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Senior Manager, Music Licensing

The Business Development team is seeking a Senior Manager responsible for acquiring, licensing and clearing music for EA games, products and promotions in addition to managing deal negotiations and contract administrations with music publishers and labels.

The ideal candidate will have experience within the gaming, music and digital media industries with respect to all aspects of music licenses and clearances. This includes identifying opportunities, evaluating partnerships, structuring and negotiating contracts, and experience ensuring contractual compliance and managing licensor/licensee relationships. The Sr. Manager, Music Licensing must have experience working with internal senior stakeholders and across a matrixed organization, collaborating with numerous cross-functional teams. The ability to managing the process of evaluating, negotiating, and maintaining music partnerships is essential. This position will report to the Sr. Director, Business Development & Affairs.

Key Responsibilities

Music Licensing: The Sr. Manager, Music Licensing is responsible for all music clearances for all games and content produced at EA, which is a very high volume and deadline-oriented business. These responsibilities include:

In-Game and Marketing Licenses: Negotiate license fees for music contracts

• Work closely with Music Marketing and Development teams to establish and confirm desired songs and music required for each game product, and the approved budget allowances for music in each game product.
• Liaise closely with Marketing video producers to establish and confirm music required for trailers, advertisements, promotions and other media and the budget and time constraints for each.
• Research rights holders for each song and enter all record labels, side artists, publishers, song writers, splits and contact information into the Trevanna database,
• Draft clearance requests for each rights holder.
• Negotiate license fees for synchronization agreements, master licenses, soundtracks, music library licenses, and renewals that are favorable to EA and within each team’s respective budget allowance and timing parameters. Note requests for music in marketing assets are often on very short timeframes with very limited notice.
• Draft music credits for video assets at the completion of each product and report them to the necessary parties.
• Draft and finalize master and/or synchronization licenses with each rights holder.
• Notify the Music, Marketing and Development teams of any required deal terms and all approaching license term end dates or options.
• Handle any required renewals as they arise.

Transaction Negotiation and Execution

• Conduct principled and skilled term sheet and agreement negotiations; work closely with legal affairs peers.
• Determine fair market value for asset and rights in addition to staying current on competitive rates for in-game usage.
• Understand and cultivate EA’s relationships with music licensors to maintain the current rates and continue negotiating favorable future fees.
• Own and manage the negotiation and contracting processes for music licensors from start to successful conclusion, collaborating with internal stakeholders throughout the contract negotiation process to negotiate fees aligned with business plan and budget.
• Negotiate and resolve issues of contract interpretation issues that may arise with external partners.

Internal Collaboration and Influence

• Partner and build strong relationships with the Music Marketing, Marketing and Development teams.
• Provide guidance to Music Marketing, Marketing and Development teams on the anticipated fees for songs and which will be attainable under the budget allowances and timing parameters set for the product.
• Attend regular Music Licensing team meetings to report on Music licensing activity including updating the weekly status.
• Collaborate with internal client groups and corporate partners across EA key business units to prepare, negotiate and successfully conclude music licenses. Ability to work effectively with executives at the Director level and above.
• Provide skilled advice and recommendations on music licensing opportunities.
• Build strong relationships across cross-functional teams at EA as the main point of contact for Music Licensing.

Contract Administration:

• Prepare, track and administer all executed licenses and confirmation letters, and prepare for invoicing, PO’s, and track payment in conjunction with Finance teams.
• Input data and deal terms for all music clearances and licenses, including expiration, renewal and option dates, in the Trevanna data base.
• Monitor internal contract compliance and participate in compliance meetings as needed.

Partner Management and Strategic Development

• Build, foster, and maintain a strong network of relationships with outside music partners (including Publishers and Labels), agencies, thought leaders, music communities etc., and stay informed on market developments and competitive strategies.
• Provide day to day contact and support for licensors.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Demonstrate relevant work experience (10+ years) in music clearance and licensing and ideally within games, entertainment, and digital media.
• Be very organized and able to manage multiple tasks at once.
• Ability to work in a high deal volume and high-speed work environment.
• Knowledge and understanding of music publishing and recording copyrights plus previous relationships in the music industry are required.
• Strong ability to collaborate with and influence executives and teams from different business units across multiple functions.
• Solution-oriented approach and ability to anticipate and prevent problems
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Desire and capacity to stay current on rapidly evolving competitive landscape, expanding technologies, global market dynamics, and cross-industry synergies.