Contract Specialist, Business Affairs

Job Title: Contract Specialist, Business Affairs

Work Location: New York or Chicago

Start Date: January 2025

 

Named one of WorkLife’s 50 Best Places to Work and one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, Whalar Group is a global creator company on a mission to liberate the creative voice. 

Creators are at the heart of everything we do! We are a curious, diverse team of 300 individuals around the world who are passionate about the Creator Economy. Our proximity, understanding, and trust of creators evolved into a first-of-its-kind creator ecosystem. Under Whalar Group, there are six companies: Whalar, a global creator agency; Sixteenth, a full-service global, 360° creator and talent management company; Foam, a suite of AI tools, templates, and services; Moby Ventures, a creator-centric venture studio; Umi Games, a groundbreaking gaming studio; and The Lighthouse, an IRL campus for creators and their teams.

About the role:

This role will support Sixteenth, a full-service global, 360° creator and talent management company. as a Contract Specialist working in collaboration with and reporting into the Director, Business Affairs - Sixteenth, and key stakeholders within the Sixteenth management team and beyond. The ideal candidate will have a background in talent or creator management, and be experienced in talent negotiations and agreement review. 

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced but highly organized environment and is a collaborative team player in all aspects of their work.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Support internal teams with talent x brand partnerships negotiations and documentation as needed. 
• Collaboration with commercial, client, finance, operational, and senior leadership team from different parts of the world.
• Help review, draft, and negotiate (domestic + global) talent contracts e.g., brand partnerships, licensing opportunities, book deals, product creation, the release of liability forms, and NDAs.
• Help advise internal team(s) on intellectual property, copyright, and FTC (amongst others).
• Organize/coordinate materials, and save all documents (creator, client, etc.) to a shared drive with meticulous attention to detail and an affection for the folder-in-a-folder organization style.
• Ensure notes are taken (and distributed as needed) for all internal and external meetings.
• Support talent communications and discussions with managers and assistants, including managing complicated questions (short answer research projects).

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• 2-5 years experience in talent brand partnership deals’ negotiation and contracts (legal experience or education not required).
• Specific experience in talent contract editing/redlining and general knowledge of industry norms as related to contract negotiation skills.
• Ability to strategically handle competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• Ability to focus on a specific task, think through it, and attend to all of the critical details surrounding it.
• Quick learner, self-motivated, proficient in completing a high volume of tasks while working independently, with professional discretion, and self-awareness/humble enough to ask for help when something is beyond their scope.
• Familiarity with contractual terms and general principles that can be articulated across departments in layman’s terms. 
• A high degree of professionalism with a strong focus on accuracy and attention to detail.
• Values teamwork and positivity, has a can-do attitude and growth mindset. 
• Approaches industry contracts with a liability-forward mindset but balanced with a pragmatic approach.
• Is proactively responsive (internally and externally), and doesn’t leave people unread for extended periods of time.
• Values a diversified workspace that is open to hearing new ideas, whether easily implemented tweaks or progressive overhauls.

The salary range for this role is $60,000 - $70,000 and serves as a general guideline reflecting the potential compensation for the role. The final salary offer will be determined based on a comprehensive evaluation of factors such as the candidate's experience, expertise, alignment with the position's requirements, and, ultimately budget approvals.

Our values:

At Whalar, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) isn't just a statement, it's our collective strength. Our people are our superpower. A diverse team and inclusive leadership have shaped Whalar since our inception in 2016, fueling a constant evolution of growth. We champion a culture of respect and empathy,