Manager Candidate for Software Category Sourcing Specialist - Procurement Operations Department,

Description

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Business Overview

Rakuten Group is guided by its core philosophy of empowering people and society through innovation.
Starting with its internet shopping mall, Rakuten Ichiba, the company has expanded into a wide range of businesses, including e-commerce services such as Rakuten Travel, financial services such as Rakuten Bank, and professional sports. Today, Rakuten Group offers more than 70 diverse services across multiple industries.

*Our Businesses Key Figures

Department Overview

The position will be part of the Procurement Operations Department of Rakuten Group, Inc.
The Procurement Operations Department is responsible for overseeing procurement operations across the entire Rakuten Group. Within this organization, the Global Sourcing Section functions as a centralized sourcing unit, driving supplier selection and negotiations in close collaboration with business units.

To promote group-wide centralized procurement of software and indirect materials, a dedicated team for software category sourcing and indirect procurement has been established under the Global Sourcing Section.

The scope of procurement mainly includes the following categories (but is not limited to)
- Software related to telecommunications equipment and networks (e.g., OSS/BSS, analytics tools)
- Software maintenance contracts (AMC) and renewal negotiations
- Cloud and SaaS services (e.g., security solutions, development tools)

Position:

Why We Hire

Replacement Hiring due to Resignation-Global Sourcing Software Category

Business/Organizational Phase
- The organization is currently building and enhancing a group-wide centralized procurement model, offering the opportunity to be directly involved in process design, standardization, and strategic sourcing, rather than routine operations.
- You will have the opportunity to shape and build procurement functions from the ground up, without being constrained by legacy practices.

Ownership & Culture
- Each category owner is given significant autonomy, enabling you to lead end-to-end sourcing activities from strategy development through negotiation and contract execution.
- The organization values speed and execution, with a flat structure that empowers individuals to drive initiatives and improvements proactively.

Career Development (Skills gained and career paths)
- In addition to deepening expertise in software procurement (licenses, Maintenance, SaaS), you will gain structured experience in strategic sourcing, including TCO analysis, contract strategy, and vendor management.
- Potential career paths include Category Lead, Global Sourcing roles, and Procurement Leadership positions.

Differentiation (Rakuten Group Advantage)
- Backed by the scale of Rakuten Group, this role provides exposure to large-scale IT and software investments, offering significant business impact.
- You will work in a unique environment where telecommunications, IT, and platform businesses intersect, enabling experience with complex and high-value sourcing projects not typically found in a single enterprise.
- By leveraging group-wide scale, you can deliver high-impact outcomes in pricing negotiations and contract optimization.

Position Details

- Support the manager in overall management activities as an assistant to the manager

- Develop and execute procurement strategies for software and indirect categories
- Lead end-to-end RFP processes, including requirement definition, vendor selection, and evaluation
- Perform cost analysis, lead price negotiations, and optimize commercial and contractual terms
- Manage vendors, including optimization of existing contracts and onboarding of new suppliers
- Drive procurement initiatives in collaboration with internal stakeholders (Engineering, Legal, Finance)
- Conduct contract reviews from commercial, risk, and cost perspectives
- Deliver cost savings and drive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) optimization

Work Environment

Organization Structure
Around 80 people in the Procurement Operations Department
Software Sourcing Group: 5 members

Background of Mid-Career Hires
- Professionals joining the team come from diverse backgrounds, including IT vendors, telecommunications operators, consulting firms, and manufacturing companies, with experience in procurement, purchasing, or strategic sourcing
- In their previous roles, they managed specific categories (e.g., IT, software, indirect spend), driving cost reduction initiatives, contract negotiations, and vendor management
- After joining, members are involved not only in their assigned categories but also in group-wide sourcing initiatives, contributing to procurement strategy development and governance enhancement
- Depending on experience, individuals may take on Category Lead roles and be responsible for team management and talent development

Career Path Examples
- Joined as a software/indirect procurement specialist, gained experience across multiple categories, and progressed to a Category Lead, responsible for sourcing strategy and large-scale procurement projects
- In addition to sourcing activities, led procurement process standardization and tool implementation (e.g., Ariba), contributing to the overall enhancement of group-wide procurement capabilities

Mandatory Qualifications:

- Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, or strategic sourcing functions
- Hands-on experience in procurement of software and/or indirect categories
- Native-level Japanese proficiency or JLPT N1 certification
- Business-level English proficiency (Proficient enough to handle meetings, negotiations, and email correspondence)

Desired Qualifications:

- Experience in people management is preferred

- Hands-on experience in procurement and contract management for software (licenses, SaaS, AMC)
- Proven track record of leading TCO analysis and cost reduction initiatives with measurable results
- Experience leading end-to-end sourcing activities from vendor selection through contract execution
- Ability to drive procurement initiatives by engaging cross-functional stakeholders (Engineering, Legal, Finance, etc.)
- Experience negotiating and reviewing contracts in English with global vendors
- Strong understanding of complex contractual terms, including data protection, limitation of liability, and SLAs
- Knowledge of IT services such as cloud, security solutions, and development tools
- Experience in procurement within the telecommunications industry, or IT/platform companies
- Familiarity with OSS/BSS, network software, and analytics tools
- Experience in procurement process standardization, governance framework design, and tool implementation (e.g., Ariba)
- Experience in spend analysis and data-driven improvement using Excel and/or BI tools
- TOEIC score of 800 or above, or equivalent proficiency with the ability to conduct business negotiations in English