Frontend Manager
Frontend Manager leading all client-facing engineering at Rakuten TV, a European video streaming platform in Barcelona — managing ~10 engineers and leads across web, mobile, and Smart TV/CTV teams. Owns technical strategy, architecture, hiring, and delivery using React/TypeScript, Kotlin/Swift, and HLS/DASH video streaming tech.
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Barcelona, Spain
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 3+ years
- Category
- Frontend
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- 8+ years hands-on engineering experience with deep frontend background (JavaScript/TypeScript, mobile, or CTV)
- At least 3 years in an engineering leadership role (Lead, Principal, Head, or Director)
- Deep knowledge of React and modern frontend tooling in a production environment
- Proven experience managing multi-team frontend organisations, including people managers
- Experience with Smart TV application development
- Strong understanding of video streaming: HLS, DASH, players (hls.js, Shaka), DRM, and ad integration (VAST)
- Ability to define and execute long-term technical roadmaps and manage tech debt
- Comfortable representing engineering in stakeholder and executive conversations
- Strong hiring instincts: attract, assess, and retain strong engineers
- Fluent in agile/scrum practices; experienced running cross-functional teams
- Experience publishing and managing applications across mobile and CTV app store portals
- Experience with major cloud providers, CDN, cloud object storage, and serverless compute
Nice to have
- Background in a streaming or media company
- A multiplier: makes engineers around you better
- Technically credible with hands-on ownership in the codebase
- Decisive under ambiguity and clear communicator
Full description
Job Description:
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 organisation that values intellectual curiosity, ownership, and collaboration.
Are you passionate about Video on Demand? Do you love building engineering cultures as much as you love building products? Rakuten TV is looking for a Frontend Manager to lead all client-facing engineering across B2B and B2C, spanning Smart TVs, mobile, web, and whitelabel platforms.
Work with a team of wildly talented and highly motivated engineers in the fast-growing industry of Video on Demand, in one of the most exciting cities in Europe: Barcelona.
The position
As Frontend Director you own the full scope of client-side engineering at Rakuten TV. You will lead multiple frontend teams, a group of ~10 engineers and leads responsible for products used by millions of customers across Europe.
- Own technical strategy, architecture, and delivery across all frontend platforms
- Manage and grow a team of frontend engineers and leads across Mobile, CTVs and Web
- Report directly to the CTO and act as the voice of frontend engineering at leadership level
- Drive roadmap alignment between product, design, and engineering
- Define and enforce engineering standards, code quality, and testing strategy across all teams
- Own hiring, performance reviews, and career development for all direct and indirect reports
- Manage external vendor and CTVs platform relationships
- Own final call on architecture and platform decisions: you are the decision-maker, not a facilitator
What we expect from you
- 8+ years of hands-on engineering experience with a deep frontend background (JavaScript/TypeScript, mobile, or CTV), with at least 3 years in an engineering leadership role (Lead, Principal, Head, or Director)
- Deep knowledge of React and modern frontend tooling in a production environment
- Proven experience managing multi-team frontend organisations, not just tech leads, but people managers