Market Development Lead

OUP; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxford University Press is seeking a senior leader to drive AI licensing deals for its academic content. You will lead end-to-end sourcing, structuring, and negotiations, while cultivating relationships with global AI developers, platforms, and large enterprises.

You will shape licensing strategies, oversee IP and data usage rights, and collaborate across Legal, Product, Editorial, Journals, and Finance to ensure robust, revenue-generating arrangements.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing, structuring, and negotiation of AI/content licensing agreements.
• Build and manage relationships with major AI companies, technology platforms, and enterprises.
• Identify and pursue new licensing opportunities, including training data use cases (e.g. RAG, RL).
• Develop and execute commercial strategies to grow AI licensing revenue.
• Collaborate with Legal, Product, Editorial, Journals, and Finance on deal structuring and governance.

Job description

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As the world's largest university press, Oxford University Press combines global reach with a deep understanding of local audiences. We are committed to publishing serious non-fiction and partnering with authors whose authority, insight, and originality illuminate the issues that shape public discourse. If you share that passion, you may be an ideal fit for us.

With a presence in more than 50 countries and millions of customers worldwide, OUP publishes books that inform debate, illuminate the past, and help shape the future. An idea championed at OUP can have truly global impact.

To lead the development, negotiation, and execution of complex AI and data licensing agreements, establishing sustainable long-term revenue streams from OUP’s academic content while ensuring robust protection of intellectual property.

The role will play a critical part in building OUP’s position as a strategic partner to AI developers, technology companies, and enterprise organizations.

Key Accountabilites

1. AI Licensing Business Development

• Lead end-to-end sourcing, structuring, and negotiation of complex AI/content licensing agreements
• Build and manage relationships with world’s biggest AI companies, technology platforms, and large enterprises
• Identify and pursue new licensing opportunities, including emerging use cases (e.g. training datasets, RAG, reinforcement learning)
• Develop and execute commercial strategies to grow revenue from AI licensing

2. Deal Structuring and Negotiation

• Structure complex agreements involving data, content, and model usage rights
• Lead negotiations on commercial terms including pricing models, revenue share, guarantees, and usage rights
• Ensure appropriate treatment of IP ownership, derivative outputs, and training data rights

3. Strategic Partnerships & Market Development

• Develop and manage relationships with key industry players (Big Tech, AI start-ups, enterprise clients)
• Provide market insight to shape OUP’s AI licensing strategy
• Represent OUP externally as a leader in academic content licensing for AI

4. Cross-functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Legal, Product, Editorial, Journals, and Finance teams to structure and implement agreements
• Act as a key commercial interface on AI-related IP and licensing matters
• Drive internal alignment on deal structure, risk, and governance

5. Pipeline & Performance Management

• Build and manage a pipeline of high-value AI licensing opportunities
• Track deal progress, forecast revenue, and report to senior leadership
• Monitor partner performance and identify opportunities to expand agreements

Key Relationships:

• Licensing Director and wider Licensing team
• Finance Business Partner
• Academic SLT and senior sales leadership
• AI companies and technology partners
• Enterprise customers across priority sectors

We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.

Job Category: Sales & Business Development