Specialist/Senior Specialist, Content Acquisition & Partnerships

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 Viki is a global entertainment streaming platform that specializes in Asian content. Our platform enables millions of viewers to discover and enjoy primetime shows and movies, subtitled in over 150 languages. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, we also have offices in Singapore, Seoul, and Shanghai, ensuring a strong global presence and a deep connection to the heart of Asian entertainment. Our platform is home to a large and loyal community of fans who share a passion for Asian culture and entertainment. Join us in our mission to bridge cultures and connect the world to Asian entertainment. At Rakuten Viki, we offer a chance to be part of a global community that celebrates culture, creativity, and connection.

About the Role:

Rakuten Viki is seeking a passionate and ambitious Specialist/Senior Specialist, Content Acquisition & Partnerships. This person will be working with our Content Team in China to maintain and grow Rakuten Viki’s content partnerships in Greater China & other Asian countries and to liaise with other teams internally and partners externally. This role will be based in Shanghai and reports to the Director, Content Acquisition & Partnerships. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct market research, evaluate, structure business proposals and negotiate content licensing deals based on China Team’s content acquisition strategy; Develop thoughtful, win-win solutions with partners;

• Draft and execute English content licensing contracts, including tackling with legal, business and/or taxation issues; Conduct relevant payments;

• Identify potential contents & partners proactively and drive all aspects to bring suitable contents with favorable conditions for the company; 

• Support the team to expand partnerships in Greater China & other Asian countries by maintaining and developing solid business relationships with external partners

• Act as a liaison with Viki cross-functional teams in Singapore, South Korea and US for content planning, legal, operations, finance and marketing, etc., in order to ensure smooth content launches on Viki

• Evaluate and maintain content renewals, and conduct relevant content performance data analysis

• Collaborate with the team to conduct various data analysis, budgeting, and to translate insights into actionable optimization of the team’s content strategies and partnership plans

• Attend domestic and international market events for content partnership maintenance and development of new business opportunities

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 3-8 years of experience in content licensing and/or business development in the entertainment, internet and/or digital media industry in China; International business experience is preferred

• Ability to negotiate business deals independently or with limited guidance only

• Strong verbal and writing communication skills in both English and Chinese, and the ability to develop and maintain good relationships with external and internal stakeholders

• Individual with strong self-motivation ability and great attention to detail

• Ability to multi-task and work well in cross-cultural and a fast-paced environment

• Strong logical thinking ability and basic data analysis skills 

• Experience in sourcing partnerships; Possessing an extensive network of connections within the Chinese content industry is preferred, including but not limited to drama, film, micro drama and/or animation

• Basic knowledge of industry trends, competitor dynamics, international market conditions and opportunities

• Passion about Internet and digital media industry, familiarity with and/or enthusiasm for Asian entertainment (especially for dramas) is preferred 

• Proficient in G-Suite and Looker is preferred; Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, i.e. PowerPoint and Excel is required

Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. Rakuten considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.