Job Description:
Business Overview
Rakuten’s ad business taps into the rich resources and massive data from the Rakuten Ecosystem to serve personalized ads that match people’s interests. We don’t just sell ad space—we deliver the whole package: smart targeting powered by Rakuten ID, behavior insights from our many connected services, and clear performance measurement to show what works, all to help advertisers succeed.
We’re using this edge to keep accelerating growth. As the market keeps changing, we’re looking for teammates who want to try new ad ideas and build innovative solutions. If you’re strong in logical thinking and process analysis, you’ll be a key driver here—from fine-tuning what we have to launching brand-new businesses.
Learn more about our ad business here: Rakuten Marketing Platform Navi (https://adsales.rakuten.co.jp/)
Department Overview
Mission
We aim to build touchpoints, capture data, and win users across every customer interaction—online and offline—to keep the Rakuten Ecosystem and our ads business growing sustainably. We’re not just about boosting ad revenue; we always keep improving the user experience and energizing the whole ecosystem in mind.
We’re at the center of Rakuten Group’s ad strategy, with influence that reaches across the company. You’ll work with data from tens of millions of members and help shape strategies that cut across many different services. You’ll see your impact fast—your insights will directly improve ad products, launch new ad offerings, and fuel growth across the Rakuten Ecosystem. You’ll also partner closely with BU leaders and executives, driving initiatives with a company-wide view.
Position:
Why We Hire
Rakuten Group’s ad business has to keep evolving as the market shifts and tech innovation speeds up. We’re actively rebuilding our ad strategy and exploring new growth opportunities to scale the business and meet market needs.
This role is a new hire to strengthen the team that leads strategic decision-making in a fast-moving environment. We’re looking for someone who can use data and clear logic to pinpoint the real issues in complex challenges, then design and execute strategies for sustainable growth. Your logical thinking and process analysis skills will be key to clearing growth bottlenecks and creating new value.
What makes this role compelling
- Variety of work and plenty of growth:
You’ll get hands-on experience in everything from market analysis and business planning to launching new businesses, building end-to-end skills from strategy to execution. Your logical thinking is key to organizing complex info and turning it into actionable plans.
- Real impact on strategy and your career:
You’ll be closely involved in the core strategy of Rakuten Group’s ad business, gaining the perspective and experience to become a future exec or business leader. Your ideas will help shape where the business goes next.
- Work closely with leadership:
You’ll collaborate directly with senior leaders and execs to help set the company’s direction. You’ll see how top-level decisions are made and sharpen your strategic thinking. Your analysis and presentation skills will play a big role in enabling executive decisions.
Position Details
You’ll lead business strategy, run planning, and report to execs for Rakuten Group’s ad business. By digging into complex data to find the real issues, proposing fixes, and driving execution, you’ll help the business grow sustainably and boost profitability.
What you’ll do:
- Build and drive business strategy and plans
- Handle budget planning and management (KPIs and P&L)
- Do data/quantitative analysis and competitor analysis
- Set up and run KPI dashboards and real-time tracking
- Visualize business performance and report to leadership
- Tackle other management topics as they come up
How we work
We’re big on data-driven hypotheses and testing, and we move forward by staying closely aligned with stakeholders. For tough problems, you’ll use clear logic to structure them and find the best solution. You’ll independently run the full workflow—research, analysis, deck creation, presentations, and reporting to your manager.
Scope
You’ll be responsible for shaping and executing long-term growth strategies for the ad business and helping hit the business plan. Your analysis and recommendations will directly influence where the business goes next.
Work Environment
Team Structure
- Whole business unit: About 400 people
- Group Product Section: 40 people
- Leads: 1 Senior Manager, 6 Managers, 3 Assistant Managers
- Age range: From late 20s to 40s
- Hiring mix: 10% new grads, 90% mid-career hires
Mid-career backgrounds
- E-commerce sales at Rakuten Group
- Planning/sales in the ad industry
- Advertising planner experience in the ad industry
- Example career path
Became a team lead within three years and is now on track for a manager role
Mandatory Qualifications:
What we’re looking for:
Someone proactive who finds problems, then proposes and executes solutions on their own.
Sees uncertainty as a chance to grow, enjoys change, and sticks with tough challenges.
Shares Rakuten Group’s mission and is passionate about growing the ads business.
Skills:
Logical thinking and structuring: Can break down complex problems and info, analyze them logically, find solutions, and explain them clearly.
Process analysis: Can map current workflows, spot inefficiencies and bottlenecks, and suggest practical fixes.
Project drive: Can set priorities and juggle multiple tasks and projects at the same time.
Communication: Can work smoothly with stakeholders from different backgrounds, build alignment, and keep projects moving.
Desired Qualifications:
3+ years in corporate planning, business planning, strategy consulting, or a similar role (ideally at an operating company).
Hands-on experience building P&Ls from data, plus managing budget vs. actuals and overall business ops.
Data skills: Strong with Excel—intermediate functions (VLOOKUP, SUMIF, INDEX+MATCH, etc.), data crunching, and building VBA macros.
Docs and presentations: Can quickly turn analyses and strategy ideas into clear decks (PowerPoint) and present them effectively to stakeholders, including execs.
Other Information:
Additional information on Location
Futako Tamagawa Rise Office
2-21-1 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Additional information on English Qualification
TOEIC Score exceeding 800 (or similar level of English ability) or a University Degree earned in an English-speaking country.
Proof of qualifications will be required by the time of the job offer.
If no evidence is available to prove the qualifications denoted above, taking an IP test, organized by Rakuten, during selection process is required.
Rakuten Group, Inc. Homepage Link
- Benefits:https://corp.rakuten.co.jp/careers/benefit/
- Recruitment Information:https://corp.rakuten.co.jp/careers/information/ * Employment type is detailed
- Rakuten Culture:https://corp.rakuten.co.jp/careers/culture/
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