Marketing Specialist/Manager - Marketing Section, Kobo Japan Department (KJD)

Job Description:

Business Overview

Rakuten Group's mission is to "empower people and society through innovation." Domestically and internationally, the Rakuten Group provides over 70 services across a wide range of fields, including internet services such as e-commerce, travel, and digital content; FinTech (financial) services like credit cards, banking, securities, e-money, and smartphone payment apps; mobile services including a mobile carrier business; and even professional sports.

By organically connecting these services around a membership centered on Rakuten members, we have formed a unique "Rakuten Ecosystem" that is unlike any other.

Department Overview

We are an eBook store that offers a wide range of eBooks, including comics, novels, and business books, as well as eBook readers.

In the Marketing Section, we are responsible for a broad set of missions, including increasing service awareness, nurturing customers and improving customer satisfaction, and maximizing GMS.

We plan and execute a wide variety of initiatives and continuously measure and evaluate their effectiveness.

▽Examples of Marketing initiatives

• User nurturing（Max 15%OFF coupon）

https://books.rakuten.co.jp/event/e-book/camp-bulkcoupons01/

• Kobo original campaign planning（anniversary campaign）

https://books.rakuten.co.jp/event/e-book/2026/camp-anniv14-ajp2t/

• New user acquisition（70x more point up ）

https://books.rakuten.co.jp/event/e-book/camp-newpoint/

• CRM（LINE official account、LINE stamp project）

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPfgJwTk1nL/

• Awareness（Official X, Instagram account ）

https://x.com/Rakuten_Kobo

https://www.instagram.com/rakuten_kobo

Position:

Why We Hire

At Rakuten Kobo, we place strong emphasis on customer-centric marketing—enriching each individual user’s reading experience and creating new opportunities for discovering books. We are looking for someone who can plan and build a customer development (nurturing) program to deepen and extend our relationship with users, and who can also lead the ideation and execution of initiatives that enhance user loyalty without being constrained by existing frameworks.

Manager Candidate

We are seeking a candidate who can serve as the command center of the Marketing Group—handling not only strategy development and building the execution structure, but also people management.

Marketing Specialist

As a key driver of CRM initiatives to accelerate growth, you will repeatedly conduct rigorous hypothesis testing based on data analysis.

We are looking for someone who can promote the development of the customer nurturing program, while also taking on the development and coaching of promising junior team members.You will work with the team to develop and roll out initiatives that contribute to the service’s growth by leveraging a wide range of assets both within and outside the Rakuten Group.

Position Details

▽Manager Candidate

Define marketing KPIs aligned with business goals and manage KPI performance (plan vs. actual tracking)

Lead projects directly while promoting knowledge sharing within the team and developing/supporting team members

Optimize budget allocation

▽Marketing Specialist

Plan, design, and execute CRM programs centered on users’ reading experience

Plan and operate initiatives such as coupons and points, as well as email campaigns and other user communications

Identify user insights through data analysis and design initiatives to increase engagement

Raise the team’s overall analytical and operational capabilities through collaboration with junior members

Improve operational workflows to ensure stable execution

Work Environment

▽Kobo Japan Team size

Kobo Japan Division (total): ~35 people

Marketing Section: 7 people

▽Kobo Japan Team member's background

In the Kobo Japan Division, we have team members with a wide range of backgrounds.

Alongside people who joined the Rakuten Group as new graduates, we also have colleagues with deep industry expertise from publishing and subscription services, as well as professionals who previously worked in marketing consulting, social media advertising agencies, web design, and other specialized fields. Everyone brings their own strengths and contributes in their respective roles.

▽A Culture That Welcomes Challenges

We welcome people who can think independently and take action. In a fast-paced environment where you can work directly with business decision-makers and iterate quickly through hypothesis testing, you will have opportunities to take ownership in building new customer nurturing programs and developing the team.

Mandatory

Qualifications:

• ▽Manager Candidate
• -Experience managing a marketing team (3+ people) or experience serving as a project lead
• -Experience developing strategies based on quantitative data and successfully executing them
• ▽Marketing Specialist
• -Hands-on experience in web marketing (3+ years)
• -Proven experience improving performance metrics using analytics tools such as GA4 and Looker Studio
• Note: After joining, you will use internal analytics tools rather than external ones.
• Desired

Qualifications:

• English proficiency: Business-level communication skills
• Experience working in e-books, subscription services, or e-commerce
• ▽Manager Candidate
• Someone who respects each team member’s strengths and enjoys maximizing overall team performance
• Marketing experience in e-books, subscription services, or e-commerce
• ▽Marketing specialist
• Experience using CRM tools to drive LTV improvement initiatives
• A self-starter who also enjoys sharing know-how with others and delivering results as a team
• Other Information:
• Additional information on Location
• Rakuten Crimson House
• 1-14-1 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
• #business #marketing #PR #internationalandsports #RakutenKobo
• Languages:
• English (Overall - 3 - Advanced), Japanese (Overall - 4 - Fluent)