Managing Editor

Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!

At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun.

Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world. 

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We're looking for a Managing Editor, Character IP to lead Duolingo's manga and anime expansion in Japan. This isn't a role for someone who manages timelines and coordinates vendors from a distance. You'll get into the weeds — developing Duo's Japanese character voice, writing plots when needed, identifying the right manga artists, and building the studio and TV network relationships that turn a great concept into something millions of people actually watch. Our roadmap goes manga first, then anime, with a TV morning show slot (think Chiikawa) as the target format for animation. This role reports into the Director of Design Studio Brand team, with a dotted line to the Director of Country Marketing Japan and Korea team.

• Set and uphold Duolingo’s high quality bar across all creative projects in this pipeline
• Partner with Design Studio Creative Directors to define Duo's Japanese character profile — tone of voice, personality details, backstory — while staying true to his globally established character bible
• Write your own plots and lead original story development when needed
• Scout and brief manga artists and illustrators who match the look and feel we're going for
• Build and manage relationships with publishers and editors to get manga projects off the ground
• Select and manage anime production studios — handling contracts, budgets, schedules, and quality
• Pitch to and build relationships with TV networks, with the goal of securing a morning show slot
• Set visual quality standards appropriate to each format and platform (TV, streaming, short-form)
• Keep global and local stakeholders aligned and get buy-in at the right moments

• Hands-on manga editing / directing experience at a publisher, editorial production company, or IP firm
• Proven ability to develop original stories — you've written plots yourself, not just managed others who do
• Sharp editorial / directorial instincts for capturing a character's voice and making it feel alive on the page
• Real relationships with publishers, manga artists, and writers, and a track record of getting projects made
• Working knowledge of anime production: studio contracts, budgets, and how to get quality work at a fair value
• Existing connections with major TV networks and experience pitching concepts for broadcast slots
• Exceptional collaboration skills, seeking consensus and feedback when making decisions
• Business-level English  needed for collaborating with our global team — strong written English vs. spoken fluency

• Experience taking a manga property all the way through to anime adaptation
• Familiarity with social-native formats (vertical, short-form, platform-specific)
• Background in brand licensing, merchandise, or IP business development
• Experience with inbound or outbound IP localization (foreign IP in Japan or Japanese IP abroad)