Warner Bros. Discovery

Director of Rights & Clearance

Warner Bros. Discovery

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Remote

Location: California • New York • United States

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Salary

💰 $108,780 - $202,020 per year

Job Level

Lead

About the role

  • Leads the strategic direction and day-to-day operation of the international Rights & Clearances team which operates across time zones
  • Works closely with the VP Legal advising on all budget matters relating to the department including team travel and compensation
  • Works closely with Business Affairs Department to lead the review process including tracking all third-party production deliverables for CNN Original Series and CNN Films
  • Supervises the work of other Rights & Clearances members and manages the relationship between the team and the Business Affairs Department
  • Serves as the sole point person for the CNN Tribute Award Show and manages all negotiations for talent presenter and performer agreements and any third-party materials included in the program
  • Analyzes all relevant information, summarizes terms and restrictions for use in all programming and distribution and drafts guidance memos for all editorial staff
  • Acquires third party content (video, photos, audio, etc.) for all CNN networks and platforms worldwide
  • Negotiates, reviews, and drafts related license agreements and other content agreements
  • Identifies potential copyright and other rights issues in third party agreements and releases
  • Provides advice and analysis of rights and terms of use of licensed third-party material to all CNN editorial staff worldwide
  • Oversees the management of an annual recurring events calendar to timely usage guidance
  • Ensures Rights & Clearances team is aware of and follows guidance from CNN media attorneys on how to approach fair use risk assessment and analysis for various types of third party content
  • At the direction of CNN media attorneys, assesses risk and records approvals of fair use requests on a day-to-day basis
  • Negotiates and drafts gratis license agreements for organizations approved by PR and senior management
  • Co-leads internal database to administer, track and file acquired rights, fair used material, license agreements and invoices
  • Maintains and updates the internal site on a daily basis for all licensed third party material in order to inform all CNN platforms of permissible uses, rights and restrictions
  • Controls and tracks information regarding copyright claims and settlements
  • Produces quarterly reports for the Legal team
  • Files, tracks and codes all license agreements and invoices and coordinates payment with CNN accounting/TPAS

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university
  • Minimum 10 years management experience in a similar position/function, including experience managing international team members
  • Ability to draft, research, interpret and understand all documents mentioned above
  • Must have strong organizational and project management skills and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-oriented environment
  • Must have an eagerness to readily accept new responsibilities and challenges while learning new skills and improving them from feedback
  • Sound analytical skills as well as strong decision-making and problem-solving aptitude
  • Ability to work independently as well as in a team setting
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to present information professionally, succinctly, and persuasively
  • Must be superior at building and maintaining strong internal and external relationships with people at all levels of an organization
  • Must have strong industry knowledge and familiarity with television and digital platforms and programming
  • Ability to handle confidential information and material appropriately
  • Possesses ability to inspire team members to achieve their own professional goals while supporting the goals of the team and the organization
  • Must be willing to be available to be on call on the weekends and company holidays on a rotating basis with other Rights and Clearances managers in order to accommodate the 24/7 news cycle.
Benefits
  • health insurance coverage
  • an employee wellness program
  • life and disability insurance
  • a retirement savings plan
  • paid holidays and sick time and vacation
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
drafting agreementsnegotiationrights analysiscopyright managementproject managementrisk assessmentcontent acquisitionlicense agreementsbudget managementreporting
Soft Skills
organizational skillsdecision-makingproblem-solvingcommunication skillsrelationship buildingteam leadershipindependenceadaptabilityanalytical skillstime management
Certifications
Bachelor's degree