Tax Manager Candidate - Tax Section, Tax Department (TAX)

Job Description:

Business Overview

Rakuten Group’s mission is to contribute society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship. We provide over 70 various services such as online shopping mall “Rakuten Ichiba”, online travel service “Rakuten Travel”, online banking service “Rakuten Bank” and others including pro-sports businesses and telecommunication businesses.

Department Overview

Because taxes have a significant impact on a company’s cash flow, our scope of work extends far beyond mere tax filing and year-end closing. It encompasses a wide range of activities, from involvement in business startups and M&A planning to the formulation and execution of international tax strategies—which are critical to corporate management. Rather than focusing solely on tax compliance, we often work closely with departments such as business operations, legal, accounting, and human resources, handling projects from planning through execution. This allows you to gain corporate experience that extends beyond the realm of taxation.

Position:

Position Details

The Tax Section’s mission is to: 1. Ensure tax compliance; 2. Plan and execute tax strategies; and 3. Strengthen tax governance. To fulfill this mission, you will work closely with business units and corporate departments to perform the following duties:

Compliance

You will be responsible for understanding and complying with the increasingly complex tax system and promoting proper tax filing and payment (we are currently implementing the group relief system). Additionally, in collaboration with the Accounting Department, you will be involved in the monthly recording of taxes and public charges, the recording of corporate income tax and other taxes in quarterly and year-end financial statements, and accounting tasks related to tax effect accounting.

- Review of various tax returns (preparation is handled by external tax advisors)

- Providing information to and communicating with our external tax advisors

- Overseeing subsidiary companies as the parent company under the Group Relief System

- Recording corporate income tax, business tax, non-deductible consumption tax, and office tax

- Overseeing withholding income tax and preparing statutory tax reports

- Improving efficiency and accuracy through the use of AI

Planning and Governance
- Responding to tax-related inquiries from business divisions and group companies
- Examining tax structures related to transactions such as M&A, fundraising, and intra-group reorganizations
- Establishing a tax governance framework to monitor tax matters at each group company and share tax case studies
- Formulating and executing strategies to address tax law revisions
- Responding to tax audits and preparing inquiry documents for the National Tax Agency

Opportunities, insights, and experience that can be acquired and developed through career progression
- Opportunities to report directly to management, such as the CFO
- Contributing to and engaging with the entire Rakuten Group through the establishment and improvement of cross-group tax policies
- Planning and developing tax training programs for back-office departments and business units outside the Tax Department
- Exchanging information with organizations such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the New Economy Federation, as well as opportunities to make policy proposals regarding tax systems
- Opportunities to communicate in English with native English speakers and representatives from overseas subsidiaries

Work Environment

Organizational Structure
- Number of employees: 7
- Age range: Primarily in their 30s
- Ratio of new graduates to mid-career hires: (2:5)

Background of Members
Many of our mid-career hires come from accounting firms, primarily the Big4.

Mandatory Qualifications:

- At least 7 years of experience in corporate tax and other tax-related work at a tax accounting firm, accounting firm, or business corporation
- Practical experience with the group tax consolidation system and tax effect accounting

Ideal Candidate Profile
- Honest and humble (able to demonstrate an attitude and behavior that earns the trust of others)
- Self-motivated (willing to learn independently, acquire knowledge, and stay up-to-date with the latest information without being told to do so)
- Our tax professionals are not merely passive consultants or advisors; they are expected to understand the business and proactively make and implement proposals. We warmly welcome those who share this philosophy
- Someone who can actively communicate with internal and external stakeholders and is highly adaptable (while careful consideration is necessary during the planning phase, the role requires moving around freely—not just desk work—and advancing tasks through dialogue with many stakeholders)
- A flexible mindset that is not daunted by the fast pace of business expansion
- A mindset that is not bound by precedent and is committed to constant review and improvement

Other Information:

Additional information on Location

Rakuten Crimson House
1-14-1 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Additional information on English Qualification

TOEIC score of 800 or higher (or proof of equivalent English proficiency, or proof of a bachelor’s degree or higher from a university in an English-speaking country)
Proof of qualification must be provided by the time the job offer is issued.
If you do not have a score or proof of qualification, we will arrange for you to take a TOEIC IP test administered by our company during the selection process.

Related Pages
- Employee Benefits: https://global.rakuten.com/corp/careers/benefit/
- Employee Conditions: https://global.rakuten.com/corp/careers/information/
- Culture: https://global.rakuten.com/corp/careers/culture/

#corporate #finance #accounting #financeandaccountingdiv