Jeff
Entry date…Joined Rakuten Group mid-career in July 2024
Department…Travel Development Department (TDD)
Commerce & Marketing Company
Position…Project Manager
Birthplace…Metro Manila, PhilippinesHobby…Gaming, building PCs, dragon boat paddling, and powerlifting
Jeff, who has built experience as a project manager in fields such as cloud infrastructure and enterprise IT, joined Rakuten Group mid-career in 2024 driven by the desire to work with new technologies.
We interviewed Jeff about his work in the Travel Development Department (TDD) and the skills that can be acquired through his job.
INDEX
✔Joining Rakuten Group to be able to work with new technologies
✔Enhancing skills through diverse projects and team collaborations
Joining Rakuten Group to be able to work with new technologies
――Can you tell us about your career so far?
Hi, I’m Jeff, and I work as the project manager for the Travel Development Department (TDD).
After completing my Information Technology degree in May 2004, I began my career as an IT support agent. I then became a project manager in 2007 and received the internationally recognized PMP® (Project Management Professional) certification from PMI (Project Management Institute) in 2017.
I have been involved in fields such as telecommunications, data centers, cloud infrastructure like Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), as well as enterprise IT.
――You were mainly involved in infrastructure projects. What inspired you to join Rakuten Group?
I wanted to gain experience in new technical areas and came across Rakuten Group during my job search. I was excited when I learned about Rakuten Group’s diverse portfolio of products.
Many of Rakuten Group’s services are used by general customers and that requires a different set of skills compared to working in enterprise IT. It was an exciting change as there were many opportunities for me to learn new technology and ways of working.
Enhancing skills through diverse projects and team collaborations
――Can you tell us about the products and tasks you are currently working on?
I am involved in domestic travel projects for Rakuten Travel. Our team works with business teams to design, develop, and continuously improve new products for the Rakuten Travel website and mobile app.
――What is the role of the project manager?
As the project manager, I manage the design, development, and quality teams. My role is to ensure that each team can work efficiently and with higher quality. If a problem arises, I guide my team in problem solving and finding a solution. Through these daily efforts, we provide a reliable service that allows our customers to smoothly book domestic travel at any time.
――Could you walk us through your workflow?
Most of our projects start from a "wish list" from our business teams. The wish list includes ideas for new products as well as ideas to improve existing ones.
These wishes are then vetted based on Rakuten Travel's business goals before being officially authorized as projects. From there, we review the requirements in detail and agree on the scope of work and the timeline towards completion. Then comes the actual work of developing and testing the new product, and finally the completed product is released.
――What are the challenges of being a project manager?
Project managers are required to solve various problems so that projects can be delivered within the expected timeframe. Because of this, project managers need to "think outside the box," to think flexibly and creatively without being bound by stereotypes or existing frameworks. At times, we must find solutions to extremely challenging problems.
――What kinds of people do you work with?
My favorite part of my work is engaging with professionals from multiple disciplines. To be an effective project manager, you should have some understanding of business development, technical development, quality control, as well as the underlying platform and infrastructure. Being able to learn many different lessons from each of the professionals is an opportunity I value and appreciate about this role.
――You mentioned being able to learn diverse knowledge - what other skills can be acquired?
Project managers work with stakeholders from multiple organizations on a daily basis. A positive consequence is that you develop soft skills. Especially as a global company, Rakuten Group has members from culturally different backgrounds, and you learn how to effectively work with them. The soft skills acquired here are extremely valuable and transferrable to other non-project manager roles you may consider taking on in the future.
――What type of person do you think is best suited to be a project manager?
I believe that someone with a strong sense of responsibility, the ability to proactively find solutions, and excellent communication skills is well-suited for the role. The project managers I look up to will assemble individuals capable of making decisions and creating solutions to launch a project and drive the team towards accomplishing their goals, working together as a team.
――Lastly, could you share a message for those interested in a career change to Rakuten Group?
I have been enjoying my time here at Rakuten Group. There is great diversity not just in the people I work with, but also in the kinds of projects that we take on. There are many opportunities to learn new things every day.
In addition to contributing to Rakuten Group, I also have the chance to make a positive impact on society through our services.
I hope to work with as many of you in the future and learn from each other’s experiences!
Come work with us!
Commerce & Marketing Company Travel Development Department (TDD) is seeking talented individuals to join our team in developing new services, managing daily operations, and driving continuous improvements. Recruitment is open for a variety of positions, including engineers and product managers. We look forward to receiving your application!
