Job description
The Opportunity
The Manager of IP Scouting should -first and foremost- love to read books! And not only love to read books, but talk about them, have an authentic point of view (good AND bad) on them, and be able to effectively pitch the material to executives. This position will primarily oversee day-to-day IP scouting and acquisitions for the content teams across EMEA, including the UK, and act as a liaison between the IP team and the content executives for both feature films and television series. We are specifically looking for someone who has relevant experience in the publishing or film / TV market within EMEA & the UK, as well as some form of specialization or in-depth knowledge of the book-to-screen marketplace. The ideal candidate is not only passionate about books and intellectual property, but is excited at the opportunity and challenge of helping build a new division from the ground up, and enjoys working in a collaborative “all hands on deck” group setting.
Responsibilities and oversight include:
- Identifying and evaluating books and intellectual property (articles, short stories, podcasts, etc.).
- Developing an authentic point of view on material and the ability to pitch the material to executives and producers.
- Interacting daily with the content teams, business affairs, marketing, producers, and high-level talent.
- Proactively maintaining and developing relationships with agents, editors, publishers, scouts, authors, journalists and other intellectual property rights holders and aggregators.
- Researching and compiling reports and lists based on content team mandates and arenas of interest, as well as helping to maintain our internal IP database.
- Attending relevant industry conferences, book fairs, and events, as well as some travel to liaise with our colleagues in EMEA territories.
About you:
- A passion for TV/film/pop culture and reading, and the ability to evaluate material quickly and with an eye towards adaptation.
- Knowledge of the current book-to-screen marketplace (deal-making, authors of note, buzzworthy books, and IP already being developed).
- Minimum 3 years of executive experience in the entertainment industry (book scouting, film/TV creative executive, publishing/editorial work, media rights representation; a combination of these fields is preferred.)
- A collaborative teammate who not only contributes ideas and feedback, but who also has the ability to pivot easily to changes internally and in the marketplace.
- A commitment to diverse and inclusive storytelling and helping to identify marginalized voices that have traditionally not been represented on screen.
- Experience with interacting and engaging with executives, producers and high-level talent internally, as well as representatives, authors, and industry contacts externally.
- Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and an ability to multitask.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Fluency in French, German, Spanish, Italian or a Scandinavian language preferred but not required.