Content Specialist (Animation)

VIZ Media; United States; Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote options within CA/OR/NY/TX

Hybrid onsite 1–2 days Bay Area

Job summary

VIZ Media, the world leader in English-language manga and anime, seeks a Content Specialist to support animation acquisitions and IP lifecycle. The role requires fluent Japanese and English and close collaboration with Licensors and internal teams in a Japan-facing environment.

The ideal candidate has 1–3 years in entertainment/media, experience in JP-adjacent corporate settings, and proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite. Remote options available within select states.

Qualifications

• Business-level fluency in Japanese and English.
• 1–3 years in the entertainment/media industry, anime experience preferred.
• Experience in Japanese or Japanese-adjacent corporate environments.
• Proficiency in MS Office and Google Suite.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• High attention to detail for complex deal information.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Bachelor's Degree in a related field or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Research and identify anime/manga titles for acquisition and adaptation.
• Negotiate deal terms with content owners to license and renew titles/IP.
• Coordinate with the legal team to reflect terms in licensing agreements.
• Assist onboarding by communicating deal terms to cross‑functional teams.
• Maintain internal trackers for content acquisition and approvals.
• Obtain licensor approvals for sublicensing and special projects.
• Review royalty reports for term accuracy.
• Create reports and presentations for production/ acquisition meetings.
• Serve as the point of contact for partner needs.

Skills

Bilingual Japanese-English

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

Job Summary

VIZ Media, the world leader in English-language versions of manga and anime (Japanese comics and animation), is looking for a Specialist to join our Content team. The Specialist, Content will work closely with the Director and other members of the Content team to facilitate the company's animation content acquisitions and the Intellectual Property's product lifecycle. This position is a key role connecting VIZ Media's internal teams with major partners in Japan, including Licensors, co-production committee members, and other rights holders. The Specialist, Content must be able to communicate in a professional manner in both Japanese and English, with in-depth knowledge and ample experience in the Japanese anime industry and familiarity with the licensing business.

What you’ll do:

1. Research and identify new anime title(s) for acquisition and manga titles for adaptation by gathering and analyzing new title information according to the company's screening process.


2. Negotiate deal terms with content owners/partners to license and renew new titles/IP.


3. Work closely with the legal department to accurately reflect the agreed deal terms to the master licensing agreement.


4. Support the newly acquired title's on-boarding process by communicating the deal term and relevant key information with the company's cross-functional team. Assist communication between internal teams and the Licensor as needed throughout the IP Lifecycle.


5. Maintain internal trackers related to the content acquisition and deal approvals up to date.


6. Obtain Licensor approvals and other permissions required for sublicensing deals and other special projects and promotions.


7. Review royalty reports to ensure that the deal terms are accurately reflected in the reporting.


8. Create reports and presentations as needed including but not limited to production committee reports and co-production/acquisition offer presentations. Attend Co-production/acquisition related meetings with Japanese partners as needed.


9. Act as the point of contact for partner needs.

The ideal candidate has:

• Business-level spoken and written fluency in Japanese and English a MUST


• 1-3 years of experience and interest in the entertainment/media industry, with prior anime industry experience preferred


• Experience working in a Japanese and/or Japanese-adjacent corporate environment a MUST.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite


• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate interdepartmental collaboration and interact professionally with culturally diverse clients, providers, and staff


• High attention to detail to maintain complex deal information in the system.


• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects simultaneously, manage time effectively, and meet deadlines


• Bachelor's Degree in a related field, or equivalent experience, with a record that demonstrates suitable preparation for this position

Work Environment & Schedule

Location: The Content Specialist position is open to candidates local to the San Francisco Bay Area or remote within the states of California, Oregon, New York, or Texas. If local to the Bay Area, the Content Specialist should expect to work onsite 1-2 days per week at our San Francisco office. If remote, the Content Specialist should expect to travel to San Francisco 3-4 times per year.

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

Compensation: $72,000 - $85,000 annually, depending on experience, with additional variable compensation