Head of Influencer Marketing

Manager, Influencer Marketing, Rakuten is looking for a performance-minded influencer marketer to help scale our Refer-a-Friend (RAF) program. This is a hands‑on role for someone who can blend strong creative instincts with rigorous measurement, build trusted relationships with creators, and run a tight operating rhythm with internal partners and agency support.

Own RAF influencer execution end-to-end: from creator sourcing and organic outreach to briefing, launch, optimization, and executing paid/sponsored partnerships.

Support influencer program marketing: lead briefing and execution for relevant marketing placements in partnership with Product and/or Creative, including but not limited to site/app and email.

Manage creator relationships + roster health: maintain a high‑quality CRM/roster, vet new talent, measure and assess effectiveness of partners against program goals and benchmarks and invest in retaining top creators.

Partner with our influencer agency: lead day‑to‑day collaboration (briefs, casting, creative reviews, timelines, status) ensuring timely and best‑in‑class execution.

Deliver insights that move the business: analyze RAF influencer marketing performance to optimize strategies and execution. Collaborate cross‑functionally: work closely with Creative, Growth, Product Marketing, Product, Marketing Analytics and Strategy within the organization. Foster relationships and provide RAF influencer marketing expertise while meeting mutual goals.

Support creator moments that build loyalty: help execute creator experiences/events to deepen relationships with top RAF influencer partners.

Contribute to our Influencer Center of Excellence: share best practices, improve processes, and support brand influencer marketing initiatives when needed.

Serve as an influencer marketing expert: have fluency in all social platforms, tools, KPIs. You grow RAF influencer outcomes (first‑time buyers, volume of active creators) through a clear creator strategy and disciplined optimization.

You build a roster that’s healthier over time: higher activation, stronger retention of top performers, cleaner data.

5+ years of influencer marketing experience with performance or growth outcomes (acquisition/conversion/revenue).

Strong creative judgment: ability to write sharp briefs and give actionable feedback that improves content.

Strong analytical skills: comfortable with KPIs, dashboards, and using data to make decisions.

Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders (creators, agency, internal teams) with excellent communication and follow‑through.

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.

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.

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