At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic transformation opportunities with Tier-1 telecom operators and drive innovative solutions.
- Company: Join Rakuten Symphony, a global leader in telecom innovation and cloud-native platforms.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, diverse work culture, and opportunities for global impact.
- Other info: Dynamic environment focused on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
- Why this job: Shape the future of mobile telecommunications and work with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 15+ years in telecom or tech, strong leadership, and executive engagement skills.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 150000 £ per year.
Rakuten Symphony is reimagining telecom, changing supply chain norms and disrupting outmoded thinking that threatens the industry’s pursuit of rapid innovation and growth. Based on proven modern infrastructure practices, its open interface platforms make it possible to launch and operate advanced mobile services in a fraction of the time and cost of conventional approaches, with no compromise to network quality or security. Rakuten Symphony has operations in Japan, the United States, Singapore, India, South Korea, Europe, and the Middle East Africa region.
To support our ambitions to provide an innovative cloud-native telco platform for our customers, Rakuten Symphony is looking to recruit and develop top talent from around the globe. We are looking for individuals to join our team across all functional areas of our business – from sales to engineering, support functions to product development.
Role Purpose
The Vice President, Strategic Pursuits is responsible for originating, shaping, and winning Rakuten Symphony's largest and most strategic transformation opportunities with Tier-1 telecommunications operators. This role leads complex, multi-product pursuits spanning Open RAN, OSS Transformation, AI-Driven Operations, Autonomous Networks, Cloud-Native Infrastructure, and Network Modernization. The VP acts as the executive orchestrator across Sales, Product, Engineering, Pre-Sales, Delivery, Partners, and Customer Leadership to secure transformational programs and long-term strategic partnerships.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Opportunity Creation: Identify and develop high-value transformation opportunities within target operators. Influence customer strategy and technology roadmaps before formal procurement processes begin. Build executive-level business cases around network modernization, automation, cloud transformation, and operational efficiency. Create multi-year growth plans for strategic accounts.
- Pursuit Leadership: Lead end-to-end pursuit strategy for opportunities typically exceeding $25M TCV. Define winning themes, competitive positioning, and commercial strategies. Establish and manage pursuit governance, risk reviews, and executive checkpoints. Coordinate cross-functional pursuit teams across sales, product, engineering, finance, legal, and delivery.
- Executive Engagement: Develop trusted relationships with CTO, CIO, CDO, CNO, and Operations leadership. Facilitate executive workshops and transformation discussions. Position Rakuten Symphony as a strategic transformation partner rather than a technology vendor.
- Ecosystem & Partner Engagement: Align Hyperscale's, system integrator, and technology partner participation in strategic pursuits. Drive joint value propositions and partner-led opportunities where appropriate.
- Market Intelligence: Maintain deep understanding of operator priorities, competitive dynamics, regulatory developments, and technology trends. Provide market feedback to Product and GTM leadership.
Success Measures
- Strategic pipeline creation.
- Large-deal bookings and TCV won.
- Win rate on strategic pursuits.
- Executive relationships established within target operators.
- Expansion of Rakuten Symphony footprint within assigned accounts.
- Contribution to regional revenue growth.
Experience & Qualifications
- 15+ years of experience in telecommunications, technology, consulting, cloud, OSS/BSS, network infrastructure, or digital transformation.
- Demonstrated success leading pursuits and negotiations exceeding $25M.
- Strong understanding of telecom operator business models and network transformation programs.
- Experience engaging C-level executives and influencing strategic decisions.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.
Preferred Background
- Experience with one or more of: Open RAN, OSS/BSS, Telecom, Cloud, AI for Network Operations, Network Automation, Digital Transformation, Consulting.
- Background from telecom operators, telecom vendors, consulting firms, cloud providers, or technology companies serving communications service providers is highly desirable.
RAKUTEN SHUGI PRINCIPLES:
Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviours that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success:
- Always improve, always advance. Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen.
- Be passionately professional. Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best.
- Hypothesize - Practice - Validate - Shikumika. Use the Rakuten Cycle to success in unknown territory.
- Maximise Customer Satisfaction. The greatest satisfaction for workers in a service industry is to see their customers smile.
- Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! Always be conscious of time. Take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team.
Vice President, Strategic Accounts in Slough employer: Rakuten Symphony
Rakuten Symphony is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, empowering employees to drive transformative change in the telecommunications industry. With a commitment to professional growth, employees benefit from extensive development opportunities and the chance to work on cutting-edge projects across a global landscape. Join us in our mission to redefine mobile services while enjoying a dynamic work environment that values speed, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Vice President, Strategic Accounts in Slough
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✨Apply Directly Through Our Website
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We think you need these skills to ace Vice President, Strategic Accounts in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Strategic Thinking:When crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight your strategic analysis skills. Focus on past experiences where you've effectively assessed market trends or made impactful recommendations. Evidence-based achievements, like improving processes or contributing to significant projects, will help us see your potential for driving corporate strategy at Rakuten Symphony.
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Highlight Relevant Academic Credentials:In your CV, make sure to showcase your academic background, especially if you have qualifications in business, economics, or analytics. We appreciate candidates who can back up their skills with relevant degrees or certifications, so don’t be shy about flaunting those achievements!
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How to prepare for a job interview at Rakuten Symphony
✨Master the Numbers
Corporate strategy often involves data analysis and financial forecasting. Brush up on your quantitative skills, and be prepared to handle case studies or numerical problems during the interview. We might get questions about how to approach market trends or assess the performance of a hypothetical company — so practice these scenarios!
✨Know Your Frameworks
Familiarity with strategic frameworks like SWOT, PESTLE, or Porter’s Five Forces can set you apart. We should be ready to discuss how we’d apply these tools to real-world business situations — maybe even relating them to Rakuten Symphony. This shows we’re not just theory-happy but can articulate our practical application.
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Whether through internships or projects, we should highlight any experience that relates to corporate strategy. Have specific examples ready to talk about how we’ve contributed to strategic growth or improvements. It's about showcasing our unique journey and how it will bring value to Rakuten Symphony.
