[Hiring] Business Affairs Lead @Movement Strategy

Role Description

Movement Strategy is looking for a Business Affairs Lead to own our contracting and business affairs function. A law degree is a plus but not required. What matters most is deep agency contracting experience and the judgment to know when something needs outside counsel.

This is an agency role, not a corporate legal seat. You'll spend your time on the contracts that make our work possible:

• Client MSAs and SOWs
• Influencer and talent agreements
• Vendor and technology contracts
• NDAs
• Licensing and IP matters

You'll report to the Director of Operations, with a standing direct line to the COO on contractual risk and function strategy.

You'll personally handle the complex, high-value work while managing and developing a Business Affairs Manager who owns day-to-day contracting volume. Just as important, you'll set the vision for how business affairs operate at Movement. That means building the playbooks, templates, and cross-team practices that let a lean function protect a growing agency.

We're looking for someone proactive by default. You flag what's coming before you're asked, and you get in front of client teams before content is made rather than after. You treat business affairs as something that enables great work, not something that gates it.

Responsibilities

• Contracting and negotiation
  • Own MSA and SOW negotiation with clients end to end, including leading live negotiation with client legal teams as needed.
  • Personally handle complex, high-value, or high-risk agreements.
  • Oversee influencer and talent contracting, delegating volume to the Business Affairs Manager with quality and risk oversight.
  • Manage NDAs, vendor agreements, licensing, stock and IP clearances, and technology contracts.
  • Apply clear escalation criteria to determine when matters require external counsel, and manage those relationships and spend.
• Business Affairs vision and systems
  • Set and execute the vision for Business Affairs at Movement, including what the function owns, how it scales, and what it needs.
  • Build and maintain the contract review playbook covering NDAs, MSAs, and SOWs.
  • Own contract templates and drive a scheduled review and refresh cycle.
  • Own the structure and integrity of the contract library, ensuring documents are stored accurately and consistently.
  • Train the Business Affairs Manager on ongoing library upkeep with regular touchpoints.
  • Identify patterns across the contract portfolio and translate them into template changes and risk mitigation.
• Compliance and cross-team partnership
  • Build and run a content production and review system with client teams.
  • Walk client teams through their governing MSA and SOW at engagement kickoff.
  • Partner with the VP of Technology to define and maintain our stance on technology stack terms, conditions, and IP practices.
  • Review DPA and data-specific requirements within SOWs and MSAs.
  • Partner with the Director of Operations to build and implement contract and compliance literacy training across client services teams.
• Leadership and communication
  • Manage and develop the Business Affairs Manager through regular 1:1s, coaching, delegation, and a documented growth plan.
  • Serve as the primary business affairs advisor to leadership on contractual and commercial risk.
  • Communicate proactively and in writing on volume, capacity, risk, and what is in flight.
  • Represent the Business Affairs perspective in cross-functional and strategic planning.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in business affairs, contracts management, or legal operations, with significant experience negotiating agency, entertainment, or media agreements.
• Meaningful experience in agency, entertainment, media, or brand-side business affairs or legal work.
• Demonstrated ownership of MSA and SOW negotiation with sophisticated client counterparties.
• Working knowledge of influencer and talent contracting, IP and licensing, usage rights, FTC guidelines, and platform requirements.
• Experience managing external counsel and legal spend.
• Experience managing or formally mentoring at least one direct report.
• A track record of building something durable, such as a playbook, a template library, a compliance program, or a process that outlasted you.
• Comfortable moving fast in a live commercial environment and negotiating on a call rather than only in redlines.

Ideal Qualities

• JD and active bar admission are a plus.
• Experience standing up or maturing a business affairs or legal function at a growing agency or company.
• Familiarity with data privacy and AI tooling considerations relevant to creative production.
• Exposure to vendor and technology contracting.

Salary & Compensation

The salary range for this role is $150k - 190k per year. A successful applicant’s actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, skill sets, years of relevant experience, qualifications, and certifications. Movement Strategy prides itself on providing competitive salaries and actively works to ensure there is pay equity across the company.

Benefits

• 100% employer contribution for health (base plan), vision, and dental
• 401K Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance & AD&D
• Paid Parental Leave
• Fully-Remote Agency
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• Take-As-You-Need Paid Time Off
• Take-As-You-Need Paid Mental Health Days
• 10 days minimum required off per year
• (11) Company Paid Holidays
• (3) Summer Fridays- Fully Off
• Week-Long Winter Agency Closure
• Support for continued education
• New Business Referral Bonus
• Movement Journey Program - Stipend for personal growth
• Health and Wellness Program
• WeWork Membership
• Positive Impact and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committees
• Employee Resource Groups