Business affairs assistant

Department: Business Affairs
Reporting To: Senior Business Affairs Manager
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Hours: Full Time (35 hours per week)
Location: Vauxhall, London (Hybrid Post Probation)

Get behind the business of books, working with contracts, permissions, licensing and subsidiary rights at Walker Books.

Walker Books UK is part of the vibrant international Group that includes Candlewick Press, Holiday House and Peachtree in the USA and Walker Books Australia. Renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality, the Walker Books Group is home to a wide range of children's and young adult books.

Award-winning authors and illustrators for the group include Angie Thomas, Sydney Smith, M.T Anderson, Patrick Ness, and Jon Klassen. We are also enormously proud to publish beloved family brands including Lucy Cousin’s Maisy, Michael Rosen’s We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s Guess How Much I Love You and Martin Handford’s Where’s Wally?

About the Role:

We are looking for an organised and detail-oriented assistant to support our Business Affairs team. In this role, you'll maintain accurate contract records, prepare permissions agreements, produce departmental reports, and provide day-to-day administrative support to help ensure the smooth and efficient running of the department.

Key responsibilities:

• Issue permission agreements (under supervision) for Walker-owned and controlled content, including permissions relating to foreign rights.
• Negotiate, draft and issue sub-licence agreements, including educational sales and small-scale stage dramatisations, in collaboration with the appropriate senior Business Affairs colleague.
• Process, file and administer permissions agreements and other subsidiary rights agreements.
• Draft and administer non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
• Prepare and issue marketing agreements (including book trailers and teachers' notes/discussion guides) and arrange for execution under supervision.
• Produce and distribute a monthly report of agreements signed across the Walker Group.
• Produce and circulate a quarterly author complimentary copies report.
• Write to authors, illustrators and agents following the monthly contracts report to notify them of rights sales relating to their titles.
• Send copies of sub-licensed editions to authors and illustrators, as appropriate.
• Manage the administration of anti-piracy services, including issuing takedown notices where required across platforms such as YouTube and Amazon.
• Maintain accurate contract files, databases and departmental records.
• Provide administrative support to the Business Affairs team and assist with day-to-day departmental activities.

Please note the above is not an exhaustive list and does not necessarily include all the duties the job holder may have to perform.

Skills and Experience

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate evidence of the following skills and/or experience:

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when handling agreements, records and reports.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• A proactive and collaborative approach, with the ability to build effective working relationships.
• An interest in publishing, intellectual property rights and contract administration.
• Previous administrative experience, ideally within publishing, media, legal, rights or a similar environment, with experience drafting, processing or administering contracts or legal documentation would be advantageous.

Why join Walker Books?

We offer:

• A supportive working environment where all voices are respected and creativity is not hierarchical
• Hybrid work (at least two days in the office per week) once you have successfully passed probation
• 22 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (with annual leave increasing with length of service up to 27 days)
• Enhanced Pension Scheme
• Health Insurance and Health Cash Plan
• Life Assurance
• Summer Hours
• Remote working for up to two weeks per year
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Plus, other great benefits!

All children deserve to see themselves, their families, and their communities represented in the books they read. As children’s book publishers, it is our goal to ensure that the books and content we publish authentically and joyfully reflect the world around us. As an employer, we are committed to creating and maintaining a supportive working environment where everyone is included, valued, and empowered to do their best and most creative work. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, sex, or any other characteristic protected by law and those not yet protected by law.

To apply

• Log in to your Creative Access account or register today to apply for this opportunity
• Upload your CV and cover letter as one document (applications without a tailored cover letter will not be accepted)
• Once submitted, you can no longer amend your application, so proof-read carefully
• Do not contact the company directly
• Please email any queries about this role to Creative Access at this address: recruit@creativeaccess.org.uk
• Please note you will receive an update on your application no later than 6 weeks after the closing date

This opportunity is part of Discover Creative Careers, a government-funded programme delivered by Creative Access, Creative UK and Futures for All. The programme is creating 550 paid opportunities across the UK creative industries over three years, helping to open up pathways into creative careers for young people and people from under-represented backgrounds.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who identify as Black, Asian, or from other ethnically diverse backgrounds, or people of any ethnicity who belong to the following under-represented groups: disabled people, people with the characteristic of gender reassignment, individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, carers and asylum seekers.