Finance Manager

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:

We are seeking a Finance Manager to join the Rakuten International Finance team. This role reports to the Senior Manager - Finance and is responsible for leading financial planning, analysis, and business partnership for Rakuten International’s multiple functional areas. The Finance Manager will own key forecasting and planning processes, partner closely with accounting during close, provide strategic financial insights to senior stakeholders, and drive continuous improvement across finance operations.

This role primarily supports the U.S. regional headquarters.

Key Responsibilities:

Own and lead weekly forecasts, monthly outlooks, annual budgeting, and long‑range planning processes, partnering with business and finance leadership

Deliver income statement and cost analysis, including detailed variance analysis versus budget, forecast, and prior year; clearly communicate key drivers, risks, and opportunities

Serve as a finance business partner to functional leaders, providing data-driven insights and scenario analysis to support decision-making, while taking ownership of cost management across headcount, operating expenses, and allocations with a deep understanding of cost drivers and financial impacts

Partner closely with the accounting team during month‑end close, including review of accruals, accounting entries, and GAAP compliance; ensure alignment between actuals and forecasts

Build and maintain financial models, forecasts, KPIs, and dashboards to support management reporting and decision‑making

Drive process improvements across forecasting, reporting, analytics, and systems to improve accuracy, efficiency, and transparency

Lead and execute strategic and ad‑hoc financial analyses with measurable financial and operational impact

Support global reporting requirements and collaborate with international finance teams as needed

Maintain a strong hands-on approach by directly performing financial analysis, forecasting, and reporting as needed, ensuring delivery of results even under resource constraints, while maintaining high standards of accuracy through rigorous validation and reconciliation of data

Qualifications:

10+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, accounting, or related roles

Strong command of GAAP and accounting fundamentals, with hands‑on experience supporting month‑end close

Advanced financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis skills, with strong analytical judgment and ability to translate data into clear, actionable insights

Advanced proficiency in Excel and strong working knowledge of PowerPoint, with strong systems capabilities and an interest in AI and data tools (e.g., Python, SQL, or similar), including the ability and willingness to leverage automation and AI-enabled solutions to improve financial analysis and decision-making

Experience with financial planning and reporting tools such as Workday Adaptive Planning, Oracle FP&A, SAP BPC, or similar systems strongly preferred; experience with general ledger systems such as Oracle or SAP preferred

Demonstrated ability to operate independently with a strong sense of ownership and accountability, managing multiple priorities and delivering high-quality outcomes with minimal oversight

Strong hands-on capability with high attention to detail, including the ability to independently execute detailed financial work and consistently deliver accurate, error-free outputs

Solid understanding of cost structures, including headcount, operating expenses, and allocations, with the ability to translate insights into effective financial actions

Experience in…