Manager Legal and Business Affairs

ITV; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading broadcasting company based in London is seeking a confident and driven Legal & Business Affairs Manager for a 12-month contract to cover maternity leave. The role involves negotiating commercial agreements for rights acquisition in both scripted and non-scripted content. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in commercial/IP law with significant experience in the media industry. Excellent communication and time-management skills are essential to thrive in this collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with strong commercial/IP experience.
• Experience in busy, deadline-driven environments managing multiple deals.
• Understanding of rights in television and/or film.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate and advise on rights acquisition agreements.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Advise on chain of title for acquired programmes.

Skills

Commercial/IP experience

Strong understanding of rights breakdown

Interest in media and TV industries

Excellent time-management

Strong critical thinking

Education

Qualified solicitor (2–4+ years PQE)

Job description

Overview

Workplace: ITV London, White City - expectation is 2-3 days in the office per week.

The team…

The “Rights-In” ITV Studios Global Partnerships Legal and Business affairs team provides support to the ITV Studios Global Content Team, who are responsible for acquiring distribution rights in scripted and non-scripted television programmes and formats working with in-house ITV Studios production labels and third party producers.

The content we acquire covers a wide range of genres from high-end drama (Vigil, Line of Duty), comedy (Brassic), reality/entertainment (Love Island, The Jonathan Ross Show), gameshows (Bullseye), documentaries and natural history (Mr Bates v The Post Office: The Real Story).

The role

We\u2019re looking for a confident and driven lawyer to join us on a 12-month contract as Legal & Business Affairs Manager to cover maternity leave. This is a unique opportunity to step into a fast-paced role at the heart of ITV Studios Global Partnerships, supporting the Global Content Team.

You\u2019ll take the lead on negotiating and advising on commercial agreements for the acquisition of rights (\u201crights-in\u201d) across scripted and non-scripted programming. Working closely with production partners and internal stakeholders, you\u2019ll play an essential role in helping shape ITV\u2019s global content pipeline.

With plenty of variety, you\u2019ll support a broad range of agreementsfrom programme acquisition agreements to option and funding arrangements to ancillary rights mattersnd ensuring deals are commercially sound and aligned with ITV\u2019s strategic objectives. This is a chance to make a real impact, operating in a collaborative global environment and working with colleagues across Legal & Business Affairs, Rights, Finance, Sales, and the wider ITV Studios business.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate and advise on agreements for the acquisition of rights (\u201crights-in\u201d) in scripted and non-scripted television programmes and formats.
• Review, draft, negotiate and advise on other related agreements underpinning rights acquisition, e.g. development agreements, option agreements and funding agreements.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with external producers and relevant internal stakeholders, building an understanding of commercial, editorial and legal considerations.
• Advise on chain of title, including complex IP positions, to confirm ITV\u2019s rights status in acquired programmes.
• Advise on ancillary issues, including music rights, programme information, materials delivery and related rights queries.
• Liaise with Contracts/Rights teams to confirm availability of rights, ensure alignment with Rights Systems and support accurate rights entry across systems.
• Attend departmental and inter-departmental meetings to support business objectives, flag legal issues and contribute to commercial planning.
• Assist with wider departmental activities as required, including amendment letters and other ad-hoc matters.
• Attend routine meetings with your line manager to review workload, ongoing negotiations, contentious matters and deal progress.

Skills you\u2019ll need (minimum criteria)

• A qualified solicitor (2–4+ years PQE as a guide) or equivalent, with strong commercial/IP experience0ideally within TV, film, digital distribution or related media sectors.
• Experience working in a busy, deadline-driven environment, managing a portfolio of deals with competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of the breakdown of rights in television and/or film.
• A genuine interest in the media, film and television industries.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of the commercial drivers across the ITV Studios business.

Other things we’re looking for (key criteria)

• A team player and effective communicator, able to build strong internal and external relationships.
• Confident operating independentlynding negotiations and knowing when to escalate key issues.
• Excellent time-management skills and the ability to prioritise a varied workload.
• A solutions-focused, proportionate approach with strong critical thinking skills.
• Ability to resolve problems under pressure and make accurate assessments of key issues.
• A collaborator across multiple ITV teams including Legal & Business Affairs, Compliance, Finance, Sales, Regulatory Affairs, Marketing, Press & Publicity.
• Awareness of market trends and changes in the media landscape to ensure best commercial practice.

The original note also included a remark about potential high volume of applications and early closing; this has been preserved as a plain paragraph without emphasis formatting to avoid italics.