Audiobook Licensing & Partnerships Manager - Japan

Job description

At Spotify, we are redefining the audiobook industry with our innovative Audiobooks in Premium model. Our mission is to empower creators and consumers by delivering the best audiobook content with unmatched quality and accessibility. We are building a thriving ecosystem that scales with creativity, collaboration, and innovative technology. We’re building Spotify’s audiobook business in Japan and looking for someone to lead our relationships with Japanese publishers. You’ll help build our publisher portfolio and secure a catalogue that resonates with listeners in Japan. After launch, you’ll keep owning and growing these partnerships so they deliver lasting value for Spotify and our publishing partners. ### What You Will Do - Map the Japanese publishing and audiobook landscape and identify priority publishers, rights holders, and catalogue opportunities. - Build a strong pipeline of major and independent publishers, and take partnerships from first conversation through negotiation, agreement, and onboarding. - Lead commercial and licensing negotiations, including distribution terms and content licensing budgets, and design creative deal structures that improve economics and share risk. - Identify and prioritize the audiobook catalogues and titles that matter most to listeners in Japan, using data, financial models, and market insights. - Own long-term publisher relationships, aligning on shared goals and running regular performance reviews informed by data and partner feedback. - Partner with operations and publishers on catalogue onboarding, metadata readiness, and smooth content delivery, resolving issues that affect partners or listeners. - Represent publishing partners internally, working with product, editorial, growth, operations, and cost management teams on launch priorities and long-term improvements. - Stay close to developments in the Japanese publishing and audiobook market and turn them into new partnership and growth opportunities. ### Who You Are - You have full professional proficiency in Japanese and English and can lead complex commercial negotiations in both languages. - You have experience in licensing, partnerships, business affairs or business development in digital content, such as books, audiobooks, music, podcasts, video or TV. You have a track record of managing complex commercial relationships with rights holders. - Knowledge of the Japanese book publishing and audiobook ecosystem, including publishers, rights holders and distribution models, and an established network in the industry is preferred. - You understand licensing and commercial models between rights holders, and digital platforms, and you’ve led or supported negotiations in a digital content environment. - You’re comfortable assessing catalogues, interpreting performance data and financial models, and managing budgets to balance partner value, cost, and long-term growth. - You’re a confident, collaborative negotiator who finds solutions that work for both Spotify and its partners. - You take ownership, build relationships and opportunities from the ground up, and stay steady in ambiguous, fast-moving environments. - You can balance immediate launch priorities with building a sustainable long-term publisher strategy. ### Where You'll Be - This role is based in Tokyo. We offer you the flexibility to work where you work best! There will be some in person meetings, but still allows for flexibility to work from home.