Principal Product Manager, Rakuten Ecosystem Platform Services - Ecosystem Platform Supervisory Department (EPSD)

Job Description:

Business Overview 
The Technology Platforms Division (TPD) drives the growth of Rakuten's ecosystem by delivering innovative, high-quality technology platforms characterized by integrated control and strategic partnerships.  

Within TPD, the Ecosystem Platform Supervisory Department (EPSD) develops scalable and reliable platforms that support the entire Rakuten Ecosystem globally, fostering a culture of ownership and data-driven decision-making.

Department Overview

In the Ecosystem Platform Enablement Department, our mission is to contribute to customer success by enhancing communication between product teams and their clients. We believe that building strong relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction are crucial for the growth and success of our business. By establishing a communication foundation that fosters trust and collaboration, we are committed to helping our clients achieve their goals and maximize the value of Rakuten products and services. We provide a wide range of services to support product teams with client-facing activities, enabling them to focus on developing and delivering products more efficiently.

Position:

Position Details

As a Principal Product Manager within Rakuten Ecosystem Platform Services, you will be responsible for leading the strategy and execution of platform services that accelerate the business growth of Rakuten Group companies and external partners. Based on a deep understanding of the market and customer needs, you will contribute to the further development of the Rakuten Ecosystem by bringing innovative products to life.

Key Responsibilities

1) Strategy Formulation and Roadmap Development:

- Conduct in-depth analysis of market trends, competitor activities, user needs, technology trends, and challenges within the Rakuten Ecosystem to identify new platform service opportunities and formulate business strategies.

- Define product vision, mission, KGI/KPIs, and develop long-term product roadmaps.

- Lead consensus building on strategies by collaborating with diverse stakeholders including business divisions, development teams, and sales departments.

2) Product Planning and Requirements Definition:

- Based on the formulated strategy, plan specific service functionalities, define use cases, and articulate detailed requirements.

- Emphasize user experience (UX) and propose UI/UX improvements based on data.

- Design solutions that balance technical feasibility with business impact.

3) Development Promotion and Project Management:

- Work closely with development teams, exercising strong product ownership within an agile development process.

- Manage development progress, identify and resolve issues, and mitigate risks.

- Formulate and execute release plans, coordinating with quality assurance teams.

4) Business Growth and Improvement:

- Analyze and evaluate the performance of released products based on KGI/KPIs.

- Propose and implement continuous improvements based on user feedback and data analysis.

- Contribute to improving product profitability and user satisfaction through planning new features and enhancing existing ones.

- Ensure strict adherence to legal, security, privacy, and brand guidelines.

Mandatory Qualifications:

- Product Management Expertise: 7+ years of experience leading the end-to-end product lifecycle, from strategic planning and development to release and growth.

- Experience in market analysis, competitor analysis, problem identification, strategy formulation, solution design, and execution support.

- Deep Understanding of IT/Internet Business: In-depth knowledge and experience with business models and technology trends in IT services and internet businesses.

- Logical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to structure complex problems, identify root causes from multiple perspectives, and derive effective solutions.

- Excellent Communication Skills: Ability to communicate effectively and build consensus with diverse stakeholders (e.g., business divisions, development, sales, management).

- Agility and Execution Power: Ability to act autonomously with a sense of urgency and persistently pursue results even in challenging situations.

Desired Qualifications:

- Experience as a Product Owner or Product Manager in agile development (e.g., Scrum).

- Consulting Experience: 5+ years of practical experience at a strategic consulting firm or an IT consulting firm.

- Knowledge or experience in platform businesses such as SaaS, PaaS, and API economy.

- Experience with data analysis using tools like SQL, Tableau, Google Analytics.

- Experience in launching new businesses or growing existing businesses (growth hacking).

Ideal Candidate Profile

- Combines Strategic Thinking with Execution: Someone who not only "draws the picture" but also "gets their hands dirty, executes, and delivers results".

- Highly Motivated and Self-Driven: Possesses a strong desire to actively acquire new knowledge and skills, and contribute to the organization's growth through their own development.

- Strong Sense of Ownership and Responsibility: Takes full responsibility for their assigned domain and approaches challenging tasks with a positive attitude.

- Enjoys Change and Adapts Flexibly: Capable of adapting flexibly to changes in environment and circumstances, and seeking optimal approaches.

- Believes in the Potential of the Rakuten Ecosystem and Desires to Grow Together: Resonates with Rakuten Group's vision and is passionate about achieving it.

Why You'll Love This Role (Position's Appeal)

- A Unique Environment within the Rakuten Ecosystem: You will have the opportunity to work on platform services that span across diverse, leading businesses in Japan, including E-commerce, Fintech, Mobile, Logistics, and more.

- End-to-End Involvement from Strategy to Execution: You will experience the tangible impact of seeing your ideas materialize into products that directly contribute to business growth.

- Collaboration with Diverse Professionals: Working alongside talented engineers, designers, and business-side members will foster your skill development and career growth.

- Global Perspective and Challenges: There will be opportunities to engage in product development with a future global expansion in mind.

#engineer #producer #productmanager #technologyplatformdiv

Languages:

English (Overall - 3 - Advanced), Japanese (Overall - 3 - Advanced)