About us

Mrs Wordsmith is on a mission to revolutionise education, to make kids fall in love with learning, and to teach every child in the world the right words, at the right time, in the right way.

We are the world’s most innovative vocabulary company, combining Hollywood-style illustration, research and data science to engage children and parents and help them learn more efficiently. We create illustrated dictionaries, word books, storybooks, videos, games and apps for a new generation.

Launched in 2016 in London, the company is venture backed by leading UK, US and Chinese investors and is one of the fastest-growing VC backed startups in the UK. We recently raised an $11.5 million round of funding and are loved by teachers, parents and students across the globe.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced and talented Rights Manager to join our team in London to take our growing book range to a global audience. Working alongside our Operations and Marketing teams, you will be responsible for arranging and managing foreign rights, in particular across the US and Asia, negotiating and handling imprint deals and coordinating global distribution of our print products. Your experience negotiating foreign rights and licensing deals, ideally in children’s and/or illustrated books, will help you thrive in this role and will maximise Mrs Wordsmith’s global presence, helping us achieve our mission of teaching every child in the world the right words, at the right time, in the right way.

You will be required to:

• Manage all new and existing foreign rights for our existing and future print products, including dictionaries, story books and word books
• Negotiate and handle imprint licensing deals to allow for global distribution of our products with a view to lower our operational risk but maintain our position
• Liaise regularly with our Operations, Product and Marketing teams to ensure alignment on strategy
• Write and contribute to pitch decks for potential partners, distributors, publishers and sales channels
• Attend major book- and trade-fairs to build relationships and promote Mrs Wordsmith within the publishing industry

This role is perfect for someone who is analytically minded and commercially savvy, with relevant experience managing rights, licensing and distribution for books and print products, who is looking to move into a high-growth, mission-driven startup revolutionising the way children across the globe learn words.

About you

• Previous experience negotiating and managing foreign rights within publishing - ideally in children’s and/or illustrated books
• Strong understanding of the book marketing world and the dynamics of selling books through multiple retail and distribution channels
• Solid commercial acumen and experience with imprint deals
• Excellent communication skills and ability to represent Mrs Wordsmith at trade fairs and with third party partners
• Ability to work collaboratively across the business - including with senior stakeholders - while also being able to manage your own time and priorities

It would also be great if you have:

• A strong list of international contacts within the publishing world, ideally within children’s publishing
• Fluency in written and spoken English with proficiency in one other language, ideally Chinese or Spanish
• Willingness to travel for meetings and events where appropriate (this wouldn’t ever be too frequent and you would be based in our London office)
• Experience working in a fast-paced, startup environment

Why work with us

• Make an impact on the future of education
• A wildly diverse team that celebrates our differences
• A playful, creative, working environment complete with dogs and a collaborative Sonos playlist
• Work in a newly renovated warehouse-style office in Clerkenwell
• We are a well-funded, high-growth rocket-ship on a mission
• Access to an amazing network of mentors, advisors and talented colleagues
• Immerse yourself in language, words, data and creativity
• An ever-growing weekly shop with tons of healthy food and sweet treats plus great coffee

Our values

We are looking for someone who will thrive in a company that values:

• The power of words to change lives
• Diversity of background and thought, underpinning a shared vision
• Community-focus: students, teachers and parents are at the heart of everything we do
• The magic that happens when data meets creativity
• Pushing the boundaries and taking risks

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.