Manager, Copyright Licensing & Permission

Job Description

Department/Group Overview:

Part of The Walt Disney Studios, Disney Music Group (DMG) is the music hub for The Walt Disney Company, encompassing all aspects of music commercialization and marketing: recorded music (Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records), Disney Music Publishing, and Disney Concerts. DMG distributes music both physically and digitally, and also licenses music throughout the world in various forms of media including television, print, gaming, and consumer products.

Job Summary:

The copyright licensing and permissions team focuses on the mechanical licensing of all DMG record releases, all outbound mechanical licensing of Disney/Fox published repertoire used by third-party record labels and the review of all NOIs. The team also manages the general Disney Music Publishing email in-box, direct performance licensing, label copy verification requests received for Disney/Fox controlled compositions and researching third-party compositions embodied in Disney Music Group record and digital video releases, including updating of publishing data and splits into the label's repertoire database ''Dnote'' when changes are required.

As the Manager of Publishing Administration: Copyright Licensing and Permissions, you will oversee the following areas handled by the copyright and permissions team:
• Clearance of all digital video content commercially released by Disney Music Group;
• Collection all relevant artist, producer, songwriter, and composer agreements required in order to calculate mechanical royalty rates for all releases;
• Input ownership and split updates into label repertoire system as necessary;
• Ensure all mechanical licenses for all DMG releases from outside publishers or through The Harry Fox Agency are accurate, executed and supplied to Royalty Account for account setup; and
• Ensure monthly bulk license schedules are delivered to Royalty Account for set up on existing accounts.

You will also be responsible for the following areas:
• Review of medley requests and, if approved, coordination of the medley registration with the copyright administration team;
• Review of arrangement and translation requests;
• Review of sample and interpolation requests and, if approved, working with Business Affairs team in the documentation of licensing terms;
• Review all direct public performance requests, including seeking all relevant approvals from brand management and documentation of licensing terms;
• Spearheading bulk licensing and streamlining of the mechanical licensing process with external label and publishing partners ;
• Serve as a subject matter expert on all matters relating to copyright licensing and direct performance licensing;
• Delegation of releases to individual team members for licensing;
• Work with the department Director to define goals for all direct reports and work closely with each team member to develop skill sets; and
• Identify stretch assignments to guide talent development, as well as delegate newly added team responsibilities among the team members.

The following skills are essential in this role: attention to detail, organization, time management skills, understanding of recording and publishing contracts and copyright licensing practices, strong interpersonal skills, and clear, concise communication. The ability to teach direct reports how to interpret contracts and calculate rates is crucial to managing a very high and ever-increasing volume of releases. This role requires a strong degree of independence as well as collaborative engagement with our internal and external partners.

Responsibilities and Duties of the Role:
• Project management oversight of all department responsibilities
• Team oversight including workload delegation, goal setting, development, and regular feedback meetings
• Participation in regular meetings with internal partners to streamline processes
• Review/licensing of medley, arrangement, translation, sample and interpolation requests
• Review/licensing of direct performance requests
• Providing detailed monthly reports of team productivity to department head

Required Education, Experience/Skills/Training:
• Advanced knowledge of copyright licensing and direct performance licensing
• Proficiency with Counterpoint and Excel
• Familiarity with The MLC Portal and PRO websites
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and meet KPIs
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• Proven experience leading a team and developing talent
• 5+ years of music publishing experience with a focus on copyright licensing experience preferred

The hiring range for this position in California is $70,000.00 to $93,800.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

About Disney Music Group:

The music is the soundtrack of our lives – from your favorite hits by popular artists to beloved tunes from films like Mary Poppins and Frozen. Find the music that rocks your world right here at the Disney Music Group (DMG), headquartered in Burbank and home to Hollywood Records, Walt Disney Records, Disney Music Publishing and Disney Concerts. DMG releases film and television soundtracks from the world's biggest entertainment brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, the legendary Star Wars, ABC and Disney Channel, alongside pop, dance, family music and the catalog of classic rock band Queen. DMG is also an innovator in music distribution and live concerts. If music is your passion, come be a part of the team that brings it to ears all over the world.

This position is with Hollywood Records, Inc, which is part of a business we call Disney Music Group.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rnnekk-18-220-23-205-42 in your application.