Senior Manager, Business Affairs

The Walt Disney Company•New York, NY

3d•$100,040 - $134,200

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

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.