Manager Talent Development Programs, APAC Region

Job Description: Rakuten, Inc. is the third largest ecommerce marketplace worldwide and the largest in Japan. Rakuten provides a wide variety of consumer and business-focused services including e-commerce, e-reading, travel, banking, securities, credit card, e-money, portal and media, online marketing and professional sports. The company is expanding globally and currently has operations throughout Asia, Europe, and of course the Americas. Situated in the heart of Singapore's Central Business District, Rakuten Asia Pte. Ltd. is Rakuten's Asia Regional headquarters. Established in August 2012 as part of Rakuten's global expansion strategy, Rakuten Asia comprises various businesses that provide essential value-added services to Rakuten's global ecosystem. Through advertisement product development, product strategy, and data management, among others, Rakuten Asia is strengthening Rakuten Group's core competencies to take the lead in an increasingly digitalized world.

About the Role: As part of the Global Talent Management and Inclusion (GTMI) team, you will collaborate closely with Global, Regional, and Local HR teams, as well as the broader talent management and development community. Reporting to the Global Talent Management Director, you will represent GTMI by promoting the delivery of impactful talent management programs across the APAC region. This hands-on program management role requires you to partner both locally and globally to implement a systematic and coherent talent development strategy. Your focus will include leadership development, eLearning, executive coaching, succession planning, employee surveys, and targeted learning interventions. As the regional lead, you will also be responsible for stakeholder engagement and addressing their needs related to GTMI programming, leading matrixed teams to achieve these goals.

Responsibilities:

• Program Delivery & Alignment: Align with and work closely with the GTM team, focusing on the effective delivery of learning programs across the APAC region. This includes adapting and delivering global talent management strategies to ensure excellence and equitable employee experience. You will also develop and implement talent strategies to retain and develop diverse talent through employee development programs, engagement surveys, and managing performance management cycles across APAC.
• Regional Collaboration: Collaborate and support talent development initiatives in Singapore, India, Taiwan, and China, with potential expansion to Australia and Hong Kong.
• Strategy Execution: Develop and execute a comprehensive plan to implement the APAC Talent Management programs delivery strategy, understanding the unique business needs across the region. Identify and promote best practices to create tangible business value from talent development investments. Act as a strategic partner and connector to regional, country, business unit, and functional heads of talent and HR partner teams.
• Stakeholder Communication: Collaborate with global teams on talent initiatives, providing clear and consistent communication to multiple stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of talent management programs, projects, and systems. Partner with business-facing HR teams to deliver global talent management plans while supporting unique local needs. Engage regularly with regional stakeholders to receive feedback, align strategy, and share progress.
• Global Partnership: Regional enabler of global programs developed and delivered through GTMI. Partner with the Group HR, Groups Business Leaders, and Learning Ambassadors to ensure that talent management topics are effectively leveraged. Our goal is to strike a balance between meeting local needs and the scalable realities of delivering services in multiple countries.
• Initiative Development & Delivery: Develop and deliver key talent initiatives, including programs for High Potentials (HiPos), Executive Coaching, Employee Surveys, Mentoring, Performance Management, and Succession Planning, as well as Executive/Leadership and Staff Development programs. This includes partnering with HR business leaders to identify and develop content and deliver it directly or through others.
• Workday LMS Expansion: Work closely with Regional/Local HR teams (Learning Ambassadors) to expand the launch of Workday Learning Management System (LMS) and leverage learning data for best practices in talent development within the business units.
• Program Enhancement: Analyze program feedback and ROI, adjust content and program design as needed, and continuously seek innovative best practices to improve the learner experience and outcomes.
• Internal Marketing & Communication: Develop communication and internal marketing materials to educate cross-functional partners about talent programs and promote understanding of development opportunities.
• Onboarding & Development: Partner with Business units HR and Group HR functions to update and deliver new onboarding, leadership development, and change programs.

Requirements:

• 8-10 years of experience specializing in Talent Management and Learning Development.
• Bachelor’s degree required; professional certification or master’s degree in a related field will be greatly advantageous.
• Availability to work global hours 2-3 days a week and ability to travel overseas.
• Experience working in APAC and understanding key markets like Japan, Korea, Greater China, Taiwan, India, and Australia, including experience designing and implementing complex local, national, and/or regional strategies.
• Demonstrated expertise in program planning, design, implementation, delivery, management, and benchmarking, creating and facilitating leadership, learning, career development, and/or other related OD processes within a complex, matrix organization, particularly through a small delivery team (internal and external).
• Experience working in a fast-paced, dynamic and highly-matrixed global Tech organization with the ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities. Familiarity with the nuances of the APAC region, including key players in the talent management/learning fields.
• Highly collaborative with strong analytical, verbal, and written communication skills.

Rakuten is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications regardless of sex, marital status, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religious belief or age.