Technology Program Manager - CIO Office, IT Strategy Department (ITSD)

Job Description:

Business Overview

The Technology Management Division (TMD) provides Corporate IT, and Cyber Security & Privacy Governance to Rakuten Group companies and essential business management for technology organizations, thereby enabling innovation and strengthening the technology foundation. Within TMD, the Technology Management Services Supervisory Department (TMSSD) plays a vital role in CIO Governance, IT financial management, IT procurement, Quality Management System (QMS), technology-related public relations, and human resources strategy. By promoting efficiency, quality, risk management, and organizational strength, we ensure that Tech Divisions remain agile and at the forefront of technological advancement.

Department Overview

Position:

Why We Hire

The Technology Improvement Group is responsible for driving strategic initiatives that improve how the Technology organization operates.

We are looking for a Technology Program Manager to lead organization-wide initiatives that strengthen governance, improve organizational performance, and accelerate technology transformation.

This role plays a key role in translating strategy into execution by leading cross-functional programs, driving organizational improvements, and owning internal digital solutions that enable better planning, collaboration, and executive decision-making.

Our goal is to build a more agile, data-driven, and continuously improving Technology organization through effective strategy execution, scalable processes, and innovative digital solutions.

Position Details

This role is responsible for leading strategic programs sponsored by the CIO Office while driving continuous improvement across governance, performance management, and internal digital solutions.

Working closely with Technology Leadership, business stakeholders, and development teams, you will lead initiatives from concept through delivery, define business requirements, manage product backlogs, and ensure solutions deliver measurable business value. You will also identify opportunities to improve existing processes and propose new digital solutions that enhance how the Technology organization operates.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technology Strategy & Business Planning

・ Support the development and execution of enterprise technology strategy.

・ Conduct strategic research, benchmarking, and technology trend analysis.

・ Develop business cases and recommendations for executive leadership.

・ Translate strategic priorities into actionable initiatives and roadmaps.

2. Strategic Program Management

・ Lead cross-functional strategic initiatives sponsored by the CIO Office.

・ Develop program plans, manage risks and dependencies, and drive successful delivery.

・ Coordinate stakeholders to ensure strategic objectives are achieved.

3. Executive Governance & Performance Management

・ Improve executive governance processes and organizational effectiveness.

・ Develop executive dashboards and strategic performance reports.

・ Design and maintain KPI and OKR frameworks.

・ Monitor strategic initiatives and recommend improvements.

4. Digital Solutions & Product Management

・ Own and continuously improve internal tools and digital solutions.

・ Gather and analyze business requirements, and transform them into executable action items from an IT perspective.

・ Define user stories and acceptance criteria, and manage the product backlog using Jira.

・ Partner with development teams to deliver enhancements, coordinate UAT, and support successful solution rollout.

・ Identify opportunities to automate processes and propose new digital solutions that improve productivity and business value.

5. Executive Communications & Stakeholder Management

・ Prepare executive presentations, reports, and strategic communications.

・ Present recommendations and program updates to senior leadership.

・ Collaborate with stakeholders across Technology Divisions and corporate functions.

・ Facilitate workshops and build alignment across cross-functional teams.

Work Environment

・ Work in a dynamic, global environment under the direct supervision of the CIO.

・ Opportunity to lead horizontal, organization-wide initiatives.

・ Collaborative culture involving cross-functional teams across engineering, product, and business units.

Mandatory Qualifications:

・ Bachelor's degree in Business, Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

・ 7 to 10 years of experience in Technology Strategy, Program Management, Business Analysis, Product Management, PMO, Management Consulting, or a related field.

・ Experience leading cross-functional strategic initiatives from planning through execution.

・ Experience defining business requirements and collaborating with software development teams.

・ Experience with Agile methodologies, Jira, or similar project management tools.

・ Experience writing user stories, defining acceptance criteria, and coordinating User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

・ Strong analytical, structured problem-solving, and executive communication skills.

・ English: Working proficiency (TOEIC 900+ or equivalent).

・ Japanese: Native or bilingual proficiency.

Desired Qualifications:

・ Experience within a CIO Office, Strategy Office, Enterprise PMO, or Technology organization.

・ Experience owning internal business applications or digital products.

・ Experience with KPI / OKR frameworks and executive reporting.

・ Knowledge of BI platforms such as Domo, Tableau, or Power BI.

・ Familiarity with SQL and data analysis.

・ Experience with AI productivity tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, Claude).

・ PMP, Agile, Scrum, or Lean certification.

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