Vice President, Government Grants & Public Finance -Government Project Department (RS Government Affairs Div)

Job description

Job Description: About Organization Rakuten's fully virtualized mobile network technology, the world's first to be commercially deployed, has garnered significant global attention, winning numerous global awards. Rakuten Symphony globally expands products based on this advanced technology, including Open RAN software and cloud-native solutions. For example, it has been adopted by a new entrant mobile network operator in Germany and is steadily gaining traction in North America, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Open RAN, which enables mobile network operators to deploy networks without dependence on specific vendors, is being promoted as a national strategy by several governments, including Japan, from the perspectives of economic security and industrial policy. Therefore, Rakuten Symphony is advancing its business in close collaboration with governments, while also leveraging support from them. Why We Hire In response to the rapid advancement of global Open RAN projects utilizing government subsidies and public financing, Rakuten Symphony has established a new dedicated organization to lead such projects. Job Duties Working closely with Rakuten Symphony's sales representatives operating at global locations, this position will negotiate with relevant ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as government-affiliated financial institutions (hereinafter referred to as “relevant ministries and agencies”), to structure and execute projects. Specifically, this position will oversee the following responsibilities: ・Coordinating with sales representatives for project formation ・Negotiating with relevant ministries and agencies for project formation ・Preparing proposals to secure financial support from relevant ministries and agencies ・Managing projects implemented with secured financial support ・Budget management and risk management (including audit response) to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations required for project implementation ・Reporting project implementation status to relevant ministries and agencies ・Preparing reports to be submitted to relevant ministries and agencies after project completion Minimum Qualifications ・At least 10 years of practical experience, including at least 3 years of government service or at least 3 years of experience in government-related work ・Communication skills for negotiating and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders ・Native Level of Japanese Language Preferred Qualifications ・Practical experience in applying for, securing, and executing government grants (3+ years) ・Practical experience in financing from government-affiliated financial institutions (3+ years) ・Practical experience in project management (3+ years; preference given to those holding project management certifications such as PMP) ・Practical experience in global business (3+ years) ・Practical experience in the IT/telecommunications industry (5+ years) Languages: English (Overall - 3 - Advanced), Japanese (Overall - 4 - Fluent)