Head of Facilities & Real Estate

Job Description:

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. 

Job Summary:

In this role, you will provide comprehensive oversight of the company's real estate portfolio and facilities operations, ensuring all assets are optimized to support core business objectives and future expansion. You will lead a global team to drive excellence in all aspects of facilities management, including proactive space planning, infrastructure management, and the implementation of Rakuten’s safety, security and sustainability standards.

Your responsibilities will encompass capital expenditure planning and rigorous budget management to maximize asset value and operational efficiency. You will champion a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging data to inform decisions, mitigate risk, and enhance the overall workplace experience. Ultimately, your leadership will be critical in creating a productive and dynamic environment that directly contributes to the company's long-term success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Aligns policies and procedures for the facilities department with broader organizational goals to enhance operational efficiency.
• Defines programs and oversees the development of projects that support the core purpose of real estate and facilities management within the organization.
• Develops processes that streamline department operations and contribute to the achievement of business objectives.
• Controls resources by managing department budgets, personnel, and equipment to meet operational goals.
• Communicates strategic plans and updates to cross-functional teams, influencing stakeholders and fostering collaboration.
• Approves key decisions and recommendations made by the facilities management team
• Provide strategic direction and oversight of Rakuten’s global real estate and facilities portfolio (>40 sites across EU, APAC, and the Americas), aligned with corporate standards and regional business needs.
• Act as a strategic partner to business executives and leaders, communicate plans and align policies, procedures, and operational standards with organizational goals.
• Lead, coach, and develop managers and teams; approve key decisions and uphold internal governance, best practices, and regulatory compliance in collaboration with Rakuten HQ real estate, sustainability, and compliance teams.

Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Requires exceptional communication proficiency, demonstrating clarity, crispness, and effectiveness in all forms of written and oral presentation.
• The successful candidate will possess demonstrable expertise in both real estate and construction management, with a proven ability to oversee complex projects from initiation to completion.
• Competency in reading and comprehending all forms of leasing and construction documentation is essential, enabling effective collaboration with architects, engineers, and contractors throughout a project's lifecycle
• Requires a high degree of responsiveness and proactive communication with both internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Exhibit strong cross-cultural intelligence, with a proven track record of effectively building and managing relationships with diverse teams across different global regions

Minimum Requirements:

• 12-14 years Required
• 15+ years Preferred
• Bachelor's Degree Required

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Five Principles for Success
Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviors that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success.

Always improve, Always Advance - Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen
Passionately Professional - Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best
Hypothesize - Practice - Validate – Shikumika - Use the Rakuten Cycle to succe