Senior Talent Payments & Contracts Lead

WPP Production; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

WPP Production in Chicago is seeking a Talent Manager to oversee talent estimates, contracts, payments, and union compliance for commercial and digital campaigns. The role requires strong SAG-AFTRA knowledge and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced agency setting.

You will collaborate with talent agents, performers, and internal teams to ensure accurate reporting, timely payments, and smooth operations, while guiding junior staff and driving process improvements.

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
• 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

Skills

Talent payments

Business affairs

Production coordination

Union contracts

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

WPP Production in Chicago is seeking a Talent Manager to oversee talent estimates, contracts, payments, and union compliance for commercial and digital campaigns. The role requires strong SAG-AFTRA knowledge and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced agency setting.

You will collaborate with talent agents, performers, and internal teams to ensure accurate reporting, timely payments, and smooth operations, while guiding junior staff and driving process improvements.