LEGAL AND CONTRACT COMPLIANCE MANAGER

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research on contract terms, IP matters, and regulatory compliance issues.
• Perform reviews of legal language, prepare summaries, and assist in risk assessment.
• Cookordination with outside legal counsel on contract disputes, infringement matters, or complex legal situations.
• Independently negotiate contract changes within established company risk tolerances to minimize reliance on outside counsel.
• Identify when external counsel engagement is necessary versus when matters can be resolved internally.
• Contribute to cost-effective legal operations by standardizing clauses and reducing ad hoc legal review.
• Prepare and maintain legal files, corporate documents, and records of all executed agreements.
• Develop deep knowledge of company’s standard positions, redlines, and risk thresholds to confidently determine areas of negotiation flexibility.
• Provide business-aligned recommendations balancing legal protection with revenue and partnership goals.
• Licensing & Intellectual Property Management Support licensing activities, including permissions, site licenses, distribution rights, sublicensing, and royalty-related agreements.
• Manage IP assets, including trademarks, copyrights, proprietary content, and product names.
• Conduct trademark searches and collaborate with counsel on trademark filings, copyright registrations, and renewals.
• Ensure proper documentation, tracking, and safeguarding of IP rights.
• Address copyright infringement issues and coordinate appropriate legal action as needed.
• Managing Legal Relationships & Stakeholder Communications Serve as a primary liaison between the company and authors, distributors, licensors, licensees, customers, legal counsel, and regulatory bodies.
• Provide guidance to internal teams on contract requirements, legal implications, and compliance matters.
• Maintain strong, professional partnerships with key external stakeholders to support negotiations and long-term business relationships.
• Resolve issues related to rights, permissions, licensing terms, or contract conflicts.
• Contract Administration & Management Draft, negotiate, review, and administer a wide range of commercial, government, distributor, and vendor contracts.
• Ensure all contracts adhere to company policies, legal requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Maintain complete contract life cycle management, including initiation, execution, renewal, compliance tracking, and closeout.
• Develop and maintain templates, clause libraries, and standardized contract processes.
• Monitor contract obligations, deadlines, deliverables, and performance requirements.
• Distributor & Partner Agreements Assist with distributor, reseller, and foreign publisher agreements, ensuring proper terms, pricing, and territorial rights.
• Support international agreements by coordinating with foreign partners and ensuring compliance with international regulations.
• Manage relationships with distributors and external partners, addressing contract issues and performance concerns.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of contract law, contract administration processes, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience with intellectual property law (copyright, trademark, licensing structures).
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage complex legal and business relationships.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• High emotional intelligence, adaptability, and problem-solving ability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and document management tools.
• Demonstrated ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives.
• Experience negotiating commercial agreements directly with external partners.
• Education & Experience Bachelor’s degree required. Juris Doctorate preferred. 5–10 years of experience in commercial contracts management, legal affairs, licensing, or IP administration. Experience with distributor or international publishing/distribution agreements is a plus.