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

About the role

Job Description: 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 https://global.rakuten.com/corp/careers/services/ 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 categ