Thunderbird Entertainment is seeking an accomplished Senior Director or Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs (title will be determined based on experience) to provide senior production legal advice across a diverse slate of live-action scripted and unscripted, and animated programming. This role will oversee all aspects of production legal from development through to distribution, ensuring Thunderbird Entertainment’s creative vision is supported by strong, practical legal guidance. As both a skilled negotiator, and trusted production partner, the Vice-President, Business and Legal Affairs, will play a pivotal role in enabling our teams to create world-class programming for an international audience.
Thunderbird Entertainment was founded in 2003. With offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Los Angeles, we have more than 1000 creatives on our team. And though we all have our unique skills, techniques, niches and passions, one thing is true for us all: we are artists at our core. We have two companies under Thunderbird Entertainment, Atomic Cartoons and Great Pacific Media. Atomic, founded in 1999, produces award-winning animation and GPM, founded in 2011, creates dynamic, award-winning factual and scripted content.
WHAT YOU WILL DO:
- Help strategize and execute all legal matters for development, production, post-production, sales, distribution, and service of all entertainment and business endeavours across all Thunderbird divisions, including Thunderbird Entertainment, Great Pacific Media and Atomic Cartoons.
- Provide leadership and support to the Legal and Business Affairs team, promoting consistency, collaboration and best practices across all productions.
- Negotiate and draft talent agreements, producer agreements, rights agreements, finance agreements and other agreements in connection with the development and production of entertainment-based television and digital properties.
- Handle above and below the line guild and union matters.
- Handle and/or work with outside counsel to handle production legal, litigation, copyright and trademark, music, and rights and clearance matters.
- Handle the negotiation, drafting, and closing of all entertainment-related deals and business relationships; including deals to acquire and develop television or digital properties in all genres including factual/lifestyle, reality, scripted live-action, animation, and hybrid productions; co-production deals, distribution deals, output deals, first-look deals and all other agreements for the ancillary exploitation of intellectual property.
- Ensure compliance with company own policies, third-party agreements, and applicable laws and regulations.
- Maintain and update corporate best practices and remain up to speed on applicable financing and regulatory issues as they relate to the company’s interests.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
- An LLB/JD from an accredited law school.
- Member in good standing of the Law Society of British Columbia or eligible for membership within a specified period.
- Minimum 7 years’ of business and legal affairs experience at a North American independent production company, broadcaster/streamer, and/or major law firm with both scripted and unscripted experience.
- Current knowledge of the legal environment, practices and trends in both independent television production in North America and internationally.
- Strong understanding of the Canadian television environment including CMF, Telefilm co-production treaties and broadcaster license agreements.
- Well established relationships within the entertainment, business affairs and legal communities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Superior analytic, negotiation and legal drafting skills.
- Unyielding attention to detail.
- Highly responsible, self-motivated, and able to thrive in an energetic, fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills to maintain credibility and effective working relationships with high level internal and external contacts.
- Proven ability to independently exercise sound judgment, make sound decisions, and perform under minimal supervision.
- Demonstrated initiative to take on tasks and set own priorities deadlines to drive results.
- Vancouver or Toronto based candidates are preferred for this role, however candidates within Canada will be considered.
START DATE: ASAP
- All Thunderbird employees in this role have the opportunity to work remotely within The Lower Mainland or The Greater Toronto Area. Those within Vancouver and the Lower Mainland can also choose hybrid and in-office options.
At Thunderbird Entertainment, we take into consideration a wide range of compensation factors including background, skills, location, and experience to determine competitive base pay. In addition to competitive base pay, this position is eligible for company-sponsored benefits including medical, GRSP, vacation pay, paid holiday break, paid leave, and a variety of other discounts and perks.Wage ranges are based on an annual wage.
TBird BC - Remote: $150,000 CAD - $225,000 CAD
INTERESTED?
Thunderbird Entertainment welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
Show us what you would like to contribute to Thunderbird Entertainment by providing us with your resume and cover letter.
We thank you for your submission; only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
