Business Affairs Lead

Overview

The organization is seeking a Business Affairs Lead to own contracting and business affairs. This is an agency role focused on the contracts that make the work possible—client MSAs and SOWs, influencer and talent agreements, vendor and technology contracts, NDAs, and licensing and IP matters.

The Business Affairs Lead will report to the Director of Operations, with a standing direct line to the COO on contractual risk and function strategy. The role will personally handle complex, high-value work while also managing and developing a Business Affairs Manager who owns day-to-day contracting volume. Success includes setting the vision for how business affairs operate, building playbooks, templates, and cross-team practices that enable a lean function to protect a growing agency.

Responsibilities

Contracting and negotiation

• Own end-to-end MSA and SOW negotiation with clients, including leading live negotiation with client legal teams as needed.
• Personally handle complex, high-value, or high-risk agreements.
• Oversee influencer and talent contracting by delegating volume to the Business Affairs Manager with quality and risk oversight.
• Manage NDAs, vendor agreements, licensing, stock and IP clearances, and technology contracts.
• Apply clear escalation criteria to determine when matters require external counsel, and manage those relationships and spend.

Business affairs vision and systems

• Set and execute the vision for business affairs, including what the function owns, how it scales, and what it needs.
• Build and maintain a contract review playbook covering NDAs, MSAs, and SOWs, including what to scrutinize, go/no-go positions, areas where concessions are possible, and what escalates (including to external counsel).
• Own contract templates and drive a scheduled review and refresh cycle.
• Own the structure and integrity of the contract library, including naming conventions, organization, and version currency; ensure documents are stored accurately and consistently.
• Train the Business Affairs Manager on ongoing library upkeep through regular touchpoints, maintaining direct oversight and ultimate responsibility for library accuracy.
• Identify patterns across the contract portfolio and translate them into template changes and risk mitigation.

Compliance and cross-team partnership

• Build and run a content production and review system with client teams to confirm the work meets MSA obligations, usage and licensing terms, FTC guidelines, and platform requirements before it goes out.
• Walk client teams through their governing MSA and SOW at engagement kickoff so obligations, restrictions, usage rights, and approval requirements are understood up front.
• Partner with the VP of Technology to define and maintain the organization’s stance on technology stack terms, conditions, and IP practices, including AI tools; advise teams on usage and risk.
• Review DPA and data-specific requirements within SOWs and MSAs to ensure alignment across contractual and technical terms, escalating to external counsel as needed.
• Partner with the Director of Operations to build and implement contract and compliance literacy training across client services teams, Influencer Marketing, New Business, and Finance.

Leadership and communication

• Manage and develop the Business Affairs Manager through regular 1:1s, coaching, delegation, and a documented growth plan.
• Serve as the primary business affairs advisor to leadership on contractual and commercial risk, partnering with external counsel when legal advice is required.
• Communicate proactively and in writing on volume, capacity, risk, and what is in flight.
• Represent the business affairs perspective in cross-functional and strategic planning.

Requirements

• 7+ years in business affairs, contracts management, or legal operations, with significant experience negotiating agency, entertainment, or media agreements. Candidates with a JD or paralegal background are welcome.
• Meaningful experience in agency, entertainment, media, or brand-side business affairs or legal work; agency fluency matters more than pedigree.
• Demonstrated ownership of MSA and SOW negotiation with sophisticated client counterparties.
• Working knowledge of influencer and talent contracting, IP and licensing, usage rights, FTC guidelines, and platform requirements.
• Experience managing external counsel and legal spend.
• Experience managing or formally mentoring at least one direct report.
• A track record of building something durable (e.g., a playbook, template library, compliance program, or process that outlasted you).
• Comfortable moving fast in a live commercial environment and negotiating on a call rather than only in redlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• JD and active bar admission are a plus.
• Experience standing up or maturing a business affairs or legal function at a growing agency or company.
• Familiarity with data privacy and AI tooling considerations relevant to creative production.
• Exposure to vendor and technology contracting.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary

• Salary range: $150k – $190k per year.
• A successful applicant’s actual base salary may vary based upon skill sets, years of relevant experience, qualifications, and certifications.

Benefits & perks

• 100% employer contribution for health (base plan), vision, and dental
• 401K Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance & AD&D
• Paid Parental Leave
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• Take-As-You-Need Paid Time Off
• Take-As-You-Need Paid Mental Health Days
• 10 days minimum required off per year
• (11) Company Paid Holidays
• (3) Summer Fridays – Fully Off
• Week-Long Winter Agency Closure
• Support for continued education
• New Business Referral Bonus
• Stipend for personal growth
• Health and Wellness Program
• WeWork Membership
• Positive Impact and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committees
• Employee Resource Groups

Location

• Fully remote with hubs in New York, Denver, and LA, and a presence all across the US.