.
- Negotiate and act with a trader’s instinct while respecting category quality standards.
- Drive category growth through strong curation and seller activation.
Bridge Japan and Europe
- Interpret Japanese market movements and translate them into actions that appeal to Catawiki’s customers.
- Help sellers understand European demand patterns: popular sets, grading preferences, price thresholds.
- Ensure auctions reflect what is trending in both markets.
Use Data to Guide Decisions
- Analyze auction performance and buyer behaviour to refine curation.
- Identify gaps and opportunities (eras, franchises, sealed vs. singles, graded vs. raw).
- Share insights with internal teams to strengthen the category.
Who You Are
Expertise
- Deep knowledge of Japanese Trading Cards, especially:
- Pokémon
- Magic: The Gathering
- One Piece
- Dragon Ball
- Yu-Gi-Oh
- Other Japanese TCGs
- Strong understanding of rarity, grading, sealed product, and TCG market dynamics.
Commercial & Market-Savvy
- Experience buying and selling trading cards both online and in-person.
- Confident in spotting trends, pricing movements, scarcity signals, and collector behaviour.
- Understanding of European trading card demand and how it differs from Japan.
Network
- A well-established local network in Japan:
- Card shops and store owners
- Dealers and professional sellers
- Wholesalers and distributors
- Collectors and grading communities
Communication & Skills
- Fluent in Japanese and English.
- Able to educate and support sellers clearly and diplomatically.
- Comfortable using data and digital tools.
Ways of Working
- Able to collaborate closely with our Japan-based team.
- Comfortable working fully remote with colleagues who are primarily based in Europe.
- Thrives in a diverse, international, fast-paced environment.
- Proactive, independent, organized, and adaptable.
Nice to Have
-
Previous experience in:
-
Online marketplaces
-
Pokémon or TCG distributors
Where You’ll Be
The role is based in Japan, with daily collaboration with teams in Japan and across Europe.
Why You'll Love Working with Us
- Create a visible impact by working at scale in a global organisation serving millions of customers across 80+ categories. In our flat structure, every role has a broad scope and directly impacts both our customers and the business.
- Learn and grow through our Learning & Development initiatives, including clear development plans and mentorship programmes to support your career progression.
- A culture of connection defines us. We’re a passionate, diverse team of 800+ Catawikians representing 60+ nationalities. We foster an inclusive and queer-friendly environment where everyone is encouraged to bring their full self to work.
- Celebrate life’s moments with us. You’ll receive a €100 Catavoucher when you join, a €50 Catavoucher on your birthday, and an extra day off each year to “Pursue Your Passion”. We also offer additional leave for key work anniversaries and important life events. Benefits may vary by location.
Our Offices and Way of Working
Our vibrant offices in Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon are designed to inspire collaboration. Most Catawikians operate in a hybrid setup, combining office-based and remote work, with a minimum of two days per week in the office, unless a role is explicitly stated as fully remote or fully office-based.
Interested?
Apply with an English CV and Cover Letter. By applying, you agree to Catawiki’s Applicant Privacy Policy. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
We’re continually incorporating hybrid elements, while employees choose how they split their work between the office and home.
We strive to be an employer where your impact is meaningful, visible and rewarded.
