Overview
A connected ecosystem of creative companies is seeking a Business and Legal Affairs Manager to oversee legal operations across multiple entities within the group. This role requires a commercially minded attorney capable of working independently, moving quickly, and building scalable legal infrastructure. The position involves managing a broad range of legal matters including contracts, employment, privacy, corporate compliance, and strategic transactions, with collaboration with outside counsel for complex issues.
Responsibilities
Contracts
- Draft, review, and negotiate a high volume of commercial agreements such as client Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), vendor agreements, referral and settlement agreements, amendments, Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), and Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).
- Collaborate with sales and business development teams to facilitate deal closures.
- Maintain and improve contract templates, negotiation playbooks, and approval workflows to support business growth.
Employment & People
- Prepare and manage employment documentation including offer letters, Independent Contractor Agreements (ICAs), vendor ICAs, and separation agreements.
- Own and update the Employee Handbook; provide legal advice on HR-related matters as needed.
- Partner with HR and Finance teams on international contractor processes and hiring through Rippling.
- Oversee registration and maintenance of State Employer Accounts.
Corporate & Compliance
- Maintain corporate records and coordinate with outside counsel on state tax and entity matters.
- Manage compliance programs related to GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable privacy regulations.
- Advise on AI governance, AI terms of use, and implementation risks.
- Collaborate with finance on insurance programs and corporate card policies.
- Manage the Privacy Policy and ensure ongoing compliance.
M&A / Strategic Transactions
- Support due diligence and legal review for strategic transactions as needed.
Requirements
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and admission to practice in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; admission to the New York bar and prior in-house experience are a plus.
- 2 to 5 years of relevant legal experience, ideally in-house at a creative, marketing, or advertising services firm, or with relevant law firm exposure.
- Background in a creative agency or professional services firm is strongly preferred.
- Comfortable managing a high volume and variety of commercial contracts on a daily basis.
- Experience building legal infrastructure including templates, processes, and workflows.
- Familiarity with employment agreements and corporate recordkeeping; knowledge of immigration processes is a plus.
- Commercially oriented mindset, able to think like part of the sales team by steering negotiations toward closure rather than solely identifying risks.
- Working knowledge of GDPR, CCPA, and data privacy compliance.
- Proficiency with AI tools such as Claude, Perplexity, or similar, and ability to build self-service workflows for the broader team.
- Highly responsive, organized, and capable of operating independently.
- Exposure to AI governance and emerging technology terms is a plus.
Location
Not specified.