Full-Time
VP – Partnerships
Posted on 12/13/2025
Rakuten International
1,001-5,000 employees
Global e-commerce platform with cashback rewards
Compensation Overview
$157.5k - $293.8k/yr
San Francisco, CA, USA + 1 more
More locations: San Mateo, CA, USA
In Person
Position may be hirable within other US locations.
 Business & Strategy (1) |
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- 12+ years of relevant work experience required
- Bachelor's Degree required
- Master's Degree preferred
- Relevant experience 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
- 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
Rakuten International runs a global online ecosystem with an e-commerce marketplace that features a cash-back rewards program, plus digital content services like streaming and reading, and communication services. Purchases and activities across its services are linked to rewards and promotions, encouraging users to shop, watch, read, and chat within Rakuten’s network. The company differentiates itself by offering a single interconnected platform that combines shopping, rewards, digital media, and communications at scale. Its goal is to boost user engagement and retention, driving ongoing spending and content consumption across its platforms.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
San Mateo, California
Founded
N/A
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- International revenue rose 2.4% YoY to $2.1B in FY2025 Q4 from Rewards and Viber.
- Avride robot deliveries address Tokyo e-commerce driver shortages in 2026 pilots.
- Rakuten Capital investments in Airalo eSIM synergize with communication services.
What critics are saying
- Amazon cannibalizes North American cash-back revenue within 12-24 months.
- impact.com outage collapses Rakuten's performance marketing ecosystem in 12-36 months.
- EU DMA enforcement severs Rakuten data-sharing, slashing ecosystem value 15-25% in 12-24 months.
What makes Rakuten International unique
- Rakuten International integrates cash-back rewards with Viber messaging and Viki streaming.
- Partnership with impact.com unifies affiliate tracking, payments, and consumer intelligence.
- Global ecosystem spans e-commerce, digital content, and communications across 190+ countries.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Company News
The plan comes as e-commerce firms such as Rakuten are facing a severe shortage of delivery personnel at a time when the number of packages is increasing.
Trailblazing Marketing Executive to Inspire Attendees at Rakuten's Premier Marketing EventSAN MATEO, Calif., March 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bozoma "Boz" Saint John, a Hall of Fame-inducted marketing executive and former Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix, is announced as the keynote speaker at this year's Rakuten Optimism conference, the season's biggest marketing conference. Hosted by Rakuten International, the premier marketing event will take place May 27-29, 2025, at the Omni La Costa Resort Spa in Carlsbad, Calif
Avride has partnered with retail giant Rakuten to bring its delivery robots into service in Japan.
For instance, Chinese digital commerce group Alibaba launched a new cross-border e-commerce application "TAO" in October 2024 to compete with rivals such as Amazon and Rakuten.
He explained that Rakuten does not aim to compete directly with major players such as OpenAI or Google but instead focuses on creating integrated AI solutions tailored for niche markets.