VP, Partnerships

About Rakuten International  

Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, Inc., a Japanese global technology leader in services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Headquartered in San Mateo, California with more than 4,000 employees worldwide, the Rakuten International business portfolio includes market leaders in e-commerce, digital marketing, advertising, communications and entertainment. We create products and services that provide exceptional value by aligning members and the businesses that want to engage them in a shared community. 

About Rakuten Rewards

Rakuten is a leading shopping platform that offers Cash Back on purchases from all your favorite brands. By partnering with thousands of brands in apparel, beauty and wellness, dining, grocery, travel, on-demand services, subscription boxes and more, Rakuten helps members save and get more on everyday purchases. Since its founding in 1999, Rakuten has become the largest and most rewarding shopping experience, and its members have earned $4.6 billion in Cash Back just for shopping through Rakuten. For more information, visit Rakuten.com.

*This position may be hirable within other US locations.

JobSummary: 
As Vice President ofPartnerships, youwilldelivergrowthbysourcing, structuring, andscalinghigh-impactpartnershipswith Fortune 500 andotherstrategicallyalignedcompaniesacrossmultipleverticals. You willleverageyourcorporatedevelopmentexpertiseandproventrackrecordincomplexdeal-makingtodeliverpartnershipsthatdrivesignificantnewcustomeracquisition, revenuegrowth, andbusinessinnovation. Thisis a highlyvisibleleadershiprolewiththeopportunitytoshapeRakuten’spartnerecosystemanddelivermeasurablebusinessresults. Thisrolereportstothe CMO, RakutenRewards.  
 
Key Responsibilities: 

• Define and execute Rakuten’s strategic partnerships roadmap across core and emerging verticals, including retail, travel, financial, lifestyle, technology, grocery, etc. 

• Lead cross-functional alignment around partnership goals, including GMV, new customer acquisition, co-marketing, customer expansion and retention, and product integration.  

• Influence product and marketing strategies with insights from the partnership ecosystem 

• Identify, evaluate, and close high-impact deals with Fortune 500 companies and other key partners that align with Rakuten’s customer base 

• Lead all aspects of the deal lifecycle-from sourcing and pitch through negotiation, contracting and onboarding 

• Create innovative value exchange models, including loyalty integrations, data sharing, co-branded programs, media swaps, card linking, platform integrations, and cultural moments  

• Ensure Rakuten has effective partnerships across the different stages of the customer journey 

• Drive incremental GMV, new customer acquisition, existing customer expansion, and improved customer acquisition cost (CAC) through ongoing partner performance management.  

• Collaborate with marketing, sales, and product teams to develop partner campaigns and user experiences that drive results 

• Prepare executive-level reporting with key KPIs, OKRs, and business initiatives, adapting strategy as needed. 

• Build and lead a high-performing team of business development and partner marketing professionals 

• Foster a culture of ownership, creativity, and data-informed decision making 
  Represent Rakuten at industry events and in senior-level partner conversations  

 
Qualifications: 

• Relevantexperience in business development, strategic partnerships, or corporate development at a technology, e-commerce, fintech, or loyalty company 
• Demonstrated success sourcing, structuring, and scaling revenue generating partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and other major brands 
• Deep expertise and experience negotiating and closing complex, multi-faceted deals across a range of verticals and partnership types 
• Strong network and negotiation skills in retail, travel, financial services, or performance marketing sectors. 
• Experience working cross-functionally with product, legal, marketing, sales and data teams 
• Analytical mindset with a strong grasp of partner economics, LTV, and performance metrics 
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, especially with C-level stakeholders 
• Leadership experience in building and developing high-performing teams 

MinimumRequirements:  

• 12+yearsof relevantworkexperiencerequired  

• Bachelor'sDegreeRequired  

• Master'sDegreePreferred  

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