AI Project Lead - Fintech Consulting Section, AI & Data Consulting Department (AIDC)

Job DescriptionBusiness OverviewRakuten Group has a customer base of approximately 100 million people in Japan and 1 billion globally, providing over 70 services, including e-commerce, payment services, financial services, telecommunications, media, and sports.Department OverviewAI Services Supervisory Department (AISSD) is responsible for promoting AI initiatives across Rakuten Group. This department brings together outstanding international talent to offer cutting-edge AI technologies. AISSD promotes the Triple 20 initiative (20% efficiency improvement in marketing, operations, and client interactions) and is expanding its AI applications across Rakuten Group companies.AI & Data Consulting Department (AIDC) leverages Rakuten's extensive data and cutting-edge AI technologies to solve business challenges through consulting, project initiation, and management. This role under Fintech Consulting Section specifically supports AI adoption among Rakuten's Fintech companies (Rakuten Card, Rakuten Payment, Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Securities, Rakuten Life Insurance, Rakuten General Insurance, Rakuten Insurance Planning).PositionPosition DetailsYour primary mission will be planning and leading Vertical AI projects specialized for the Fintech industry by integrating our data and AI technologies with those of our Fintech companies. You will create innovative AI products and solutions to address their business challenges. Conduct interviews and understand business challenges, KPIs, AI strategies, and data overviews from Fintech companies. Stay updated with the latest AI technologies and internal AI capabilities. Based on the above, design, build, and drive Vertical AI products and solutions.Initially, you will join as an individual contributor and, depending on performance and suitability, may transition into a managerial or vice-managerial role in the future.Detailed Tasks Understanding business challenges, KPIs, AI strategies, and data environment of Fintech companiesHearing and information gathering: Conduct interviews with key stakeholders at Fintech companies to understand their business challenges, KPIs, AI strategies, and data environment. Prepare and document meeting minutes.Analysis and issue identification: Analyze the interview results to identify common and company-specific challenges, their relationship with KPIs, and required data elements. Research and understanding of the latest AI technologies/trends and in-house AI capabilitiesTechnology trend research: Research the latest AI technology trends through academic papers, industry news, etc., and evaluate their applicability to the Fintech domain.In-house technology assessment: Understand the overview and performance of in-house AI technologies and conduct comparative evaluations against the latest technologies. Planning, development, and promotion of Vertical AI products/solutions to address Fintech companies' challengesProduct/solution and project planning: Based on the interview findings and technology research, plan and propose Vertical AI products and solutions.Define project objectives, scope, and roadmap. Project execution and continuous evaluation/improvementLead discussions with stakeholders, coordinate interests, solve issues, and drive development to advance the project.Promote development and implementation in line with the project plan, validate effectiveness through PoCs, establish an improvement cycle, and aim for full-scale production deployment.Mandatory Qualifications At least 5 years' experience in the financial industry (preferably in card, payment, banking, securities, or insurance sectors) or experience in consulting, product development, or service provision to financial institutions. Minimum 3 years' experience in digital transformation (DX), software development, or AI project initiation and management. Experience leading cross-departmental projects is advantageous. Fundamental knowledge and eagerness to continuously learn about software engineering, machine learning, deep learning, and LLM. Proven ability to actively engage various teams, including sales, marketing, compliance, engineering, and data science, to drive projects and solve issues. Native-level Japanese with excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, and the ability to clearly convey complex information and facilitate consensus.Desired Qualifications Experience in the payments industry, such as card networks or QR code payment services. Experience in client-facing roles such as Sales or Customer Success at major tech or SaaS companies, especially with enterprise-level clients. Experience in proposing solutions to enterprise customers is a strong plus. Experience working at domestic or international tech startups. Experience in business development at early-stage startups is a strong plus. Experience in launching products or businesses from 0 to 1. Experience in formulating strategies, executing plans, and driving growth for new business initiatives is a strong plus.#engineer #director #projectmanager #DX #AI #aianddatadiv #RakutenCard #RakutenPay #RakutenBank #RakutenSecurities #RakutenLifeInsuranceLanguagesEnglish (Overall - 3 - Advanced), Japanese (Overall - 4 - Fluent)