Book Permissions Assistant (m/w/d)

Job Title: Book Permissions Assistant 

Location: Berlin 

Application Deadline: June 17. 2026 

About Springer Nature 

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and @SpringerNature. 

About the Role 

This role is on a small, autonomous and busy team, so you can expect (and be expected) to impact what we do and how we work. You will work with several different systems, policies, workflows, and platforms to issue copyright licences for the reuse of Springer Nature material in everything from commercial ventures to academic learning. You will learn about sales and marketing; international copyright rules, licensing practices, working with commercial and non-commercial individuals and organisations, contract reading; data management systems; negotiation strategies and so much more! 

Role Responsibilities: 

• Responsible for delivering and growing yearly licensing revenue targets 

• Issue copyright licences via manual and automatic licensing systems that meet the highest legal and ethical standards 

• Maintain excellent organisational systems for licences, workflows, and contacts 

• Understand and stay updated on SN rights, licensing, and publishing policies and be able to consistently implement them 

• Assist Global Permissions team/management on bespoke projects or new workflows 

• Liaise with external teams such as editorial, tax, legal, or compliance as appropriate 

• Maintain our strong reputation as solution providers in a timely manner 

• Communicate via email, video conference calling, and in person with a variety of stakeholders providing clear explanation of SN permission policies and practicalities 

• Support and implement internal policies including Open Access policies, Author’s rights, and licensing administration 

• Support internal reporting, business, and administrative tasks, and collaborate on key partnerships with external stakeholders  

• Stay aware of publishing policy developments particularly around Open Access and copyright rules 

What you will be doing 

You will share responsibility for the day to day running of the Book Permissions Department, and you will provide appropriate responses to a range of permission requests from all over the world. It will be your job to ensure all requests are dealt with in a timely, professional, and courteous manner, upholding the team’s reputation for excellence. Additionally, you will support different internal SN rights policies workflows, and you will champion best licensing practices to all authors and editors. 

Within 3 Months you will: 

• Become familiar with basic licensing principles and how our automatic permission systems work 

• Get familiar with, and help evolve, the team’s process, procedures, and organisational systems 

• Take part in regular team meetings and understand our team’s relationship within the overall Springer Nature company structure 

• Get to know the team’s various internal and external stakeholders and their general requirements. 

By 3-6 months you will: 

• Be a supportive member of the Book Permissions team, delivering high quality licences within our standard licensing policies across all licensing platforms 

• Be able to negotiate on licence fees competently 

• Have an understanding of the team’s context within the publishing landscape as well as our role in commercial, research, and educational fields 

• Collaborate on internal projects and help to develop new external business lines 

• Develop your copyright and licensing knowledge 

By 6-12 months you will: 

• Negotiating complex manual licensing agreements and implementing best practices in response to the variety of permission requests received 

• Understand SN book policies as well as copyright legal basics 

• Proactively provide useful and actionable feedback to team members. 

• Triage support queries and diagnose issues 

• Understand our customers’ needs, both internal and external, and how your work affects their experience 

• Plan how you may impact the team’s growth and develop your own ideas on new business opportunities 

About You 

This role requires a high level of curiosity and an ability to learn, understand, and implement many different complex rules or policies. You will be provided with step-by-step training, but willingness to learn and the ability to manage your time effectively are musts! 

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple different job tasks 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills across email, video calls, and in person (English and German language proficiency required) 

• You enjoy getting involved in and taking personal responsibility for your business tasks and are willing to be part of a collaborative team, where there is collective ownership in maintaining an excellent reputation 

• You know how to manage your time and have good organizational skills 

• You have an interest in copyright law, licensing, and negotiation 

Having a good command of English is important; collaboration is key in our day-to-day work, so being able to communicate your ideas and understand others’ is crucial. 

At Springer Nature, our mission is to be part of progress – and that begins with inclusion: of people, perspectives, and ideas. We believe that diverse perspectives drive progress, and we are committed to creating an environment where people and ideas can flourish. If you have any access needs related to disability, neurodivergence or a chronic condition, please contact us so we can make all necessary accommodation. Find out more about our DEI work here: https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/taking-responsibility/diversity-equity-inclusion.     

For more information about career opportunities in Springer Nature please visit https://springernature.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/SpringerNatureCareers/.    

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