Assistant Manager - Subsidiary Rights

Sourcebooks • Full-time • Naperville, IL • $62,500 - $70,000 / year • 1m ago

Help our books travel the world. We’re looking for an experienced Assistant Manager of Subsidiary Rights with a knack for details who’s excited to be part of a growing rights team—and help us get more books into readers’ hands across all formats and channels.

You’ll be overseeing domestic rights sales from pitch to post-sale, with a focus on large print, book club, book fair, book boxes, educational permissions, in-house audio content, StoryWalks, and other rights as assigned. You’ll track materials, manage submissions, negotiate deals, and keep partners informed. You’ll also assist in preparations for and attend London Book Fair and Frankfurt Book Fair on behalf of Sourcebooks to take meetings with foreign publishers and support translation sales. This role is perfect for a detail-obsessed self-starter with 2+ years in rights who loves cross-team collaboration and wants visible impact.

This is an exempt position with an annual salary range of $62,500 – 70,000. We determine starting pay based on a thorough evaluation of job-related factors, including geographic location, market conditions, relevant experience, training, and education. This process ensures a fair and competitive salary that aligns with both the company and the candidate’s qualifications.

This position can be hybrid in Naperville, Illinois or NYC, or fully remote in the following states ONLY: Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Ability to travel up to 10% of the time, including internationally.

What you’ll do

License domestic rights (large print, book club, book fair, book boxes, educational permissions, in-house audio content, StoryWalks, and other rights as assigned)
Expand outreach in domestic licensing by developing relationships with new partners.
Research backlist opportunities and prepare presentation materials for both domestic and international rights.
Prepare materials for and attend international book fairs to pitch titles for translation sales.
Respond to material requests, track outstanding items, and communicate internally to arrange licensing of production files.
Gather and prepare sales and pitch materials, including TI sheets, presentation information, fair catalogs, and sell sheets.
Develop consistent reporting on sales, rights, expirations, and other key metrics.
Direct rights inquiries appropriately and respond to external requests promptly.
Collaborate with the rights team to support departmental needs.

You’ll thrive here if you have

2+ years of experience negotiating subsidiary rights deals.
Familiarity with subsidiary rights partners and international book fairs.
Eagle-eyed attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and confident negotiation chops.
Clear writing/presentation skills and a self-starter mindset in a fast, creative environment.
Bonus: SAP experience and/or a second language.
A strong Growth Mindset.
Must Love Books!

Why Sourcebooks?
At Sourcebooks, books change lives is more than just our mission. It’s the reason we do what we do every day. Just ask the 500 million+ readers we've reached so far. We put authors at the heart of everything we do, blending creativity with deep insights and data to break new ground. Our innovative approach has earned us recognition as Newsweek’s #2 Most Loved Workplace, a Best Workplace by Inc., and an innovation leader by Fast Company twice. Publishers Weekly named us “by far the most successful self-made publisher operating in the 21st century,” and in 2025 we received the Book Industry Study Group’s highest honor for “redefining what it means to be a book publisher in the 21st century.”

Ready to Apply:
Please submit your resume, salary requirements and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and interest in this role. Show us your passion and creativity — we’re looking for someone who’s as enthusiastic about this opportunity as we are!

Full-time employees are eligible for our comprehensive benefits program. Our range of benefits include, but are not limited to, Medical/Prescription drug insurance, Dental, Vision, Health Care, Dependent Care, Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account 401(k), Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life/AD&D Insurance, & generous paid time off.

Sourcebooks values the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.