Generative AI Product Manager – AI for Business Department (AI4B) Full-time

Job Description:

Department Overview
Rakuten is a global technology company dedicated to leveraging its membership ecosystem and data to positively impact society. Our AI for Business Department (AI4B) leads this initiative, focusing on developing and deploying innovative solutions that combine the latest Generative AI technologies with established data science and machine learning techniques. These solutions enhance our products and services across our Commerce & Marketing, FinTech, and Mobile business units. We seek talented data scientists, engineers, project managers and product managers passionate about applying their skills to pioneering projects that can make a significant difference and potentially change the world.

Position Details

The Generative AI Product Manager is tasked with leading the development and deployment of in-house developed Generative AI solutions across Rakuten Group’s various business units. This role requires a blend of AI domain proficiency and business acumen, ensuring the seamless integration of cutting-edge AI technologies into our product offerings. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in product management, demonstrated by a proven track record of overseeing product lifecycles and successfully bringing innovative technology solutions to market. Experience in managing products that leverage data science, machine learning, and natural language processing is highly valued, although secondary to core product management skills. This role requires a strategic thinker with the ability to navigate the complexities of product development from conception to launch, while also having the technical acuity to understand and harness the potential of AI-driven innovations.

We invite product managers who are keen to leverage the latest technologies for solving real-world problems and making societal contributions to seize this exciting opportunity.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with technical and business leaders to align the AI for Business Department’s strategic direction with organization-wide Generative AI initiatives.
• Define product vision, strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and market needs.
• Assume or support the product owner role, identify and prioritize high-potential, innovative and impactful Generative AI use cases or application features, in close coordination with business experts, accelerating their development and implementation.
• Define and oversee the creation of rapid prototypes and proof-of-concepts for Generative AI applications, ensuring they meet business needs.
• Lead the planning to scale and develop successful Generative AI experiments, prototypes and proof-of-concepts into robust AI solutions.
• Engage with cross-functional teams to ensure product requirements are fully understood and integrated into the development process.
• Monitor product performance and user feedback to continuously refine and improve product offerings.
• Maintain high-quality documentation and thought leadership materials for Generative AI initiatives to engage internal and external stakeholders.
• Facilitate strategic planning sessions and coaching workshops to foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the team. This includes mentoring team members on best practices in product management and agile methodologies, ensuring the team remains agile and adaptable in the face of evolving market trends and technology advancements.

Mandatory Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience in product management
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, capable of effectively collaborating with both technical and non-technical teams.
• Proficient in Agile development methodologies and familiar with project management tools like JIRA and Confluence.
• Fluent in business English and Japanese (native-equivalent Japanese preferred), enabling clear and concise communication across diverse teams.
• Independent and autonomous work style, capable of navigating complex organizational structures and driving results.
• Strategic thinker with a problem-solving mindset, demonstrating the ability to lead through innovation and critical analysis.
• A strong passion for leveraging technology to address real-world challenges and make a meaningful societal impact.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in product management of technology or AI-driven products.
• Proven expertise in leading and successfully executing complex technology programs or products from concept through to launch.
• Experience in setting strategic direction and uncovering new opportunities for impact within large organizations.
• Experience in developing or contributing to data science or analytics projects, including prior hands-on experience with AI/ML model development, showcasing a comprehensive understanding of the entire product development lifecycle-from initial planning and analysis through to deployment and optimization of machine learning models.

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Languages:
English (Overall – 4 – Fluent), Japanese (Overall – 4 – Fluent)