Senior Business & Legal Affairs Manager (Media Rights)

TL;DR

Senior Business & Legal Affairs Manager (Media Rights): Negotiating and drafting complex unscripted production and development agreements for the Natural History Unit with an accent on anticipating and mitigating legal, financial, reputational, and business risk. Focus on devising structures for complicated rights and commercial deals, and providing senior legal and business affairs support.

Location: Hybrid role, requires presence in Bristol office at least 2+ days per week. Must be located in Bristol or willing to commute to Bristol (United Kingdom).

Salary: £80,000–£95,000 (plus 15% bonus)

Company

hirify.global is a globally renowned media company, specializing in making and distributing TV, audio, and digital content, including world-leading natural history programming.

What you will do

• Negotiate and draft complex unscripted production and development agreements, including for talent, commissioning, co-development, co-production, and funding.
• Anticipate and mitigate legal, financial, reputational, and business risks, offering strategic solutions.
• Serve as a principal point of contact for production areas, delivering timely, high-quality legal and business affairs advice.
• Manage a broad workload autonomously, proposing and delivering structures for complicated rights and commercial deals.
• Provide senior support to the Head of Business and Legal Affairs, including deputizing when required.
• Provide line management and/or supervision support to Business Affairs Managers, Executives, and Assistants.

Requirements

• Significant experience in complex drafting and negotiation of media rights agreements and risk management.
• Proven interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to advise senior stakeholders.
• Adept at dealing with conflicts and devising solutions involving trade-offs.
• Experience with media-related commercial agreements, particularly media rights.
• Highly business-oriented with a commercial approach.
• Proven experience in line management.

Nice to have

• Qualified lawyer with appropriate PQE.
• Significant knowledge and experience in unscripted television content.
• Experience negotiating commissioning agreements with global streaming platforms/US networks and co-development/co-production agreements.
• Experience working within US union agreements (e.g., SAG).
• Experience in a commercial, global organization.
• Passion for media.

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible 35-hour working week with 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and option to buy extra five days.
• Defined pension (up to 10% employer contributions).
• Caring and parenting support, 24/7 remote GP access, life assurance, and accident benefit.
• Commitment to operating sustainably and Net Zero targets.
• Career development in a values-led, purpose-driven culture.