Regional Marketing Manager, Rakuten Kobo
Northern Europe
Digital bookseller
Be an early applicant
Digital bookseller
501-1000 employees
Be an early applicant
501-1000 employees
Company mission
To bring the power of reading to the world.
Role
Who you are
- The role requires a team player focused on delivering profitable results with a hands-on approach to delivering with speed, attention to detail and a passion for competing in the exciting but highly competitive world of digital reading
- A candidate with a good combination of strategic, leadership and executional skills will thrive
- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or related field
- Minimum 5 years of channel marketing, partner marketing or regional trade marketing in consumer retail or e-commerce
- Strong team player with ability to harness external expertise to drive integrated marketing campaigns with impact
- Demonstrated understanding, if not experience, in digital marketing and advertising
- Track record of managing marketing relationships with external partners/retail accounts
- Creative thinker who is also comfortable working with data to translate marketing metrics into commercial insights
- Adept at working in a fast-paced environment as part of cross-functional internal teams and with external stakeholders
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills
- Fluency in Dutch and English, French an asset
- A genuine love for books, reading culture and consumer technology
- Industry experience with technology, digital content, subscription and/or consumer electronics
What the job involves
- Rakuten Kobo Inc. is looking for a Netherlands-based Regional Marketing Manager to join our Sales and Marketing team. The team works closely with Kobo’s bookseller partners, consumer electronics channels and online marketplaces to drive growth, brand visibility, customer acquisition and sales for Kobo
- Reporting to the Director of Channel Marketing, the Regional Marketing Manager plays a vital role to ensure Kobo eReaders, content and subscription services are front and center wherever consumers shop.
- The Marketing Manager will design and execute quarterly retail channel marketing strategies inclusive of POS marketing, online advertising, integrated campaigns, promotion, and sales account support.
- Working closely with our partners, local agencies, and the brand and marketing teams at Rakuten Kobo headquarters, the Manager will drive Kobo eReader, accessory and gift card sales as well as ebook, audiobook and subscription sales, with a focus on bringing new customers into the Kobo ecosystem
- Collaborate with physical and digital bookstore partners to create and execute co-marketing plans
- Develop regional channel marketing plans that align with global brand priorities and regional sales targets, ensuring efficiency and ROI on marketing spends
- Optimize our physical footprint: training, merchandising, sales support
- Drive awareness and optimize conversion via online advertising tactics
- Participate in cross-functional launch marketing planning for new hardware introductions and software rollouts
- Track, analyze and report campaign performance using data to optimize future investments
- Travel as needed within the region (~20% Travel Requirement)
Our take
Long-form content is having a resurgence. That’s great news for the e-reader industry, of which Rakuten’s Kobo battles with Amazon’s Kindle for ownership.
The e-reader giant has changed tack in recent years to pursue growth via integrations and partnerships. A notable example is its native device integration with Pocket, a wishlist app loved by millions of readers.
The company is hoping that these partnerships and product improvements will allow it to finally break the US market where it most struggles for market share with Kindle.
Amazon has consistently shown its willingness to drop prices to protect its position in any market it plays in. That means that Kobo will have to demonstrate true product superiority to make a dent while protecting its margins.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Company benefits
- "Work from anywhere" policy
- Flexible hours
- Internet/phone/commuting allowance
- Daily meal allowance when in the office
- $500 CAD flexible spending account
- Parental leave top-up
- Unlimited sick and mental health days
- 4-day summer holiday weekends
- RRSP matching, bonus and stock options
- Free Kobo eReader
- Free weekly book of your choice
- Volunteer time off
Company HQ
Liberty Village, Toronto, ON
Leadership
Michael Tamblyn
(CEO)Part of the founding team of Kobo, Michael previously held the role of Chief Content Officer. Michael has also been the founding CEO of the supply chain agency, BookNet Canada and co-founded Canada’s first online bookstore, Bookshelf.ca, purchased by Indigo Books & Music in 1998.
Anna Giagkou
(CFO)Prior to joining Rakuten Kobo in 2021, Anna was the CFO of Cox Automotive Canada.
Nimod Narayanan
(CTO)Nimod joined Rakuten Kobo in 2022 as VP of Technology, he then became the SVP of Technology in 2023, and CTO in 2025. Prior to this, he spent nearly 4 years at Rogers Communications joining as a Senior Development Manager before becoming a Director of eCommerce & Personalization and then Senior Director of Digital Platforms & Services.
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