Senior Manager, Business Affairs

The Senior Manager, Business Affairs Operations will play a critical leadership role within the Business Affairs team at ABC News. This position is responsible for driving operational excellence across the full lifecycle of talent agreements, supporting high-volume deal flow for both on-air and off-air talent. This role sits at the intersection of legal, finance, HR, and production, and requires a highly organized, detail-oriented professional who can translate complex deal terms into clear, actionable insights. The ideal candidate will bring strong systems expertise, particularly in Salesforce-based platforms and Airtable, and will be comfortable managing data-driven workflows in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

The Role

• Lead the end-to-end operational management of talent agreements, from initial deal request intake through negotiation support, execution, and post-close administration.
• Oversee and manage deal workflows within Salesforce, including assigning deal requests, maintaining accurate deal data, and ensuring timely progression across all stages of the deal lifecycle.
• Partner cross-functionally with Legal, Talent, Workforce Planning, Payroll, Finance, Human Resources, and Labor Relations to ensure seamless execution of agreements and alignment with company policies.
• Translate complex contractual terms into clear deal memos and summaries, and distribute to relevant stakeholders to support legal drafting and execution.
• Maintain and oversee centralized data across systems, including Airtable grids and SharePoint trackers, ensuring all deal terms, key dates, and obligations are accurate and up to date.
• Develop and manage reporting tools and contract trackers to support strategic decision-making.
• Lead weekly and monthly reporting processes, including Business Affairs status updates and executive-level reporting on deal flow, contract status, and upcoming expirations.
• Support negotiation strategy by preparing data-driven insights and documents.
• Oversee post-execution processes, including document management, and ensure proper distribution and storage of agreements.
• Manage invoice review and approval processes in partnership with Talent and Payroll teams to ensure accuracy and timeliness of payments.
• Drive continuous improvement of operational workflows, identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, data integrity, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Supervise and provide strategic oversight to junior team members, ensuring high-quality execution of all Business Affairs operational processes.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and discretion in handling sensitive talent, compensation, and contractual information.
• Operate with a high degree of responsiveness and flexibility, including occasional support outside of standard business hours in time-sensitive situations.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Business Affairs, legal operations, or a corporate legal environment, preferably within media and entertainment.
• Minimum of 2 years of people management or team leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex deal-making processes and contract administration.
• Advanced proficiency in Salesforce (or similar CRM systems), with strong preference for experience managing customized platforms.
• Hands-on experience with Airtable or similar database tools used for workflow and tracking.
• Advanced Excel skills, including data analysis, reporting, and modeling.
• Strong experience with Microsoft SharePoint and document management systems.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex information clearly and concisely.
• Proven ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and operate effectively in a collaborative environment.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within a media, entertainment, or news organization.
• Background supporting Business Affairs, Talent, or Legal teams.
• Project Management certification or formal training in project management methodologies.
• Paralegal certification or equivalent legal training.
• Experience working with talent agreements, guild considerations, and compensation structures.
  
  

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
  
  

Preferred Education

• Project Management certification (e.g., PMP) or equivalent
  
  

Additional Information

• Occasional flexibility outside standard business hours may be required to support time-sensitive business needs.
  
  

The hiring range for this position in New York, NY is $100,040 to $134,200 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.