Description

Job Description:

Department Overview
The Corporate IT Service Department (CITSD) empowers Rakuten through innovative and secure IT solutions that drive efficiency and enhance productivity. Our service scope encompasses enterprise application management for core business functions, driving business process automation and digital transformation through our IT platform, providing comprehensive end-user support and operations, and optimizing IT processes to support a range of essential services and platforms.

Position:

Why We Hire

We are seeking a highly strategic, analytical, and visionary senior Business Analyst & Product Owner to join our Process Improvement Group within the Process Excellence Section of Rakuten Group, Inc.'s Corporate IT Service Department. This senior role demands an individual who can seamlessly navigate between deep process analysis and strategic product leadership. You will be instrumental in defining product vision, developing compelling business cases, and driving the end-to-end lifecycle of solutions that optimize business processes and deliver significant value.

The ideal candidate will possess an expert understanding of both business analysis and product management methodologies, exceptional critical thinking, negotiation, and stakeholder leadership skills. You will leverage technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to innovate and deliver impactful solutions within a global, agile framework, always aligning with ITSM principles and a relentless pursuit of operational and product excellence. This role is for a leader who can not only dissect complex problems but also champion the solutions from conception to successful adoption.

Position Details

This integrated role requires a leader who strategically defines what needs to be built and why, while also meticulously detailing how it will function and how it will be delivered for optimal business impact. Your responsibilities will include:

Product & Process Strategy and Vision:

- Define and champion the product vision and strategic roadmap for key initiatives, ensuring alignment with overarching business goals and IT strategy.

- Lead the discovery and analysis of business challenges and opportunities, translating them into clear product objectives and measurable outcomes.

- Develop robust business cases and prioritize initiatives based on strategic value, customer needs, and technical feasibility, acting as the ultimate decision-maker for the product backlog.

- Continuously monitor market trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies (including AI) to identify innovative solutions and maintain a competitive edge.

Solution Design and Delivery Leadership:

- Oversee the entire solution lifecycle, from conceptualization and detailed requirements gathering to deployment and post-launch optimization.

- Meticulously analyze and design future-state processes and features, developing comprehensive user stories, acceptance criteria, and functional specifications.

- Collaborate closely with engineering teams, ensuring technical solutions accurately reflect the product vision and business requirements.

- Drive the integration of ITSM principles into product design and process improvements, enhancing service delivery and operational efficiency.

Stakeholder Engagement and Agile Execution:

- Act as the primary interface between business stakeholders, development teams, and leadership, fostering transparent communication and strong partnerships across global teams.

- Lead agile ceremonies (e.g., sprint planning, backlog refinement, reviews), ensuring the team is focused on delivering maximum value iteratively.

- Proactively identify and mitigate risks, facilitate decision-making, and resolve impediments to ensure successful product delivery.

- Champion a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making, leveraging analytics to refine products and processes.

Mandatory Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in business administration, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

- Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience, with at least 5 years in a combined Business Analyst and Product Owner leadership role in a large, global organization.

- Demonstrated expertise in both strategic product management (vision, roadmap, backlog ownership) and deep business process analysis (optimization, re-engineering).

- Proven ability to develop compelling business cases, justify investments, and measure ROI for product and process initiatives.

- Expert-level understanding of Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe) and their practical application in dual BA/PO roles.

- Exceptional leadership, communication (written and verbal), and negotiation skills, with a proven ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders.

- Strong understanding of ITSM principles and frameworks (e.g., ITIL).

- Proficiency with product management and requirements tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) and process modeling tools.

- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, complex international environment, managing multiple strategic priorities.

Desired Qualifications
1. A master's degree or MBA is highly preferred.

2. Top Business Analyst & Product Owner Certifications (Highly Valued):

- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)

- Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) by IIBA

- PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

- ITIL 4 Foundation or higher certification

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