Senior AdTech Architect

Job Description:

About Rakuten TV

Rakuten TV is one of Europe's leading video streaming platforms, offering premium transactional (TVOD) and advertising-based (AVOD/FAST) content to millions of users across more than 40 countries. Backed by Rakuten Group — one of the world's largest internet services companies — we operate a cutting-edge B2B2C model, partnering with leading device manufacturers, broadcasters, and advertising networks to deliver premium entertainment experiences.

Headquartered in Barcelona, our international team combines deep expertise in technology, content, sales, and finance to drive continued growth across EMEA. We are a data-driven, fast-paced organization that values intellectual curiosity, ownership, and collaboration.

About the role

We are looking for an AdTech Architect to design and lead the build-out of our programmatic advertising stack. This is a greenfield role — there is no existing architecture to inherit.

You will report directly to the CPO and own both the technical strategy and the day-to-day execution of our programmatic capabilities. The scope goes beyond platform design. You will be a key voice in shaping how Rakuten TV approaches advertising as a business — which demand channels to prioritise, how to position our ad product in the market, and where the organisation should invest next.

A significant part of this role is cross-functional. You will partner with commercial and ad operations teams on yield strategy, translate revenue requirements into architectural decisions, and represent the engineering side of AdTech in conversations with external partners and senior leadership. We are not looking for someone to build a system in isolation — we are looking for someone who understands why it needs to work commercially.

What you will be responsible for

Platform architecture

Design and own the end-to-end architecture of our programmatic stack: bid handling, auction logic, CTV ad delivery, and the impression and measurement pipeline. You will make the foundational decisions that determine what this platform can and cannot do at scale.

Build vs buy

You will own the strategic evaluation of which parts of the stack we build in-house and which we procure or license. We expect you to bring a clear point of view and the experience to back it.

Advertising strategy

Working with the CPO and commercial leadership, you will contribute to the organisation's overall advertising strategy: how programmatic fits within our revenue model, which standards and integrations to lead on, how our ad product evolves, and what capabilities differentiate us in the market.

Standards and compliance

Set the technical direction for IAB standards adoption, consent chain management across all surfaces, and advertiser measurement. Own technical relationships with SSPs, DSPs, and measurement partners.

Team leadership

Lead a small, focused team — PM, AdTech Specialist, AdTech Engineer — with a hands-on approach. You will remain technically active while growing the people around you. As the team scales, this role is expected to evolve and you will help define what that structure looks like.

What we are looking for

Experience

• 8–12 years in AdTech, with a significant portion in programmatic and CTV
• You have owned the design of an RTB or bid management system end-to-end, not just contributed to one
• You have made or meaningfully influenced build-vs-buy decisions on critical stack components and can demonstrate the reasoning behind them
• You are comfortable in commercial conversations — floor pricing, yield trade-offs, DSP relationships — and can connect those back to technical decisions
• Background in a broadcaster, streaming platform, SSP, DSP, or ad technology vendor

Technical (must-have)

• OpenRTB 2.x / 3.0: bid request and response design, auction mechanics, deal types (PMP, PG)
• VAST / VMAP / SCTE-35: creative compliance, trafficking workflows, and live stream ad break signalling
• CTV ad integration: client-side and server-side ad insertion, ad measurement SDKs and third-party verification frameworks
• Real-time event streaming and low-latency system design: experience building impression and event pipelines at scale, and designing systems that operate under strict real-time constraints
• First-party audience data architecture: identity resolution across device, email and behavioural signals (UID2, ID5 or equivalent) and activation in programmatic buying

Domain knowledge

• SSP and DSP ecosystem, programmatic economics, PMP and PG structures
• Yield management: CPM floors, fill rate, eCPM optimisation
• European compliance: GDPR, TCF 2.x, consent chain across surfaces
• Broadcaster or streaming audience measurement frameworks

Nice to have

• Experience implementing direct DSP integrations
• Cleanroom data collaboration (AWS Clean Rooms, LiveRamp Safe Haven or equivalent)
• Translating audience signals into IAB-compatible segments for programmatic targeting
• Familiarity with AI-native buying channels and agent-based transaction protocols (MCP or equivalent) as an emerging demand path alongside traditional programmatic.

Some Good Reasons To Apply

• Join a leading global tech company.
• Flexible work: hybrid model, flexible hours and Friday afternoon off!
• Fast-track your career in a high-growth environment.
• Interesting training resources & free language classes.
• Enjoy a great work atmosphere, team activities & offsites.
• Modern, sustainable offices near Barcelona beach. Wellbeing focused.
• Access wellbeing & mental health platforms.
• Free coffee, juice & lunch allowance in the office.
• Work with a diverse team of 24+ nationalities!
• Flexible Remuneration: medical insurance or extra funds for meals/commuting/childcare.
• Access to Wellhub.

Rakuten Shugi Principles
Rakuten Group has an unswerving commitment to building an egalitarian society by empowering individuals and companies to be successful in business and in life. We expect “Rakutenians” to model these 5 “Shugi” Principles of Success:

• Always improve, always advance. With enough determination and effort, you can achieve anything.
• Be passionately professional. Be determined to be the best.
• Hypothesize - Practice - Validate - Shikumika. Success in business depends on making and executing concrete specific action plans.
• Maximize Customer Satisfaction. The greatest satisfaction in a service industry is to see our customers smile.
• Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! Always be conscious of time. Take charge, set clear goals, and engage yourself and your team.

Our D&I Mission
Rakuten’s corporate mission is to “contribute to society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship.” We foster a culture that provides equal opportunities to those who share this founding philosophy and take on the challenge to transform society, regardless gender, age, sexual orientation, race, religion, culture, nationality, disability, or any other status. Diversity is one of Rakuten's core strategies and a driving force for innovation. To continue to provide innovative services, we strive to respect the uniqueness and values of every one of our Rakutenians, located all around the world, and to create environments where they are able to demonstrate their full potential.
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