Director, Client Services

Job Description:

Location: This role is eligible for work in NYC, San Francisco, San Mateo or Chicago offices.

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.

• Directs department operations, setting objectives and ensuring alignment with organizational goals and client relationship strategies.
• Develops strategy to enhance client engagement and satisfaction, incorporating best practices and addressing key organizational priorities.
• Collaborates with multiple departments to coordinate initiatives, resolve client issues, and maintain consistency across client-facing processes.
• Establishes processes to streamline client relationship management activities, improving efficiency and ensuring adherence to industry standards.
• Ensures governance by monitoring compliance with policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements across all client interactions.
• Analyzes organization performance metrics to identify trends, address challenges, and recommend actionable improvements.
• Helps define strategy by providing insights and input on department goals, contributing to the broader organizational vision.
• Hires and develops management-level talent, fostering leadership growth and building a high-performing team.
• Follows up on the implementation of client relationship initiatives, ensuring they deliver expected outcomes and align with operational goals.
• Lead operational, service and financial performance of account teams, ensuring quality work,
  effective processes and client requests are handled in a timely and strategic fashion.
• Owns and manages senior-level client relationships (C & D level), acting as a strategic advisor and contributing value beyond tactical campaign activities.
• Develops annual Strategic Account Plans for each client based on client objectives, revenue, profit, and customer acquisition goals-including upsell, cross-sell, and broader opportunities across the Rakuten ecosystem.
• Holds P&L accountability across managed clients, set and manage team goals and expectations. Regularly forecast and adjust to changing market conditions. Communicate progress of revenue to budget forecast to the leadership team throughout the year.
• Bring an understanding of the current MarTech/AdTech landscape and ability to apply to a client's digital ecosystem.

• Director possesses 10+ years of client service and/or account manager success and several years of team management success.
• Experience leading in a complex Ad/Mar-Tech environment and/or brands with advanced investment in digital marketing.
• Possess broad online and multi-channel marketplace understanding.
• Demonstrated success in client management, service excellence, team management, and marketing services.
• High level strategic and relationship management experience.
• Strategic understanding and success with RFPs.
• Proven success leading teams and developing both direct reports and working with key cross-functional teams globally.
• Successfully led profitable programs that have advanced client business goals.
• Empathetic people manager, with the confidence, professionalism and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to manage and mentor a large team.
• Has advanced writing, editing and presentation-development skills; project management skills and critical thinking skills.
• Is passionate about excellent client service and has proven success at establishing, managing and leading senior client relationships over time, demonstrating increasing trust satisfaction and retention.

• 8-11 years relevant work experience Required
• 12-14 years Preferred
• Bachelor's Degree Required