Senior Talent Payments & Contracts Lead

Socket.dev; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

WPP Production is seeking a Talent Manager to oversee talent estimates, contracts, payments, union compliance, and completion reporting for commercial and digital campaigns. The ideal candidate will have strong SAG-AFTRA contract knowledge and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced agency environment.

The role reports to the Head of Business Affairs and collaborates with production, finance, and external vendor teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in talent payments, business affairs, production coordination, or a related agency role.
• Strong working knowledge of SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and related talent payment procedures.
• Experience managing residuals, estimates, contracts, and completion reporting.
• Experience with national and global commercial campaigns.
• Knowledge of music and stock footage licensing.
• Experience with invoice processing and budget tracking.
• Familiar with advertising agency workflows and broadcast/digital asset trafficking.
• Ability to interpret union and non-union talent requirements.
• Excellent organizational skills and high attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and comfort working with financial or production systems.
• Experience partnering cross-functionally with producers, account teams, and finance.

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of talent payments for assigned clients and campaigns.
• Prepare and reconcile talent estimates for session fees, residuals, holding fees and renewals.
• Negotiate talent compensation and ensure timely execution of talent contracts.
• Collaborate with producers, account teams, and Business Affairs Managers to support productions from pre-production through completion.
• Maintain expert knowledge of SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract and all waivers, as well as non-union talent workflows.
• Administer talent residuals, renewals, reinstatements, and completion reports.
• Track talent usage, expiration dates, holding fee cycles and reuse cycles.
• Coordinate licensing of music, stock footage, and other third-party content as needed.
• Process and review vendor invoices in partnership with accounting and finance teams.
• Resolve talent-related issues, claims, and payment discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate project files and documentation for all talent activity.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with internal teams, talent agents, and performers.
• Assist with workflow improvements and provide guidance to junior team members when applicable.

Skills

SAG-AFTRA knowledge

Talent payments

Campaigns experience

Music licensing

Budget tracking

Advertising agency workflows

Union knowledge

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Deadline management

Microsoft Office

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

WPP Production is seeking a Talent Manager to oversee talent estimates, contracts, payments, union compliance, and completion reporting for commercial and digital campaigns. The ideal candidate will have strong SAG-AFTRA contract knowledge and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced agency environment.

The role reports to the Head of Business Affairs and collaborates with production, finance, and external vendor teams.