Role: Legal & Business Affairs Manager
Team: Legal & Business Affairs
Reporting to: Director of Business Affairs
Location: London, SE1
What We Do
[PIAS] is a family of record labels that champions and supports artists and labels from around the world across an unrivalled international network run by passionate music lovers.
Our Mission
- To be at the very heart of the music ecosystem.
- To relentlessly and passionately discover, promote, market, sell and distribute the music of labels and artists.
- To spread the music we champion with passion, integrity and care and help it reach audiences and achieve success.
- To constantly challenge ourselves to improve.
What You’ll Be Doing
[PIAS] UK is looking for an experienced L&BA Manager to join its Legal & Business Affairs team at its head office in Bermondsey, London.
The role primarily involves negotiating and contracting IP agreements within the [PIAS] label group alongside management responsibilities, and bridges creative and commercial teams to ensure deals are strategically sound, legally compliant and aligned with [PIAS]’s business goals.
The successful candidate will manage two junior members of the team and report to the Director of Business Affairs.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead negotiations and draft licence / IP acquisition contracts for the [PIAS] label group, which includes artist signings to [PIAS] Recordings and its imprint labels, Co-op labels and Spinefarm, plus catalogue acquisitions and ancillary agreements (sync, remix, feature, branding etc.).
- Build strong working relationships with global and local senior management.
- Maintain excellent internal communication and relationships with other teams including A&R, Marketing, Royalties, Finance and Neighbouring Rights, and offering business support to those teams as required.
- Manage and train two junior members of the team and promote overall team development.
- Provide support to the Director of BA on rights acquisitions and group matters, and give structured and confident advice to the Board.
- Address internal queries on contractual terms and rights.
- Handle dispute / infringement matters plus other business affairs issues across property, IT, office matters etc.
- Keep up to date on relevant laws and trends impacting recording contracts.
- All other duties as reasonably required.
Skills and Experience Required for the Role
- Qualified lawyer or at least five years of relevant experience working in the business affairs department at a music company or the media / entertainment department of a law firm.
- Sound understanding of intellectual property law (in particular copyright and performers’ rights) and contract law.
- Management experience.
- Proven drafting skills.
- Exceptional organisational skills including the ability to work under time pressure, prioritise and deal with conflicting demands in order to meet deadlines.
- An excellent eye for detail.
Personal Attributes
- Strong work ethic.
- Displays a commercial approach and uses initiative.
- Adaptable within a dynamic, changing environment.
- Able to build rapport at all levels of a business.
- Very well organised and efficient.
- An excellent team player.
- Good sense of humour.
- Passionate about music.
How to Apply
Please email a cover letter and your CV to: recruitmentuk@pias.com
[PIAS] is an equal opportunities employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to a working environment where no one will be treated less favourably on grounds of their sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or age.
