Designing her own career at Ericsson Japan

Introduction and current role

Arisa Oki works in the Project Office within Cloud Software & Services Japan at Ericsson Japan. As a Project Manager, she supports projects across multiple initiatives by organizing key information and enabling effective decision-making.

Her responsibilities range from schedule planning and progress visualization to cost management and meeting documentation. More recently, she has also taken on increasing opportunities to lead projects herself.

“Each project involves different people and different types of work, so there are days when I’m handling completely different tasks at once. That variety is what makes this role so interesting and rewarding.”

Turning a dream of living in Scandinavia into a career

A major turning point in Oki’s life came during university, when she spent one year studying abroad in Norway.

Living in the Nordics, she was inspired by the calm atmosphere, healthy work-life balance and a culture built on mutual respect.

“I wanted to work in an environment shaped by those values.”

During her job search, she looked for Nordic companies in Japan and discovered Ericsson. Although she had a liberal arts background and no technical knowledge at the time, her passion outweighed her uncertainty and she took her first step into the telecommunications industry.

A career that began in Sendai

Oki began her Ericsson journey as an engineer in the Sendai office. With a smaller team, the environment was warm, collaborative and highly supportive.

“Because it was a smaller office, it was easy to share challenges quickly and get help fast. Starting my career there helped me later when I moved into larger organizations.”

That early experience gave her a strong foundation in communication and adaptability.

A culture where opportunity starts with openness

One of the things Oki values most about Ericsson is the ease of communication across roles and levels.

Even senior leaders, including country leaders and department heads, are approachable. People genuinely listen to ideas and take interest in others’ perspectives.

Ericsson’s global network also creates powerful opportunities for growth.

“If someone says, ‘I want to become a project manager,’ people are willing to connect them with colleagues from headquarters or other offices. If you ask, people will help. That culture feels very natural here.”

Project Manager Arisa Oki at Ericsson Office

Learning without limits

Ericsson’s strong online learning environment has also played an important role in Oki’s development.

Even though many training resources are in English, the company encourages people to challenge themselves and grow through experience.

“Even if English is not your strength, you improve naturally through work if you’re open to it. In cross-regional projects, I use English regularly and can apply what I learn immediately. That makes growth happen quickly.”

Flexibility built on trust and accountability

At Ericsson, professionalism and flexibility go hand in hand.

While teamwork is essential, individuals are trusted to take ownership of their responsibilities and deliver results. In return, they are given flexibility in how they work.

“As long as results are delivered, employees are trusted to manage their schedules through flexible working. When collaborating with Europe, meetings may happen early in the morning or late at night due to time zones. If evenings are busy, I can start later in the morning. That respect for individuals is the foundation of our flexible culture.”

Work-life balance that supports passion

Outside work, Oki enjoys traveling and values the freedom to balance work with personal interests.

Depending on project schedules, teams may even coordinate vacation periods together.

“Taking time off is naturally accepted as part of team life. That flexibility is a major advantage when balancing work and private life.”

Bringing Liberal Arts into a Global business

Oki believes her liberal arts background continues to benefit her career today.

Critical thinking helps her identify the best solutions in complex situations, while her studies in international relations developed her English skills and cross-cultural understanding.

“The ability to work with people while respecting different cultures and perspectives is incredibly valuable in today’s environment.”

The excitement of new challenges

What motivates Oki most is taking on new tasks and unfamiliar challenges.

“At first, I may understand nothing. But gradually the bigger picture becomes clear, and I begin to see how I can contribute. That process of growing understanding is what I enjoy most.”

Once operations begin running smoothly, she finds satisfaction in improving efficiency, suggesting better ways of working and helping the wider team succeed.

Growth through challenge: The 5G project experience

One of the biggest challenges in her career came during a 5G core deployment project.

She transitioned from engineering into management with no prior experience, and was the only Japanese member in a demanding environment.

“I couldn’t do it alone, so I asked for help from other teams and people outside the project. Their support helped us succeed. That experience taught me that if you have the courage to ask, people will respond.”

It became a defining moment in her growth.

You design your own career

At Ericsson, careers are not predefined.

Even employees who begin in engineering can move into sales, design, management or many other functions. Rather than deciding for employees, the company encourages people to shape their own future.

“You decide what you want to do. When you speak up, the company helps connect you with the right people and opportunities.”

A culture of trust that inspires ambition

For Oki, Ericsson’s greatest strength is the trust it places in people.

If employees are motivated and can clearly communicate the future they want, they are given opportunities and responsibility regardless of tenure.

That trust becomes a powerful source of motivation for people who want to challenge themselves and grow.

A message to future talent

Finally, Oki shared her advice for those considering joining Ericsson.

“It doesn’t matter whether your background is technical or non-technical. If there is something you’re interested in or want to do, speak up. Communicating with others will always help you. If you raise your voice, someone here will listen. With a global network, flexible ways of working and diverse career paths, Ericsson is the perfect place for people who want to challenge themselves.”