Jobs in Japan
Explore hand-picked jobs in Japan for English speakers across tech, education, marketing, and more.
Vetted companies only. Apply from overseas.
Explore hand-picked jobs in Japan for English speakers across tech, education, marketing, and more.
Vetted companies only. Apply from overseas.
RakutenRakuten 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. 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).
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)
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
