Senior Brand Licensing Contracts Manager (Remote/Hybrid)

News Corp; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Elective benefits

Job summary

HarperCollins Publishers in New York seeks an experienced Senior Contracts Manager to lead inbound brand and content licensing agreements for its Children’s and Trade imprints. You will draft, negotiate, and finalize contracts, ensuring compliance and timely execution in collaboration with Editorial, Royalties, Publishing Operations, Finance, and Legal.

Ideal candidates will have 4+ years drafting and negotiating brand licensing contracts, strong IP knowledge, and excellent communication and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Four or more years of experience independently drafting and negotiating contracts, including significant experience with brand licensing agreements, within book publishing or the licensing function of a consumer-products, entertainment, or media company.
• Working knowledge of intellectual property concepts, contract terminology, approval rights, royalty structures, and licensing practices.
• Strong written and verbal communication, contract drafting, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and exceptional organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, prioritize effectively under pressure, and manage multiple deadlines.
• Collaborative and team-oriented.

Responsibilities

• Independently manages inbound brand and content licensing agreements from request through execution, including drafting, negotiating, and finalizing contracts and amendments within established guidelines.
• Independently prepares, drafts, negotiates, and finalizes other publishing agreements and amendments, which may include author, illustrator, contributor, and related agreements.
• Reviews contract requests submitted by Editorial for completeness, accuracy, appropriate approvals, and alignment with agreed business terms.
• Partners with Editorial, Royalties, Publishing Operations, Finance, and Legal to support timely contract execution and effective administration.
• Reviews and communicates key business and legal terms, including advances, royalties, approvals, territories, formats, exclusivity, term, renewal, and termination rights.
• Identifies and escalates material legal, financial, or business risks to department leadership or Legal, as appropriate.
• Tracks contract status, approvals, obligations, and key deadlines, and maintains accurate records in contract-management systems.
• Interprets contract terms and provides clear guidance to internal stakeholders and third parties regarding rights, obligations, approvals, and related requirements.
• Advises on author estate matters as required.
• Supports contract templates, workflow improvements, special projects, and other responsibilities aligned with the needs of the Contracts Department.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Written and verbal communication

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Independent work under pressure

Team collaboration

IP concepts

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

HarperCollins Publishers in New York seeks an experienced Senior Contracts Manager to lead inbound brand and content licensing agreements for its Children’s and Trade imprints. You will draft, negotiate, and finalize contracts, ensuring compliance and timely execution in collaboration with Editorial, Royalties, Publishing Operations, Finance, and Legal.

Ideal candidates will have 4+ years drafting and negotiating brand licensing contracts, strong IP knowledge, and excellent communication and