Business Development Intern

Job Description:

Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, Inc., a Japanese global technology leader in services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Headquartered in San Mateo, California with more than 4,000 employees worldwide, the Rakuten International business portfolio includes market leaders in e-commerce, digital marketing, advertising, communications and entertainment. We create products and services that provide exceptional value by aligning members and the businesses that want to engage them in a shared community.

Rakuten Advertising provides advertising technology and consumer insights to the world’s leading brands and retailers. Working with agencies and brands around the world, Rakuten Advertising unites technology, client strategy and consumer insights to deliver advertising experiences that drive increased brand awareness and marketing performance. With access to Rakuten’s diverse media properties and audiences, combined with an award-winning performance network and proprietary consumer research, Rakuten Advertising creates the right conditions to reach new customers and sustain long-lasting loyalty.

The Intern Experience: At Rakuten, we pride ourselves on giving interns a genuine, immersive experience that has a direct impact on company objectives. You will do meaningful work, and with us, you'll be a true member of the team. We are also invested in your growth as an individual and professional. That's why you can expect curated events such as professional development workshops, interactions with Rakuten leadership, and relationship building opportunities with other interns and professionals at the company. You can visit our company website and our Muse profile, to learn more about Rakuten's culture and values, as well as hear from previous interns.

Job Summary:
The North America sales team is seeking a proactive and enthusiastic Business Development Intern to join our growing team. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute directly to our sales efforts, learn valuable skills, and make a tangible impact. You will be responsible for supporting our business development representatives and sales team through meticulous research, strategic content creation, and ensuring the smooth operation and data integrity of our sales processes.

Key Responsibilities:

As a Business Development Intern, you'll play a crucial role in supporting our prospecting initiatives and enhancing our team's efficiency. Your responsibilities will include:

• Prospecting and Research: Dive deep into market research to identify and qualify potential leads, helping us expand our reach and connect with crucial contacts.
• Messaging Development: Collaborate with the team to craft compelling outreach messages and sequences that resonate with our target audience.
• Sales Enablement Support: Assist in preparing and refining sales materials, including making our bi-weekly huddle slide decks look sharper and more engaging.
• Operational Support & Data Integrity: Contribute to the creation and maintenance of a centralized knowledge hub ("NAR Notepad") for important links, updates (SFDC, legal, new launches, process tweaks), and assist in reviewing and optimizing our NA Retail SFDC folder reports to ensure data accuracy and identify areas for enhancement, as well as providing support on various ad-hoc business development initiatives.

Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
• Strong research and analytical skills with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate information clearly and concisely.
• Well-versed in AI technologies and their applications; experience in creating AI agents or working with AI-driven tools is a significant plus. (Seamless, Relevance AI, Gong Engage and Salesloft Platforms)
• Proficiency in using productivity tools (e.g., Google Suite, Microsoft Office) and a willingness to learn new software.
• A proactive, self-starter mindset with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively.

Minimum Requirements:

• Degree in progress

At the time of posting, Rakuten expects the hourly rate for this role will be between $20 - $25 per hour. 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.

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Five Principles for Success
Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviors 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
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 succeed in unknown territory
Maximize Customer Satisfaction - The greatest satisfaction for our teams is seeing their customers smile
Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! - Always be conscious of time - take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team

Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. 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.