Senior Public Affairs Manager

Saatchi & Saatchi; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading advertising agency in the United Kingdom is seeking a Senior Business Affairs Manager to oversee the clearance and delivery of commercials. The role involves collaboration with Producers, Account Managers, and clearance bodies to ensure smooth production processes. Candidates should have excellent problem-solving abilities and a meticulous approach to managing records and compliance. This position requires the capacity to handle multiple tasks efficiently and effectively.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of production processes and clearance requirements.
• Ability to work under pressure while managing multiple tasks.
• Excellent communication skills with a focus on teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Manage the clearance and delivery of commercials effectively.
• Liaise with multiple teams to ensure efficiency in production.
• Keep accurate records of commercial activities.

Skills

Problem-solving

Time management

Multi-tasking

Attention to detail

Job description

Senior Business Affairs Manager

The Senior Business Affairs Manager will assist in managing the clearance and delivery of commercials on a domestic and international basis, ensuring that these parts of the process are watertight. This team member will also be responsible for assisting Producers with all aspects of the production process including production insurance, drafting artist contracts, negotiating music licences, script clearance for TV, cinema and radio, giving advice on potential legal issues/problems and liaising with in‑house lawyers. This person will also be working with Account Managers, Producers, playout companies, clearance bodies, post‑production companies, etc. to ensure that the production of filmed content and clearance and delivery of commercials is performed as effectively and efficiently as possible. We would love someone with working knowledge of the production process to ensure that the necessary administration systems are implemented (training and support will be given).

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the UK TV/VOD traffic process across all clients.
• Playouts – managing the order process with distribution companies and liaising with Producers and Account Teams on copy deadlines and playout dates for each new production and re‑supply.
• Clearcast rough cut and final film submissions.
• Issuing TV Clock numbers and Radio ID numbers.
• Issuing copy rotation instructions to Broadcasters.
• Keeping an accurate and updated playout status.
• Liaising with Broadcasters and Account Teams to ensure correct copy is instructed and airing including compiling monthly TV Rotation spreadsheets and ensuring approval by Media and Account Teams.
• Managing additional station and supply requests from Media Companies/Broadcasters during airtime bursts, including liaising with Account Teams regarding any additional costs.
• Handling the UK Radio traffic process (playout, Radiocentre submission, issuing copy rotation instructions).
• Managing international traffic (supply of copy) and clearance process where applicable.
• Assisting in compiling and maintaining production files for the department including liaising with Producers to ensure master fact sheets and artist record sheets are completed fully and correctly and all correct documentation is held (music licences, signed artist contracts, etc.).
• Consistently updating and keeping records of all commercial activity in overseas territories and any other ancillary usage (usage trackers).
• Estimating, raising purchase orders, opening job numbers and inputting estimates onto Agency Finance Systems and processing payments for the above.
• Negotiating with rights holders and estimating usage extensions and usage for overseas/ancillary use for both artists and music.
• Keeping track of all usage extensions and maintaining accurate records (usage trackers).
• Assisting in drafting, completing and administering artist contracts.
• Assisting with negotiating and administering the terms of all music contracts.
• Assisting in issuing and drafting any other production agreement required (e.g. location agreements, non‑disclosure agreements and third‑party rights agreements).
• Providing an informed opinion on any potential clearance issues on scripts and advising on how to tackle such issues.
• Despatching scripts and films to all relevant clearance bodies as well as follow‑up conversations and negotiations.
• Assisting in informing insurance brokers of each new production, identifying required insurances and addressing broker queries to ensure adequate coverage and managing the claims process where applicable.
• Liaising with Producers and Account Teams on new/upcoming productions and offering advice where applicable on all aspects of the process (including artists, music, legal issues, insurance requirements, etc.).
• Updating and keeping all major department record systems.
• Compiling and maintaining production records.

Core Skills & Qualities

• Constant willingness to learn.
• Work calmly under pressure and manage time wisely and efficiently.
• Good problem‑solving, logical thinking and multi‑tasking.
• Ability to keep accurate working spreadsheets of upcoming playouts to manage workload.
• Ability to keep accurate working spreadsheets of rotation instructions to monitor and track ads airing.
• Take responsibility for management and implementation of all department processes.
• Friendly and helpful.