Senior Contract Manager

SI Scholastic Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) plan

Tuition assistance—undergrad/grad

Parental leave

ESPP with discount

Job summary

Scholastic is seeking an experienced Senior Contracts Manager in New York City to draft, review, and negotiate brand license and publishing agreements. The role emphasizes license work with major brands and IP owners, working with editors, licensors, and authors across multiple departments.

The candidate should bring a JD or equivalent, 10+ years in contract drafting and negotiation in publishing/media/licensing, and strong business judgment to balance risk and opportunity.

Qualifications

• Significant experience negotiating brand license agreements with large IP holders.
• Experience with toy and media companies is a plus.
• Experience with author, illustrator, and creative contributor agreements.
• Strong understanding of intellectual property and publishing rights structures.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to balance legal risk with business priorities.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with editorial, licensing, and business teams.

Responsibilities

• Independently draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, including: Brand and intellectual property license agreements
• Publishing agreements with authors, illustrators, , work for hire agreements and other contributors
• Amendments, renewals, and related contract documentation
• Negotiate contracts with major brand partners, licensors, agents, and rights holders
• Communicate with business people across various departments to resolve contract issues.
• Provide practical, business-oriented guidance to editorial, licensing and product teams.
• Advise in-house staff about contract interpretation, industry custom and practice.
• Ensure agreements align with company business objectives while protecting legal and commercial interests
• Identify contractual risks and propose commercially reasonable solutions during negotiations
• Maintain contract templates and support the development of standardized agreements
• Track contract status, key terms, and obligations in collaboration with internal stakeholders
• Coordinate with legal counsel when necessary on complex or high-value agreements ,
• Mentor and collaborate with more junior contract department staff and provide a second-level review of agreements.
• Support rights management and compliance with license terms

Skills

Brand license negotiations

IP licensing knowledge

Contract drafting & review

Negotiation skills

Publishing rights knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree

Job description

Job Description: NOTE: This role is based in New York City and encourages a minimum of two days per week in the SoHo office. Some roles or teams may require additional in-office attendance if the essential functions of the role require it.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking an experienced and business-minded Senior Contracts Manager to support our publishing and licensing operations. This role will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of contracts, with a strong emphasis on license agreements with major brands and intellectual property owners, as well as publishing agreements with authors, illustrators, and other creative contributors. The ideal candidate combines strong contract drafting and problem solving skills with practical business judgment, the ability to handle a large volume of contracts and partner effectively with internal business people, and experience navigating complex brand licensing relationships.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Independently draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, including: Brand and intellectual property license agreements
• Publishing agreements with authors, illustrators, , work for hire agreements and other contributors
• Amendments, renewals, and related contract documentation
• Negotiate contracts with major brand partners, licensors, agents, and rights holders
• Communicate with business people across various departments to resolve contract issues.
• Provide practical, business-oriented guidance to editorial, licensing and product teams.
• Advise in-house staff about contract interpretation, industry custom and practice.
• Ensure agreements align with company business objectives while protecting legal and commercial interests
• Identify contractual risks and propose commercially reasonable solutions during negotiations
• Maintain contract templates and support the development of standardized agreements
• Track contract status, key terms, and obligations in collaboration with internal stakeholders
• Coordinate with legal counsel when necessary on complex or high-value agreements ,
• Mentor and collaborate with more junior contract department staff and provide a second-level review of agreements.
• Support rights management and compliance with license terms

About Scholastic

For more than 100 years, Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) has been meeting children where they are – at school, at home and in their communities – by creating quality content and experiences, all beginning with literacy. Scholastic delivers stories, characters, and learning moments that empower all kids to become lifelong readers and learners through bestselling children’s books, literacy- and knowledge-building resources for schools including classroom magazines, and award-winning, entertaining children's media. As the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books through school-based book clubs and book fairs, classroom libraries, school and public libraries, retail, and online, and with a global reach into more than 135 countries, Scholastic encourages the personal and intellectual growth of all children, while nurturing a lifelong relationship with reading, themselves, and the world around them. Learn more at www.scholastic.com.

Some benefits that we offer

• Full suite of health and wellness benefits (including a $0 deductible Medical Plan)
• Retirement Savings Plan 401(k) with options for both Roth and Traditional Contributions
• Tuition-Free programs for undergraduate and graduate degrees
• Generous Parental Leave Program
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with opportunity for discounted stock at a 15% discount

Thank you for your consideration in choosing Scholastic.

Qualifications

HOW YOU CAN FIT (Qualifications)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Significant experience negotiating brand license agreements with large IP holders.
• Experience with toy and media companies is a plus.
• Experience with author, illustrator, and creative contributor agreements
• Strong understanding of intellectual property and publishing rights structures
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills
• Ability to balance legal risk with business priorities
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with editorial, licensing, and business teams

Key Attributes

• Ability to translate deal terms into an agreement, work independently, problem solve and draft contract language where no precedent is available.
• Business-friendly and solutions-oriented
• Excellent business judgment and practical decision-making
• Strong relationship-building and negotiation skills
• Able to manage multiple agreements and priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative and responsive partner to internal stakeholders

Experience

10+ years of experience in contract drafting and negotiation, preferably within publishing, media, entertainment, or consumer products licensing

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree is a plus

Time Type: Full time

Job Type: Regular

Location Region/State: New York

Compensation Range

Annual Salary: 120,000.00 - 150,000.00

EEO Statement

Scholastic is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is clear: there shall be no discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, pregnancy, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam veteran. Those factors shall not influence the determination of qualifications for a job or other opportunity within the company. Further, all personnel actions (such as compensation, tuition aid, benefits, transfers, promotions, and dismissals, company-sponsored training, social and recreational programs) shall be administered without discrimination. EEO is the Law Poster EEO Scholastic Policy Statement Pay Transparency Provision Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, a leading provider of core literacy curriculum and professional services, and a producer of educational and entertaining children's media. The Company creates quality books and ebooks, print and technology-based learning programs for pre-K to grade 12, classroom magazines and other products and services that support children's learning both in school and at home. With operations in 14 international offices and exports to 165 countries, Scholastic makes quality, affordable books available to all children around the world through school-based book clubs and book fairs, classroom collections, school and public libraries, retail and online. True to its mission of 97 years to encourage the personal and intellectual growth of all children beginning with literacy, the Company has earned a reputation as a trusted partner to educators and families. Learn more at: www.scholastic.com We're always looking for talented people to join Scholastic in instilling a love of reading and lifelong learning in children. At Scholastic, our benefit plans have been designed to be in line with market conditions and employee needs. Our plans provide flexibility and allow individuals a broad range of choices that can be tailored to meet each employee's needs. Scholastic is an Equal Opportunity Employer.