Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs - BBC Group and Public Services : Job Details

Legal & Rights Management

Permanent - Full Time

New York, US, 10036

Job Closing Date: 20/03/2025

Bold. British. Creative: that's BBC Studios. Combining the strengths of the UK's most-awarded production company with a world-class distributor, we fund, create, distribute and commercialize world-class content for the BBC and other UK and international companies. Our aim is to inspire audiences around the globe with quality content that informs, educates and entertains and to strengthen the BBC, our partners and wider industry both creatively and financially. We seek to be the best British content company in the world; a first-choice partner and employer, where everyone can flourish and do their best work.

The Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs will provide commercially focused legal and business affairs support to Global Media & Streaming units in the Americas, ensuring timely and practical guidance. Oversee agreements, including NDAs, insurance matters, and contracts with independent contractors, consultants, and vendors. This role will support content sales, distribution, and acquisitions for BBC Studios' branded services, such as BritBox and BBC Select. The individual in this role will advise on a range of legal issues, including intellectual property, fair use, corporate governance, insurance, and music rights, while managing day-to-day legal affairs.

• Structure, draft and negotiate complex contracts (both revenue generating and expenditures) that comply with BBC Studios policies, procedures, guidelines and risk management.
• Advise content sales, distribution and acquisition teams on content-related matters and support cross-functional collaboration (e.g., sales, finance, operations and marketing teams).
• Maintain and develop template forms that implement BBC Studios policies and best practices.
• Handle business and legal interactions with BBC Studios' offices in other regions and territories as necessary.
• Communicate legal restrictions and requirements to all necessary departments across the organization.
• Ensure all necessary sign offs/approvals have been received in connection with deals being contracted out of the Americas.
• Work with the Americas BLA team to create and implement coordinated approach to deals and agreements across multiple business units and territories to ensure that all the business and legal affairs needs of BBC Studios are being met.

• Ability to work proactively and diligently, with a solution-oriented approach to business affairs and legal matters.
• Ability to efficiently identify risk and provide practical, risk-appropriate resolutions to legal issues and communicate effectively to non-lawyers at all levels of the organization.
• Strong analytic, negotiation and legal drafting skills.
• Experience in managing multiple matters and diverse, fast-paced workstreams, accommodating tight deadlines while working in a fast-paced environment (flexibility or long hours if and when necessary).
• Ability to maintain a positive and professional manner, even under pressure.
• Ability to use discretion with confidential information.

Ability to work independently but also collaboratively as a team player. Builds and manages strong relationships at all levels.

• JD degree and member of NY and/or CA bar.
• 9+ years of relevant business or legal affairs transactional experience, ideally gained at a television or multimedia distribution company, network and/or entertainment law firm.
• Familiarity with the entertainment industry and entertainment transactions and relevant deal terms and structures.
• Understanding of industry standards for content distribution agreements, including digital rights.
• Experience with digital consumer subscription services, technology contracts, social media contracts and/or data privacy are a plus.

The anticipated annual base salary for this position is $225,000 to $245,000. This range does not include bonus compensation or other benefits that an individual may be eligible for. The actual base salary offered depends on the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and geographic location of the position. This range is not inclusive of a competitive bonus, flexible, hybrid working schedule & benefits including but not limited to: 100% BBCS covered medical & dental insurance, vision, & 401k match.

• 100% Employer-Paid Medical and Dental Insurance (PPO plans)
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Flexible, Hybrid Working Arrangements
• Work/life balance
• Free Retirement Consulting to All Employees
• Pet Insurance
• Bagel Mondays, Monthly Happy Hours, and more!

We don't focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC – whether that's to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.