Director, Music Licensing

Job Description

Responsibilities

We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Here you can be your authentic self. As a company uniquely positioned to educate, entertain and empower through our platforms, Comcast NBCUniversal stands for including everyone. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, coupled with our Corporate Social Responsibility work, is informed by our employees, audiences, park guests and the communities in which we live. We strive to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where our employees feel supported, embraced and heard. Together, we'll continue to create and deliver content that reflects the current and ever-changing face of the world.

Job Description

Join our NBCUniversal EPIC Legal Team! EPIC symbolizes key foundational principles as we strive to be extraordinary partners to our businesses in an evolving environment. Here at NBCU Legal, we are Expert Partners who provide Inspiring and Creative solutions to our clients. We are subject-matter experts who collaborate with our legal colleagues and clients to guide, solve and push for our collective success. We inspire by bringing optimism and positivity to our work, and apply strategic and innovative thinking to support our businesses.

Role Purpose

The Director, Music Licensing will be responsible for managing the operations and administrative services related to comprehensive music licensing functions for NBCUniversal, including television programming for Universal Studios Group (USG), which includes our studios, Universal Television, Universal Content Productions, and Universal Television Alternative Studios, our broadcast network, NBC, our cable channels, and our streaming service, Peacock. The NBCUniversal Music Business & Legal Affairs department oversees music matters across all NBCUniversal businesses, including Filmed Entertainment, Destinations & Experiences. This position does not include any music creative responsibilities, including consulting on music placement in production (i.e., music supervision).

Job Duties

The Director, Music Licensing will be responsible for handling a wide array of music business and legal affairs duties, including but not limited to the following:
• Management/oversight of dedicated team
• Draft, negotiate, review, and track music licenses and other music agreements as needed
• Work with business & legal affairs to help advise clients on intellectual property issues, copyright infringement, clearance, rights-related and regulatory issues, compliance, union issues, performing rights, strategy, risk analysis, and other matters arising from programming
• Interact with various departments on budgeting, invoicing, payroll, union obligations, and deliverables
• Review and process quote requests, pick-up letters, master use and synchronization licenses, payments, vendor set-ups, and other music licensing-related matters across different productions
• Collaborate across all NBCU platforms in the development and implementation of technological solutions to best serve internal clients
• Provide training and guidance on music licensing, copyright, cue sheets, and general business processes
• Maintain tracking grids, cost charts, databases, etc., for all music usage, licensing, and other music needs across NBCUniversal
• Cue sheet review, analysis, revision, and submission
• Administer union payments associated with licensed music (e.g., AFM, SAG-AFTRA) and generate reports
• Track music revenue from multiple sources (publishing, soundtrack, licenses, neighboring rights, among others) and report periodically to key stakeholders
• Oversee catalog administration, including, but not limited to, providing quotes, obtaining approvals, issuing licenses, and liaising with publishing administrators
• Communicate and maintain relationships (e.g., internal partners, publishers, labels, music libraries, and other related vendors)
• Partner with clients and colleagues to implement best practices and formulate new processes

Qualifications

Basic Requirements
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or comparable work experience
• Minimum of 7 years of music licensing and/or clearance experience or related field

Desired Characteristics
• Legal background (contract specialist, paralegal, or comparable experience) is a significant plus
• Knowledge and understanding of copyright (publishing & recording) related to the music industry
• Established relationships with major publishing companies, record labels, and music libraries, along with experience in clearance/licensing through other channels such as management, attorneys, agents, and independent companies
• Highly motivated, highly effective self-starter with a strong track record of successful project execution under minimal supervision
• Ability to manage staff members.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple clients with competing deadlines and business priorities
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; experience communicating with various audiences and levels of management with strong client support and service orientation
• Highly collaborative and teamwork-oriented attitude; demonstrated experience and willingness to perform at a high level as a team player
• Big picture, resourceful, out-of-the-box thinker; able to find creative, solid solutions to complex issues
• Flexibility to grow in the role as our business pivots and expands
• Unparalleled organizational skills and unwavering attention to detail
• Strong analytical capabilities and judgment, even when the rules are unclear and the issues are of first impression
• Curiosity and eagerness to tackle additional projects as needed, including matters outside your expertise
• Tech-savvy, with a strong sense of how cloud-based documents, databases, and other systems are used in a modern business environment, including familiarity with Office 365, Snap, Apex, Qwire, RapidCue, and SoundMouse

Additional Requirements of the Role:
• Must be willing to work in Los Angeles, CA, or New York City, NY
• Some travel may be required
• Must be able to work flexible hours due to production schedules, including evenings and holidays, if needed

This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website. Salary range: $100,000 - $130,000 (bonus and long-term incentive eligible).

Additional Information

NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment op

[more...]

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-ro7npp-3-15-21-42-42 in your application.