Audiobook Licensing & Partnerships Manager - Japan

At Spotify, we are redefining the audiobook industry with our innovative Audiobooks in Premium model. 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.

Responsibilities

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; Identify and prioritize audiobook catalogues and titles that matter most to listeners in Japan using data, financial models, and market insights; Own long-term publisher relationships, running regular performance reviews informed by data and partner feedback; Partner with operations and publishers on catalogue onboarding, metadata readiness, and content delivery; Represent publishing partners internally with product, editorial, growth, operations, and cost management teams; Stay close to developments in the Japanese publishing and audiobook market and turn them into partnership and growth opportunities

Requirements

Full professional proficiency in Japanese and English; ability to lead complex commercial negotiations in both languages; experience in licensing, partnerships, business affairs or business development in digital content (books, audiobooks, music, podcasts, video or TV); track record of managing complex commercial relationships with rights holders; understanding of licensing and commercial models between rights holders and digital platforms; experience leading or supporting negotiations in a digital content environment; ability to assess catalogues, interpret performance data and financial models, and manage budgets; confident, collaborative negotiator; ownership, relationship-building, and steadiness in ambiguous, fast-moving environments; ability to balance immediate launch priorities with a sustainable long-term publisher strategy

Nice to have

Knowledge of the Japanese book publishing and audiobook ecosystem, including publishers, rights holders and distribution models; established network in the industry