Title: Acquisitions Manager

Location: San Francisco United States

Job Description:

About Our Company

VIZ Media has been bringing the finest in manga, anime, and global entertainment to English-speaking fans across the world for nearly 40 years. From classic series like Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and Naruto to current hits like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and Chainsaw Man, we continue to offer the best in action, romance, fantasy, and adventure stories for fans of all ages.

Our critically acclaimed manga, graphic novels, and books have won Eisner, YALSA, and Hugo awards and are available in both print and digital editions, and our premier catalog of anime titles can be seen on TV and via streaming and digital download, as well as in collectible Blu-ray and DVD sets at major retailers.

Job Summary

VIZ Media, the world leader in English-language versions of manga and anime, is looking for an Acquisitions Manager to join our Editorial team. The Acquisitions Manager takes a primary role in the discovery and evaluation of potential new manga, simultaneous serializations, and IP for Publishing. This position requires deep expertise in the manga industry, along with strong awareness of broader pop culture trends and consumer preferences. It is a highly strategic role with significant influence on our publishing roadmap and close collaboration across multiple cross functional teams. Fluency in Japanese is required.

What you’ll do:

• Discover new potential manga, simultaneous serializations, and IP acquisitions for Publishing.
• Read and review potential acquisitions for narrative quality, market viability, positioning, and general suitability for publication in English. 
• Research and evaluate works in all manga genres, including shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, yuri, and BL as well as kids, nonfiction, and more.
• Monitor trends in animation and makes acquisition recommendations for animation tie-in publishing products.
• Monitor trends in video gaming and makes acquisitions recommendations for gaming tie-in publishing products.
• Maintain robust and up-to-date knowledge of the manga industry in Japan, the U.S., and worldwide. 
• Maintain robust and up-to-date knowledge of general popular culture in Japan, including live action films & television, politics, and news. 
• Maintain acquisitions trackers and provide administrative support for acquisitions projects.
• Acquire and maintain collection of physical and digital materials related to acquisitions, such as tankobon, magazines, art books, ebooks, and miscellany.
• Collaborate with the Animation, Business Development, Simul, and Original Publishing teams to provide insight and recommendations for content acquisitions and development strategies.
• Communicate with licensors to ascertain rights situations and to acquire rights guides and catalogs. 
• Negotiate with licensors and Publishing Licensing to acquire new Publishing projects.

The ideal candidate has:

• 3+ years of related and applicable experience in a publishing environment 
• Professional fluency in both spoken and written English and Japanese
• Knowledge of consumer entertainment such as anime, manga, and related merchandise, as well as some exposure to entertainment media (comics, books, video games)
• Ability to balance business-oriented and creative judgments
• Bachelor's Degree in Japanese, East Asian Studies, Comparative Literature, International Business, or related fields from an accredited college or university, or equivalent experience

Additional preferred skills/knowledge:

• Experience in or knowledge of the licensing business

Work Environment & Schedule

Location: We have a strong preference for candidates local to the San Francisco Bay Area, though remote candidates may be considered. VIZ Media operates on a hybrid schedule with 1-2 days of work onsite at our downtown San Francisco office expected weekly.

Schedule: This is a Regular Full-Time position (40 hours per week) with core hours of 10 am to 4 pm with flexibility outside of core hours.

Compensation: $85,000 - $100,000 annually, depending on experience, with additional variable compensation

VIZ Media offers the following benefits to its eligible employees:

• Partially subsidized Health, Dental, and Vision insurance
• 401(k) savings plan – including employer matching
• Flexible Spending – health and dependent care
• Commuter stipend for in-office work
• Life Insurance/AD&D/STD/LTD
• Legal & ID Theft insurance
• Group Pet insurance rates
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time - plus your birthday is a holiday!
• Philanthropy program, including paid time off for volunteer work
• Wellness program, including fitness membership discounts and reimbursement
• Full time casual dress
• Flexible work hours

As part of a multi-media entertainment company, employees may be subjected to work-related content such as: sexually explicit images, nudity, and graphic violence. Applicants should be willing to work with this type of content. 

VIZ Media is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status, or any legally protected status.

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