Jobs in Japan
Explore hand-picked jobs in Japan for English speakers across tech, education, marketing, and more.
Vetted companies only. Apply from overseas.
Jobs in Japan
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 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, 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, and cloud and SaaS services (e.g., security solutions, development tools). This is a replacement hire due to resignation in Global Sourcing Software Category. 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. 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. 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. 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. Responsibilities include developing and executing procurement strategies for software and indirect categories; leading end-to-end RFP processes, including requirement definition, vendor selection, and evaluation; performing cost analysis, leading price negotiations, and optimizing commercial and contractual terms; managing vendors, including optimization of existing contracts and onboarding of new suppliers; driving procurement initiatives in collaboration with internal stakeholders (Engineering, Legal, Finance); conducting contract reviews from commercial, risk, and cost perspectives; and delivering cost savings and driving Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) optimization. The Procurement Operations Department has around 80 people, and the Software Sourcing Group has 5 members. 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 paths include joining as a software/indirect procurement specialist, gaining experience across multiple categories, and progressing to a Category Lead responsible for sourcing strategy and large-scale procurement projects; or leading procurement process standardization and tool implementation (e.g., Ariba) alongside sourcing activities, contributing to the overall enhancement of group-wide procurement capabilities.
- Experience in procurement, purchasing, or related departments (preferably 3 years or more) - Japanese language proficiency (native speaker or Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level N1 or higher) - English language proficiency (ability to speak and listen at a business level)
- Practical experience in procurement and contract management related to software (licenses, SaaS, and AMC) - Experience leading TCO analyses and cost-reduction projects (with a proven track record of achieving quantifiable results) - Experience leading the entire process-from vendor selection to contract execution-end-to-end
