[Hiring] Senior HR Business Process Optimization Specialist @Rakuten

Role Description

This role is eligible for remote employment in the following states: CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, MA, TX, WI, UT.

Rakuten's HR Transformation HUB is a dedicated function within HR Services focused on driving continuous improvement across the broader HR organization. The Sr. HR Business Process Optimization Specialist serves as an internal process consultant to HR functions across the organization. This is not an operational execution role — it is an advisory and enablement role. You will partner with HR functional teams to assess how they work, identify opportunities to optimize, and help them redesign processes, build the controls, governance, and documentation infrastructure they need to sustain improvements independently.

What You'll Do

• Process Consulting & Optimization
  • Partner with HR functional teams to assess current-state processes and identify inefficiencies, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
  • Apply Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to diagnose root causes and design future-state solutions tailored to each team's context.
  • Facilitate process improvement workshops and working sessions with HR stakeholders, guiding teams through problem definition, process mapping, and solution design.
  • Develop recommendations and improvement roadmaps; support functional teams through implementation while transferring ownership to them upon completion.
• Controls, Governance & Enablement
  • Help HR functional teams establish process controls and governance frameworks — including process flows, decision trees, and SOPs — that they will own and maintain going forward.
  • Ensure improvements are documented in a way that is sustainable, auditable, and scalable across regions and countries where applicable.
  • Identify control gaps or compliance risks within HR processes and partner with functional owners to remediate.
  • Build functional team capability over time so improvements are self-sustaining rather than HUB-dependent.
• Cross-Functional Partnership
  • Collaborate closely with the Transformation HUB to align process improvement work with broader HR transformation initiatives.
  • Support change management efforts associated with process transitions, ensuring functional teams are equipped to adopt and sustain changes.
  • Surface systemic themes and patterns across HR functions to inform HUB prioritization and strategic planning.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in process improvement or an internal consulting capacity within an HR environment; HR experience is required.
• Lean and/or Six Sigma certification required (Green Belt minimum; Black Belt preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to lead process improvement engagements end-to-end — from assessment through implementation and handoff — without retaining ownership of day-to-day execution.
• Strong facilitation skills; ability to guide cross-functional stakeholders through ambiguity and drive to clear, actionable outcomes.
• Experience designing process governance frameworks and controls in a way that is practical and adoptable by operational teams.
• Familiarity with HRIS platforms; Workday experience a plus.
• Comfortable working across a multi-country organization with varying local requirements and stakeholder needs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate process complexity into clear documentation and recommendations.
• Demonstrates executive presence and the ability to influence and challenge stakeholders at all levels, effectively managing resistance, communicating difficult messages with diplomacy, and making recommendations that balance business needs, operational efficiency, and organizational priorities.

Benefits

• Discretionary bonus
• Health, vision, dental insurance
• 401k matching
• PTO
• Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• Other employee benefits as the company implements

Compensation

At the time of posting, Rakuten expects the base compensation for this role to be within the range shown below. Individual compensation will vary based on job-related factors, including the skills, qualifications, and experience of the successful candidate as well as business need and geographic location.

USD $65,529.00 - $112,644.00 annually