Senior Manager, Business Affairs (ABC News)

The Business Affairs Senior Manager of ABC News will report to the Executive Director of Business Affairs. Individual should have the ability to undertake business affairs activities and lead or support negotiation for complex deals; distill complex contracts into manageable summaries; work with all units of ABC News in servicing internal and external production work and internal on-air and off-air talent deals; and work within tight deadlines on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment. Familiarity with documentary, docu-follow, and narrative non-fiction projects is also needed.

Responsibilities:

• Negotiate independently or assist in the negotiation of a high volume of deals in a fast-paced environment in connection with developing, producing, and/or acquiring content for a wide variety of programming, including non-scripted series, limited series, documentaries, and/or specials.

• Negotiate ancillary production related agreements such as producer agreements, talent agreements, option agreements, and underlying rights agreements.

• Negotiate contracts for ABC News on-air and off-air talent. Such negotiation incorporates determining major deal points including compensation and production duties.

• Takes assigned tasks and accomplishes them by creating work plans and procedures in partnership with key stake holders. Enforces applicable policies and may recommend changes in areas where potential improvement can be cultivated.  Effectively uses available resources to meet operating plans. 

• Partners with various internal teams including, but not limited to, legal, production, labor, standards, publicity, editorial/creative and marketing to ensure that all deals adhere to company policy, deadlines are met and shares information to transact business agreements and improve cross-departmental processes. 

• Supports deals after close by tracking pertinent dates and cash flow models.

• Reviewing and approving invoices and payments in conjunction with production management.

• Manage relationships with agents, lawyers and executives throughout entertainment industry.

Basic Qualifications:

• At least seven (7) years’ experience in media, business, or corporate law.

• Must have strong familiarity with documentary, narrative non-fiction world.

• Must have outstanding writing, reviewing, negotiating of contracts.

• Must have excellent communication and organization skills.

• Must be superior at building and maintaining internal and external relationships.

• Must be highly organized.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least three (3) years’ experience in project or processes management.

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree

• J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school and admission to a state bar.

The hiring range for this position in New York, NY is $110,100 to $147,600 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.