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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 we offer over 75,000 unique items in auction, carefully curated by our passionate in-house experts.
Having sold over 20 million unique objects to date, we’re on a mission to become the world’s most popular destination for special objects. As a growing, diverse and sustainable scale-up, we proudly live by our core values:
- Taking ownership and driving impact
- Being open to change and feedback
- Being passionate about our mission and our customers.
If these values resonate with you, we’d love to explore how you can join us on this exciting journey!
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 that serves millions of customers across 80+ categories. In our flat structure, every role has a broad scope that directly impacts both our customers and the business.
- Learn and Grow with Us through our Learning & Development initiatives, which include clear development plans and mentorship programmes designed to support your career progression.
- A Culture of Connection defines us. We’re a passionate, diverse and collaborative team of 800+ Catawikains and 60+ nationalities, all coming together to build a one-of-a-kind marketplace. We foster an inclusive and queer-friendly work environment, committed to making every Catawikian feel welcomed and empowered. Whatever your story, we encourage you to bring your unique perspective to our team.
- Celebrate Life’s Moments with us at Catawiki. When you join us, you’ll receive a €100 Catavoucher, and on each birthday, you'll get a €50 Catavoucher to celebrate. Enjoy an extra day off each year to "Pursue Your Passion". We also recognise significant work anniversaries (3, 5, 8, 10 years) with additional time off, plus extra leave for life’s big moments like marriage, engagements, or moving house.
Please note that benefits can vary by location. For specific information regarding what’s available in your country, please consult your recruiter.
Our Offices and Way of Working
Our vibrant offices in Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon are designed to inspire and connect. Most Catawikians are within commuting distance of one of our offices and enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid work model. That said, some roles may be an exception: if the job description states that the position is fully remote or 100% office-based, that arrangement will apply instead.
Interested?
Apply directly with an English CV and cover letter by submitting your information at the bottom of this page. By submitting your application you agree to Catawiki’s Applicant Privacy Policy.
If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we 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.
