At Storytel we believe that powerful stories add an extra dimension to life. Storytel is one of the world’s leading audiobook streaming services and we offer unlimited listening to consumers in 25+ markets. Our vision is to make the world a more empathetic and creative place.

The role
To deliver on Storytel’s growth ambition, we constantly need to elevate, innovate, and expand our business practices and relationships with content partners around the globe. As the Head of Business Affairs, you will report to the Chief Content Officer and oversee all business affairs-related activities to shape and define Storytel’s long-term content vision.

You will build, develop, and lead a world-class business affairs organization for Storytel. Spearhead a team that drives all dealmaking for Storytel Streaming (including Storyside), including structuring, negotiating, and closing a variety of content licenses, partnerships, and acquisitions to support the Storytel Streaming business. Achieve a differentiated, attractive, and engaging available catalog for Storytel Streaming in each of its markets while consistently improving content costs.

We are looking for an experienced leader with a commercial mindset, strong business acumen, solid analytical capabilities, and a passion for audio content. The right candidate possesses the ability to prioritize and quickly understand key value drivers of the business while being able to follow through on multiple projects in parallel. We seek a person with strong interpersonal skills, a genuine team-player mindset and the ability to work independently within a cross-functional team as well as with external business partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee negotiations of content licenses, rights agreements, content development agreements, partnerships and acquisitions across all Storytel markets, and work continuously to improve deal terms.
• Develop and maintain excellent relationships with publishers, rightsholders, producers and other partners across all Storytel markets.
• Creatively structure deals to provide Storytel a long term competitive advantage in the markets it operates, including increasing the share of content that is exclusive to Storytel Streaming.
• Proactively review existing relationships to optimize content economics and differentiation, working closely with the Programming team to ensure favorable deals are renewed on a timely basis and unfavorable deals are terminated or renegotiated when appropriate.
• Develop, champion and instill an analytical and data-driven approach, ensuring they are optimized and targeted so that content investments efficiently drive awareness, acquisition, retention and profitability.
• Work closely with the Legal and Finance teams to ensure all Storytel agreements fit within company legal and financial guidelines, work with the Legal and Finance teams to develop processes to make collaboration more efficient.
• Collaborate with the Operations team to help them ensure Storytel meets all of its contractual obligations and content partners are well serviced on an ongoing basis.
• Collaborate closely with the rest of the Content team, particularly the Programming, Content Development and IP Franchise Management leaders as well as across the Storytel organization to ensure accomplishment of company wide goals.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience as a dealmaker with an emphasis on content or intellectual property.
• Strong negotiation skills, and proven ability to build advantageous content partnerships.
• Proven success as strong builder and maintainer of relationships with external partners
• A strong manager with a successful leader-of-leaders track-record who hires well; empowers and manages their teams effectively; defines, implements and enforces clear goals, processes and standards; works well with teams outside their direct managerial control; and enjoys developing the next generation of leaders.
• Track record in effectively managing a diverse set of stakeholders within a matrixed organization. 
• A data-driven obsession with creativity. Highly analytical, strongly metrics KPI driven, with a structured approach to problem-solving.
• Understanding of the publishing industry in the markets Storytel operates.
• Comfortable in an entrepreneurial environment, with its fast pace and continuous change, and flexible and creative in response to competitive pressures.

You are…

• Equipped with solid business acumen and analytical skills.
• Results-driven and thriving in a fast-paced scale-up environment.
• Enjoying both strategic/conceptual thinking as well as hands-on value creation work.
• Able to instill trust in relationships with external partners as well as internal team members and peers.
• Resourceful and persistent with a 'can do' attitude.
  

What we offer

Storytel offers a dynamic, forward-thinking environment that allows us to embrace new ideas and creative solutions while continually challenging and questioning old truths. Our approach to leadership is rooted in communication, trust, and genuine care, recognizing that innovation often stems from collective wisdom, enabling individuals to thrive and achieve collective success.

We offer flexible working hours, remote working possibilities, and flexible public holidays for people to celebrate what they genuinely believe in. And, of course, you get unlimited access to audio and ebooks from our service!

If you feel like Storytel is a place where you could thrive, please submit your application in English, and we will contact you as soon as possible.