UI/UX Designer (GORA) - Leisure Product Department (LPD)

Job Description:

Department Overview

The Golf Product Management Group is one of the teams within the Leisure Product Department, and is developing the "Rakuten GORA" service for golfers (https://gora.golf.rakuten.co.jp/). In addition to Rakuten GORA, the Leisure Product Department is responsible for several products that enrich and make users' lifestyles more enjoyable, such as Rakuten Beauty and Rakuten Horse Racing.

Rakuten GORA is the No.1 website in Japan for golf course reservations, with approximately 1,900 golf courses affiliated with the site across Japan. In addition to domestic services, the company is expanding overseas, with outbound services in Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, Thailand and Vietnam, and inbound services in China and Korea (as of May 2025). The company has also launched a membership service for golfers, and plans to continue to provide new services that go beyond the scope of golf course reservations, while expanding its service area. In the process of enjoying golf, users experience various "inconveniences". They may not know which golf course to book, not have any golfing buddies to go with, have a hard time coordinating events, face high hurdles when wanting to start golfing, or struggle to improve even after practicing. We develop products every day with the desire to improve this industry which still retains old customs, provide new value and experiences to users, increase the number of people who enjoy golf through our services, and liven up the industry.
 

Position:

Why We Hire

We operate one of the largest golf course reservation sites in Japan. We would like you to be in charge of the UI/UX of various products such as web service UI and app UI, and create an attractive UI for users on one of the largest golf reservation sites in the industry.

- You will be mainly responsible for UX/UI planning, production, and operation work (direction/design), but in addition to regular operation work, you will also be involved in many projects to provide new UX/UI experiences to users. There are plenty of opportunities to grow as a web designer.
- This is an ideal environment for those who want to gain experience as a web designer in large-scale site management or in the sports industry. Due to the growing nature of our business, we offer an environment where you can take on new challenges.
- There are also opportunities to utilize the characteristics of the group and collaborate with other business.

Position Details

- Job Overview

You will be responsible for all UI/UX design and development work at Rakuten GORA. You will be involved in everything from UI/UX strategy planning to design, implementation, and effectiveness measurement, with the aim of creating an easy-to-use and attractive web service for users.

- Job Details

Strategy Planning and Execution: Plan and execute UI/UX strategies based on user surveys and analysis.
Design: Responsible for a series of design processes, including information design, wireframes, prototypes, UI design, and visual design.
Development: Work with engineers to design and develop UI components and front-end development.
Improvement: Make continuous improvements based on analysis using effectiveness measurement tools and the results of user tests.
Collaboration: Work with designers, engineers, producers, and other relevant parties to promote projects.
Design System: Achieve a consistent UI/UX through the operation and improvement of the design system.

Work Environment

It is a very lively team with many young members in their late 20s to early 30s. There are no boundaries between job titles or services in charge, and the entire department has an open atmosphere. We are very active in holding exchanges with other groups, such as information sharing sessions and problem solving. We also hold many events, such as drinking parties, bowling tournaments, and golf competitions, and there are opportunities to meet colleagues beyond work.
Regarding work-life balance, our team has a culture of "working efficiently", and some employees are working mothers and fathers who go home on time every day. Many employees are motivated to switch on and off between work and private life efficiently and have a fulfilling private life and work life.

Interview articles with team members:

https://commerce-engineer.rakuten.careers/entry/workstyle/0044

Mandatory Qualifications:

- Knowledge and experience of web/app service UI design and prototyping (3 years or more) *Please submit a portfolio.

- Experience using design tools such as Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator.

- Knowledge and experience of design systems.

- Basic knowledge of usability and accessibility.

- Ability to propose improvements based on data analysis.
- Basic knowledge of responsive design and cross-browser compatibility.

- Ability to communicate smoothly with relevant parties such as designers, engineers, and business departments.

- TOEIC Score 800 above or possess equivalent abilities. *If you do not have a score, you can take the test for free during the selection process.
 

Desired Qualifications:

- Knowledge and experience in information design and customer journey design.

- Experience in user research and user testing.

- Knowledge of SEO.

- Basic knowledge and experience of web standard technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

- Knowledge of performance improvement.

- Interest in the sports industry.

Other Information:

Additional information on English Qualification

English (Comprehensive - 1 - Beginner), Japanese (Comprehensive - 4 - Fluent)

Additional Message from Hiring Manager
Rakuten GORA is a service with the largest number of users in Japan. Therefore, we receive feedback from many users and realize every day that there are many problems. We would like to solve these problems by developing our service and building products that allow users to feel more fulfilled while spending their leisure time. The value we can provide is diverse, including "products that make golf more enjoyable", "products that create an environment where you can concentrate on golf", and "products that allow you to meet many golf friends". If you have a desire to launch a new service or want to collect user feedback at a more upstream stage and reflect it in the UI, this is a position where you can feel very rewarded and grow. In addition, more than past experiences, we are looking for people who are passionate about what kind of products they want to create in the future. If you want to change the industry with us, please apply.

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