Total Rewards Manager

Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, Inc., a global technology leader headquartered in San Mateo, California. The organization includes market leaders in e-commerce, digital marketing, advertising, communications, and entertainment. Job Summary As a Total Rewards Manager (Systems & Rewards Operations), you will play a critical role within Rakuten’s Global Total Rewards organization, serving as the operational and systems backbone that enables scalable, compliant, and data-driven rewards programs. This role sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, partnering closely with Total Rewards Business Partners (GTRBPs) to translate business needs into system-enabled solutions. It is a highly visible global role requiring regular partnership with stakeholders across North America, EMEA, and APAC, often balancing regional needs with global consistency. You will work closely with HRIS to design, configure, test, and deploy compensation programs in Workday, Workday Advanced Compensation, and related Total Rewards tools. You will also support compensation strategy through market analysis, program administration, governance, and operational excellence. This is an ideal role for someone who combines strong compensation expertise with systems fluency, analytical rigor, and a continuous improvement mindset. Key Responsibilities Business-to-System Translation – Partner with GTR Business Partners to intake and refine requirements across compensation programs including merit, bonus, equity, and structural changes. Translate business requirements into detailed functional specifications for HRIS configuration and delivery. Drive scalable, standardized solutions aligned to Rakuten’s Rewards Framework and governance standards. Challenge unnecessary customization and recommend best-practice alternatives. Compensation Programs & Operations – Lead setup, execution, and support of annual and off‑cycle compensation processes. Manage plan design administration, eligibility rules, budget allocation logic, and compensation statements. Conduct market benchmarking, pay analysis, cost modeling, and internal equity reviews. Support new entities, acquisitions, and evolving compensation frameworks globally. Systems, Testing & Release Management – Own end-to-end UAT strategy for compensation-related enhancements and releases. Build test scripts, scenarios, and validation frameworks across global use cases. Partner with HRIS to troubleshoot defects, validate fixes, and ensure production readiness. Maintain reusable testing libraries, SOPs, and documentation. Governance, Data Integrity & Compliance – Ensure compensation data accuracy through audits, reconciliations, and controls. Maintain confidentiality and compliance with regulatory and internal standards. Define metrics and KPIs to evaluate program effectiveness, adoption, and efficiency. Ensure Workday remains the source of truth for compensation data. Change Management & Stakeholder Support – Develop communications, training materials, and manager guidance for compensation cycles and process changes across multiple regions and business groups. Simplify complex system logic into clear user-friendly guidance. Partner with HRBPs and business leaders to support adoption and downstream change management. Present insights and recommendations to senior stakeholders. Continuous Improvement & AI Enablement – Identify automation opportunities that reduce manual work and improve accuracy. Leverage AI capabilities within Workday and adjacent tools for analytics, anomaly detection, and decision support. Act as a thought partner in evolving Rakuten’s next-generation Total Rewards infrastructure. Qualifications Advanced hands‑on experience with Workday Compensation and Workday Advanced Compensation. Strong knowledge of EIBs, business processes, reporting, and configuration logic. Proven ability to translate business requirements into scalable system solutions. Strong analytical skills with advanced Excel and experience validating complex datasets. Knowledge of compensation principles including market pricing, incentive design, pay equity, and governance. Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non‑technical stakeholders across cultures, functions, and geographic regions. Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment. High attention to detail, discretion, and commitment to data accuracy. Experience in a technology or multinational matrixed environment. Experience supporting global compensation cycles across multiple regions. Experience using AI‑enabled HR technologies. Minimum Requirements 6+ years of experience in Compensation, Total Rewards, Compensation Operations, or HRIS within a global organization. Bachelor’s Degree required. Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), PHR, or SPHR certification preferred. Benefits The successful applicant for this role will be eligible for discretionary bonus, health, vision, dental insurance, 401(k) matching, PTO, Volunteer Time Off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements. The annual compensation range is USD$99,306.00 – $171,612.00. 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr Rakuten Kobo Inc.