Business Representative (Entertainment Contracts)

at  Screen Actors GuildAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists

WHO WE ARE

SAG-AFTRA is the iconic American labor union that represents approximately 160,000 media professionals. SAG-AFTRA employees support our members and thrive on securing the strongest protections by negotiating the best wages, working conditions, health and pension benefits. We preserve and expand members’ work opportunities, vigorously enforce our contracts and protect our members against unauthorized use of their work.
Responsibilities:

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in order to effectively articulate complex contract issues and compose original correspondence and reports.
• Negotiating skills - able to negotiate with diplomacy.
• Must have comprehensive mathematical knowledge and abilities.
• Must be customer service oriented and have the ability to interact well with members, performers, studio management and staff with discretion and diplomacy.
• Independent problem solving and analytical skills.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft office products (Word, Excel, and Outlook) and Google Suite.
• Superlative interpersonal skills: a high degree of patience and tact. Must be able to cultivate respectful, strategic and collaborative relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, both internally and externally.
• Hold yourself and others accountable for a high level of performance and integrity.
• Have an understanding and awareness of worker rights impacting SAG-AFTRA members.
• Detail oriented.
• Ability to work well under pressure and prioritize tasks with multiple deadlines.
• Capable of taking direction from more than one supervisor.
• Must be able to work in a very challenging environment where constructive feedback from others is encouraged.
• Must maintain regular and acceptable attendance at such level as is determined at SAG-AFTRA’s sole discretion
• Must be available and willing to work extended hours (and/or overtime for applicable non- exempt positions) per day or per week, including weekends, as SAG-AFTRA determines is necessary to meet its business needs.
• Must be available and willing to travel to such locations and with such frequency as SAG-AFTRA determines is necessary or desirable to meet its business needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and/or Experience:

• Undergraduate degree, or a combination of 5 to 7 years of education and experience.
• Experience in a labor relations or entertainment environment preferred.
• Legal knowledge/experience strongly preferred due to the complexity of chain-of-title and financial assurances issues.
• Juris Doctor degree a strong plus.
• Background in contract interpretation and enforcement a plus.

Certificates, licenses, and/or registrations:

• N/A

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The Business Representative is responsible for tracking and overseeing the completion of projects for purposes of ensuring all required documents have been delivered to the union. In addition, this role will administer and coordinate the execution and implementation of SAG-AFTRA Financial Assurances agreements as well as other post-production documents in connection with entertainment contracts projects. The Business Representative will act as both an interdepartmental liaison and liaison between performers and their representatives, distributors, and producers; as well as assist and consult with other Business Representatives regarding claims and the process of evaluating and obtaining financial assurances for theatrical, television, new media, and other projects where SAG-AFTRA deems necessary.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Interpret and enforce contracts.
• Ensure receipt of production documents and distribute to appropriate departments as necessary.
• Obtain and analyze copyright, lien, and business entity, and motion picture/television/new media searches as requested by Business Representatives or by Entertainment Contract Department Managers (“ECDM”) in connection with projects involving financial assurances.
• Review and analyze chain-of-title documentation in connection with projects.
• Identify all secured parties and the priority order of their secured interest in relevant projects, along with preparing appropriate interparty agreements, intercreditor agreements, and all other financial assurances documents
• Prepare detailed reports including, but not limited to, (1) documenting the receipt of production documents and any documents requested by the union in order to determine the release of the security deposit, (2) documenting results of all research conducted involving copyrights, liens, business entities, and chain-of-title, (3) recommending follow-up and appropriate standard financial assurances documentation required; and (4) obtaining these documents.
• Assist Business Representatives in preparing modified template standard financial assurances documents to adequately represent research results. This may include any documents contained in the financial assurances templates directory available to Business Representatives.
• Consult with Legal Department/Financial Assurances (“Legal/FA”) counsel regarding financial assurances issues, documentation, or advice recommended beyond the scope of standard template documents as appropriate. Once consulted with by Legal/FA counsel or the Entertainment Contracts department managers, as appropriate, the Business Representative may prepare customized financial assurances documentation.
• Inform ECDM (and appropriate Legal/FA) regarding noted shifts and developments in entertainment industry financing and production practice, corporate structures, and corporate practice which may affect the SAG-AFTRA’s financial assurances efforts and goals.
• Research and investigate claims through to resolution
• Assist legal department with arbitration process when required.
• Perform other duties as assigned or as the situation dictates.
  Qualifications: