Finance Manager

Rakuten Kobo Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 99,306 - 171,612; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off (PTO)

Volunteer time off (VTO)

Job summary

Rakuten Kobo Inc. is seeking a Finance Manager to lead financial planning and analysis within the Rakuten International Finance team. This pivotal role requires extensive knowledge of GAAP and experience with financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis. The successful candidate will own budgeting processes and drive strategic financial insights, partnering with various functional leaders.

Applicants should possess a Bachelor’s in Finance or Accounting, along with a preferred CPA or MBA. Strong analytical and Excel skills are necessary, alongside 10 years of relevant experience.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in FP&A, corporate finance, accounting, or related roles.
• Strong command of GAAP and accounting fundamentals.
• Advanced financial modeling and forecasting skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial planning, analysis, and business partnership.
• Own and lead weekly forecasts and annual budgeting.
• Drive process improvements across forecasting and reporting.

Skills

Financial modeling

Variance analysis

GAAP knowledge

Analytical judgment

Excel proficiency

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Accounting/Business

CPA, MBA, or MSc preferred

Tools

Workday Adaptive Planning

Oracle FP&A

SAP BPC

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking a Finance Manager to join the Rakuten International Finance team. This role reports to the Senior Finance Manager/Americas Controller and is responsible for leading financial planning, analysis, and business partnership for Rakuten International’s multiple functional areas. The Finance Manager will own key forecasting and planning processes, partner closely with accounting during close, provide strategic financial insights to senior stakeholders, and drive continuous improvement across finance operations. This role primarily supports the U.S. regional headquarters.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and lead weekly forecasts, monthly outlooks, annual budgeting, and long‑range planning processes, partnering with business and finance leadership
• Deliver income statement and cost analysis, including detailed variance analysis versus budget, forecast, and prior year; clearly communicate key drivers, risks, and opportunities
• Serve as a finance business partner to functional leaders, providing data‑driven insights and scenario analysis to support decision‑making, while taking ownership of cost management across headcount, operating expenses, and allocations with a deep understanding of cost drivers and financial impacts
• Partner closely with the accounting team during month‑end close, including review of accruals, accounting entries, and GAAP compliance; ensure alignment between actuals and forecasts
• Build and maintain financial models, forecasts, KPIs, and dashboards to support management reporting and decision‑making
• Drive process improvements across forecasting, reporting, analytics, and systems to improve accuracy, efficiency, and transparency
• Lead and execute strategic and ad‑hoc financial analyses with measurable financial and operational impact
• Support global reporting requirements and collaborate with international finance teams as needed
• Maintain a strong hands‑on approach by directly performing financial analysis, forecasting, and reporting as needed, ensuring delivery of results even under resource constraints, while maintaining high standards of accuracy through rigorous validation and reconciliation of data

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in FP&A, corporate finance, accounting, or related roles
• Strong command of GAAP and accounting fundamentals, with hands‑on experience supporting month‑end close
• Advanced financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis skills, with strong analytical judgment and ability to translate data into clear, actionable insights
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and strong working knowledge of PowerPoint, with strong systems capabilities and an interest in AI and data tools (e.g., Python, SQL, or similar), including the ability and willingness to leverage automation and AI‑enabled solutions to improve financial analysis and decision‑making
• Experience with financial planning and reporting tools such as Workday Adaptive Planning, Oracle FP&A, SAP BPC, or similar systems strongly preferred; experience with general ledger systems such as Oracle or SAP preferred
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently with a strong sense of ownership and accountability, managing multiple priorities and delivering high‑quality outcomes with minimal oversight
• Strong hands‑on capability with high attention to detail, including the ability to independently execute detailed financial work and consistently deliver accurate, error‑free outputs
• Solid understanding of cost structures, including headcount, operating expenses, and allocations, with the ability to translate insights into effective financial actions
• Experience in a global and/or matrixed organization preferred

Education & Certifications

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field. CPA, MBA, or MSc preferred.

Language Requirements

English: Business level.

Compensation

USD $99,306.00 – $171,612.00 annually.

Benefits

The successful applicant for this role will be eligible for discretionary bonus, health, vision, dental insurance, 401(k) matching, paid time off (PTO), volunteer time off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements.

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.