MD Buyer for New Business Initiatives - Rakuten Ichiba Planning Department (C&M)

Description

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Business Overview
Rakuten Group, headquartered in Japan, serves approximately 100 million users in Japan and over 1 billion globally. We offer more than 70 services across various fields, including e-commerce, payment services, financial services, telecommunications, media, and sports.
The Commerce & Marketing Company primarily provides internet services related to shopping, lifestyle, and leisure, offering a wide array of services that make daily life more enjoyable and convenient.

Department Overview
Rakuten Ichiba Planning Department is responsible for shaping the future of Japan's largest e-commerce marketplace.
We continuously evolve by examining from various perspectives what the future of shopping sites should look like, and what positioning and services are needed to remain the preferred platform for customers.
Currently, we are planning the launch of an entirely new service within the Rakuten Ichiba domain. This represents a significant challenge, aiming to provide customers with an unprecedented and even richer purchasing experience.
In this new venture, you will gain invaluable experience in building a service from the ground up, while maximizing the vast resources and data Rakuten has cultivated over many years. This is a unique opportunity for your ideas and skills to materialize into a service that will impact tens of millions of users.

Position:
Why We Hire
Strengthening our team structure is urgently required for the launch of this new service. While we currently have highly specialized members, we are actively recruiting new core talent, anticipating future transfers and role expansions.
- Building a business from scratch (0 to 1) like a startup within Rakuten:
You will be involved in the process of pioneering new markets and expanding the business.

- Small team organization within Rakuten, allowing for significant individual discretion and fast-paced decision-making:
This environment allows your ideas and proposals to directly contribute to business growth.

- Collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds to create a market with international partners:
You will have opportunities to work in a global environment, including collaborating with overseas partner companies.

- Leveraging Rakuten's abundant assets:
Utilizing big data from services like Rakuten Ichiba enables marketing activities with a competitive advantage unmatched by other companies.

Position Details
We are recruiting an MD / Buyer Manager for Rakuten Group's new global e-commerce business.
You will advance projects in collaboration with the buyer team at our China branch.

1. MD Strategy Planning and Execution
Selection of target genres and items.
Negotiation and coordination with manufacturers/brands.

2. Sales Plan Development for Merchandise
Planning and execution of promotion plans.
Coordination with external vendors for page creation, etc.
Inventory management.

3. Initiatives for Business Profit Generation
Designing initiatives.
Negotiation and proposal to manufacturers/brands.

4. Member Management

Work Environment
Organizational Structure
The team consists of approximately 10 members, including managers, both domestically and internationally.
It is comprised of diverse members with various nationalities and backgrounds.
The ratio of new graduates to mid-career hires is 2:3.

Backgrounds of Mid-Career Hires
- Experience in B2B e-commerce services and store operations.
- Marketing experience at a venture media company.

Career Path Examples of Successful Mid-Career Hires
- Promoted to a leadership position within 3 years of joining.

Mandatory Qualifications:
- Experience as an MD (Merchandiser) or Buyer in an e-commerce business.
- Business level Chinese or higher, and business level Japanese (N1) or higher.
- Experience in driving initiatives by involving multiple stakeholders.
- Experience in autonomously designing and improving operations.

Desired Qualifications:
- Experience in launching new businesses/services.