Job Posting Title:

Senior Manager - Rights & Clearances (ABC News)

Req ID:

10102649

Job Description:

ABC News is seeking a Rights & Clearances Senior Manager. The Senior Manager leads the team that is responsible for acquiring third party clearances and implementing rights and clearances policies for ABC News and its production arm ABC News Studios; drafts, negotiates, reviews, revises and analyzes contracts relating to news editorial, and non-fiction programming and documentaries’ production and distribution; analyzes clearance issues; tracks rights issues and manages tracking system; researches and responds to rights and clearance inquiries relating to copyright; advises production and management on various rights and clearance risks; interfaces with executives and lawyers throughout the company; and manages and supervises rights and clearances personnel in the performance of their tasks.

Responsibilities

The candidate must have an exceptional understanding of intellectual property contracts and key provisions. As a Rights and Clearances Senior Manager, you will control the process of acquiring, negotiating, costing, and clearing rights on behalf of ABC News and its production company, and other third-party distributors.

You will develop the plans and set priorities for the Rights & Clearances department. This includes providing leadership, goals, the day-to-day management and development of the Rights & Clearances staff, the monitoring of their performance levels, quality control, customer care, and building and maintaining relationships with internal and external parties.

You will ensure that shows and platforms understand and adhere to the Rights & Clearances policies and procedures. You will evaluate and settle third party claims. The position requires the ability and willingness to work in a fast-paced, 24/7 breaking news environment, as well as to manage and prioritize workflow according to our programming needs.

This position requires a collaborative leader who will interact with and provide guidance for the production staff, the legal department, editorial practices, the NewsOne affiliate service, the internet group and other departments, and including senior leaders. This position reports to the SVP of Business Affairs.

Basic Qualifications

5+ years experience in legal training and experience with intellectual property and copyrights

5+ years of professional experience at Television, Film, Licensing, or Digital Media companies

5+ years of negotiating and drafting contracts – able to negotiate with diplomacy

3+ years of experience managing teams

Familiarity working with guilds and collective bargaining agreements

Knowledgeable in current and emerging IP matters including artificial intelligence and social media platforms

Must be available and willing to work extended hours including weekends/holidays

A strong leader with excellent organizational, communication, and written skills

Well-versed in news and current events

Works well under pressure

Works well in a team-setting

Adapts well to different environments

Must be able to prioritize and coordinate multiple tasks under deadlines

Problem Solver

Relentless work-ethic

Train shows and platforms on rights & clearances policies and procedures

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with entertainment and sports clearances

Outstanding communication, organization and time-management skills

Strong negotiation skills

Strong personnel and management skills

Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Galaxy archival database, i-News, and SAP

Tech savvy

Experience establishing and managing a rights database

Able to professionally deal with challenging personalities, situations, and circumstances

To undertake such other tasks including general administrative duties

To be an ambassador for the business at all times

Required Education

Bachelor’s degree from accredited college

Juris Doctor

The hiring range for this position in New York, NY is $145,000 to $160,000 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.

Job Posting Segment:

ABC News

Job Posting Primary Business:

Business Affairs (ABC News)

Primary Job Posting Category:

Rights & Clearances (Legal)

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

New York, NY, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2024-10-09