Sr Manager, Rights Management - Legal & Business Affairs

Mattel•El Segundo, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

We’re seeking a talented individual to lead and manage the implementation and management of Mattel’s first comprehensive intellectual property rights management system and team, partnering cross-functionally with key stakeholders and varied teams throughout the company. This role will build and oversee a team of legal professionals that manages and maintains the rights management system to meet the scaling and complex needs of Mattel’s IP-driven deal practice. Successful candidates will be highly experienced in rights management and the development and maintenance of rights management systems, as well as proven leaders, great teammates, self-starters, and critical problem solvers. This position is located at Mattel’s headquarters in Los Angeles.

Requirements

Minimum of 10 years’ experience in rights management as a transactional attorney, paralegal, and/or rights/legal operations manager
Strong knowledge of intellectual property laws, including copyrights and licensing
Strong experience with market leading enterprise rights management systems, preferably with RightsLogic
Experience building, leading, and managing a team of several direct reports
Strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders
In depth knowledge and hands-on experience building or developing digital rights management tools; experience in database creation and management
Tech savviness with knowledge and expertise in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and other tools such as Tableau and PowerBI
Solution- and client-oriented leader and team player
Self-starter who works independently but knows when to elevate issues and seek advice from colleagues
Intellectually curious and eager to develop
Attention to detail in all areas, particularly as to contract review and analysis
Provide strategic advice that’s appropriately risk-balanced
Provide advice with risks and the long-term in mind, but without losing sight of the imperative to advance Mattel’s business – often with challenging deadlines
Identify issues and notify relevant Mattel stakeholders early – and then creatively present solutions to those issues in constructive consultation with those stakeholders
Excel in a culture that fosters and demands accountability, speed, trust, and ethical conduct
Work effectively within a talented, high-performing team in far-flung time zones around the world
Kindness and respectfulness are essential
Be intellectually curious and eager to grow and develop
Be humble; recognize a continuing need to “learn on the job”; be receptive to constructive feedback; and elevate issues that are beyond one’s knowledge or comfort zone
Proactively manage expectations of clients, business partners, and staff
Proactively manage team, administrative functions, and issues across offices, time zones, and sub-practice areas
Skillfully juggle constantly changing priorities and sometimes conflicting objectives
Write and present in a concise, audience-appropriate, and lucid manner – in emails, memos, and presentations
Maintain a professional demeanor, in writing and in person, with clients, support staff, management, outside counsel, and business partners
An undergraduate degree and if an attorney, a law degree, with strong academic performance at a highly-rated law school
If an attorney, good standing with at least one state bar and, if not licensed to practice in California, then a commitment to register to practice in California pursuant to California’s in-house counsel registration requirements

Nice To Haves

Experience with RightsLogic
A sense of humor is a plus

Responsibilities

Develop an expertise in Mattel’s intellectual property portfolio and rights
Advise and manage Mattel’s intellectual property portfolio with respect to rights management administration
Analyze complex ownership and licensing arrangements and participations, royalties, and other rights-related payment structures
Collaborate with key stakeholders to provide guidance to inquiries regarding rights and ensure that they are accurately reflected in the rights management system
Analyze and provide guidance on complex licensing, entertainment, gaming, and IP agreements and other documents
Manage escalations of rights management issues, with a knowledge of when to further escalate inquiries to deal leads and attorneys
Responsible for being a super user of the rights management system
In advance of the full-scale launch of Mattel’s rights management system, join project team and work closely with the law department, IT, finance, and outside project consultants to assist in the design and implementation of the rights management system and system launch
Create and drive new processes and find efficiencies for rights management
Develop strong relationships with key stakeholders from business, legal, finance and accounting teams
Collaborate with Mattel’s rights management platform owner for system changes and enhancements
Interface with Mattel’s IP, entertainment, gaming, licensing, and inventor relations legal teams
Create and implement process and advise and onboard team and stakeholders in the execution of such processes
Drive user adoption of rights management tool
Lead and manage a team of 9+ legal professionals, comprised of individuals located in Los Angeles and India
Responsible for managing and supervising day-to-day activities of the rights management team
Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to the rights management team
Manage priorities, monitor team productivity, analyze trending issues, and identify recurring issues and areas for improvement
Work in collaboration and partnership with Mattel’s law department operations and IT teams