Director, Procurement

Rakuten•San Francisco, CA

1d•$113,157 - $211,032•Hybrid

About The Position

Rakuten International oversees 7 businesses with over 4,000 employees globally. The brand is recognized for its leadership and innovation in e-commerce, digital content, advertising, entertainment and communications, bringing the joy of discovery and access to more than 1 billion members across the world. Our teams deliver on the company's mission to delight merchants and customers through innovation, optimism, and teamwork. Rakuten International is seeking a Director, Procurement to lead and elevate our procurement and vendor management capabilities. Sitting at the intersection of strategic sourcing, commercial execution, governance, and operational excellence, this role drives value across the full supplier lifecycle — from sourcing and contracting through renewals, data stewardship, and supplier engagement. The right candidate brings a builder's mindset: someone who owns outcomes, operates with accountability and transparency, and actively champions the adoption of automation and AI where they create real, measurable business value. This is not a policy-enforcement role. It requires sound judgment, trusted relationships, and a relentless focus on results. This role also requires the ability to challenge assumptions, evaluate business rationale, and help ensure supplier investments remain aligned with organizational priorities and expected outcomes.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, vendor management, or related disciplines.
Demonstrated experience leading commercial negotiations, managing complex renewals, and driving supplier accountability.
Track record of evaluating business cases, ROI, and value realization for purchasing and renewal decisions.
Experience with procurement platforms (Coupa, Ariba, or similar).
Strong background in executive reporting, governance, and audit-support activities.
Bachelor's Degree

Nice To Haves

Experience leading procurement transformation, automation, or AI-driven process improvement initiatives.
Background in governance, ESG, risk management, or control frameworks.
Experience operating within globally governed or matrixed organizations.
Advanced degree or relevant certification (CPSM, CSCP, CPM) a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead competitive sourcing, supplier evaluations, commercial negotiations, and contract execution across multiple spend categories.
Own renewal planning and actively drive contractual obligation management — ensuring informed, value-driven decisions ahead of key milestones.
Evaluate purchasing and renewal decisions against business requirements, utilization, strategic alignment, and expected ROI.
Serve as a trusted advisor to business stakeholders, balancing cost, risk, and quality with a clear bias toward business outcomes.
Identify and capture opportunities to improve commercial terms, reduce unnecessary spend, and maximize supplier value.
Improve the quality, completeness, and accessibility of supplier, contract, and spend data to support smarter decisions.
Support supplier governance — onboarding, documentation, lifecycle management, and ESG-related reporting requirements.
Partner with Internal Audit, Finance, and Legal to maintain procurement controls, process documentation, and audit-ready records.
Prepare and continuously improve executive and governance reporting: QBRs, Risk Compliance Committee presentations, and business reviews.
Proactively identify and advance automation and AI opportunities that drive practical, scalable improvements across the procurement lifecycle.
Champion process modernization with a disciplined approach: pilot, measure, and scale initiatives that demonstrate clear business value.
Contribute to the organization's long-term procurement technology and capability roadmap.
Collaborate with Rakuten Group headquarters and regional stakeholders to align on policies, standards, and global procurement priorities.