Publisher Partnerships Manager

Job Description:

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 Advertising provides advertising technology and consumer insights to the world’s leading brands and retailers. Working with agencies and brands around the world, Rakuten Advertising unites technology, client strategy and consumer insights to deliver advertising experiences that drive increased brand awareness and marketing performance. With access to Rakuten’s diverse media properties and audiences, combined with an award-winning performance network and proprietary consumer research, Rakuten Advertising creates the right conditions to reach new customers and sustain long-lasting loyalty.

Job Summary:

We’re looking for a Publisher Partnerships Manager to join our growing team at Rakuten Advertising. In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing and expanding a portfolio of publisher partners within the affiliate marketing space across EMEA. You’ll play a key role in driving product adoption, leading impactful projects, and collaborating with internal teams to fuel the success of both our partners and Rakuten Advertising.

We’re seeking someone who’s passionate about affiliate marketing, highly skilled in relationship management, and driven by results. You’ll bring your strategic mindset, industry expertise, and leadership skills to diversify partnership opportunities, enhance partner performance, and contribute to Rakuten’s growth in the EMEA region.

Key Responsibilities:

Partnership & Portfolio Management

1. Manage and grow a portfolio of high-potential publisher partners, driving performance, retention, and revenue growth.

2. Identify and build new publisher relationships, expanding Rakuten’s reach and diversifying the affiliate ecosystem.

3. Provide strategic marketing support to partners, helping them optimize their performance with tailored affiliate strategies.

4. Use data-driven insights to identify opportunities for growth, improve partner engagement, and maximize revenue contribution.

5. Collaborate with internal teams to develop and execute customized strategies that align with partner goals.

6. Act as a trusted advisor, guiding partners on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to strengthen their affiliate strategies.

7. Stay ahead of market dynamics, competitor activity, and regulatory changes, using this knowledge to advise and support your partners effectively.

8. Help publishers expand their advertiser collaborations, creating new revenue opportunities.

Product Adoption & Strategy

1. Promote and position Rakuten Advertising services to drive deeper product adoption among publisher partners.

2. Educate partners on the value of Rakuten’s products and solutions, ensuring long-term adoption and integration.

3. Collaborate with Product teams to provide feedback on market needs and influence product roadmap decisions.

4. Identify opportunities to introduce new tools, features, and technologies to enhance partner performance.

Project Leadership & Delivery

1. Define project objectives, scope, and resource requirements in alignment with business goals.

2. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to remove roadblocks, address challenges, and optimize project outcomes.

Relationship Management & Communication

1. Build and nurture strong, collaborative relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

2. Serve as a trusted partner and advisor, offering strategic recommendations to optimize publisher performance and foster long-term partnerships.

3. Deliver clear, concise, and consistent communication, including regular updates, reports, and presentations.

4. Act as a liaison between partners and internal teams, advocating for partner needs and ensuring they are prioritized.

Event Collaboration & Industry Engagement

1. Work with the Marketing team to plan, promote, and participate in industry events, webinars, and conferences.

2. Represent Rakuten Advertising at key events, strengthening existing partnerships and building new connections.

3. Leverage event insights to spot emerging trends, identify new opportunities, and enhance partner strategies.

4. Share event takeaways with internal teams to inform business strategies and strengthen market positioning.

Market Knowledge & Insights

1. Deep understanding of EMEA market trends, with the ability to identify and articulate regional-specific opportunities and challenges.

2. Awareness of emerging trends, technologies, and regulatory changes in affiliate marketing across EMEA, providing actionable insights to inform and shape strategies.

3. Ability to translate market insights into practical strategies, driving growth for both Rakuten and its partners.

Qualifications

1. 5+ years of progressive experience in account management or a similar role, including project management experience.

2. Proven ability to manage and grow a portfolio of partners within the affiliate marketing space.

3. Strong understanding of digital marketing principles and strategies, with a focus on affiliate marketing best practices.

4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely.

5. Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate project teams.

6. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

7. Ability to build strong internal and external relationships.

8. Proficiency in relevant software/tools (e.g., Salesforce, Excel, project management software, affiliate marketing platforms).

9. Good to excellent working knowledge of publisher business models.

10. Good understanding of EMEA market trends, with the ability to identify and articulate regional-specific opportunities and challenges.

Minimum Requirements

1. Minimum 2-3 years’ experience in digital marketing, publisher, or affiliate marketing role (or similar business development role).

2. Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field required. Postgraduate studies in business management or a relevant field may be preferred.

3. Fluency in English is required.

4. Proficiency in French or German is highly desired.

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 succeed in unknown territory
Maximize Customer Satisfaction - The greatest satisfaction for our teams is seeing their customers smile
Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! - Always be conscious of time - take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team