Celebrity and Entertainment Relations Lead

Best Friends Animal Society•Los Angeles, CA

4d•$90,000 - $95,000

About The Position

This position plays a key role in shaping, stewarding and scaling the organization’s celebrity and entertainment partnerships program. Reporting to the Head of Celebrity and Entertainment Partnerships, the Lead focuses on cultivating and managing relationships with celebrities, their representatives and entertainment industry professionals, while ensuring those relationships are strategically integrated into priority campaigns and organizational initiatives. The role combines relationship stewardship, strategic planning, and operational execution—ensuring celebrity and entertainment partnerships are impactful, measurable, and aligned with Best Friends’ mission, brand and guiding principles. This person will help translate celebrity and entertainment partnership engagement into meaningful reach, media visibility, and audience growth, with a focus toward cultivating support for Best Friends, animal welfare and the no-kill movement. We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Requirements

Experience working at or closely with a talent agency, entertainment agency, studio, network, or an organization that represents or manages celebrities and entertainment industry partnerships.
Established relationships across the entertainment industry, including with talent, representatives, agencies, studios.
BA/BS in related field.
5-7 years of experience in talent management/relations in entertainment industry (e.g., television, film, sports, music, or publishing) and/or event management.
Experience working with and managing needs of VIPs.
Applicants possess excellent interpersonal skills and diplomacy including while working with challenging talent and high stakes situations.
Critical thinker with strong written and verbal communication skills.
Deep understanding of project and content management tools.
Hospitality focused, adaptable, personable, professional, team player, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
Must have a valid driver's license for at least 3 years, ability to qualify to be added to Best Friends insurance.
Ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
Ability to travel via various forms of transportation.
Flexibility to work odd days and hours as needed for events and promotions. May include weekends, nights, and holiday work.

Responsibilities

Build and manage a portfolio of celebrity and entertainment relationships with talent, maintaining regular communications, ensuring positive, long-term engagement with Best Friends and providing them with updated information and opportunities to engage.
Track and appropriately acknowledge milestones in the talents' personal and professional lives.
Understand the broader talent landscape, partnership goals, and individual talent interests and affiliations and apply insights to successfully execute responsibilities.
Collaborate and build relationships within Best Friends and externally, including with production companies, talent representatives, to ensure fulfillment of a 360-degree talent stewardship strategy.
Lead the planning, workflows, timelines, approvals and reporting for celebrity and entertainment initiatives, ensuring any legal compliance and smooth execution across all teams and channels.
Maintain and ensure accurate and timely communication, tracking, documentation, reporting across organizational platforms and tools.
Negotiate and manage contracts and talent requests, resolving any issues proactively to maintain strong relationships and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Serve as the primary on-site point of contact for celebrities, entertainment partners, and their representatives for tours, visits and events at Best Friends’ Adoption Center in Los Angeles, as well as at other locations and events as needed, coordinating closely with animal care and other key staff to coordinate details, align expectations, and ensure visits and appearances are well-executed with minimal disruption to daily operations.
Accompany and manage talent at BFAS-related activities and events such as Gala, Super Adoption, facility tours, and marketing/publicity activities.
Maintain an active presence within the entertainment industry, including initiating and attending meetings, events and screenings in Los Angeles and occasionally in other key markets, to steward existing relationships and develop new ones.
Work with talent and present relevant third-party opportunities that compliment and/or enhance BFAS’s corporate donor partnerships and fundraising.
Identify and recommend specific short and long-term opportunities for talent that match their specific interests, effectively utilize organizational resources, and increase the profile of talent while raising awareness and donations.
Secure talent’s support for BFAS’ Celebrity and Entertainment Industry Relations’ objectives, opportunities, and manage approach to talent and talent representation’s expectations, and ensure successful execution of plans.
Draft entertainment industry news, updates and related content showcasing activation highlights and available opportunities.
Contribute to departmental reports and presentations, as required.
Provide general support including ordering Best Friends merchandise, condolence and other stewardship gifts, office supplies, processing invoices, and other duties.
Serve as a representative for the Celebrity and Entertainment Partnerships department to the organization, ensuring clear communication and follow-through across departments, and briefing key stakeholders on plans and initiatives as needed.
Travel up to 15%.