Overview
Our client is a leading gaming company that brings iconic entertainment, music, and sports IP to life through immersive gameplay and passionate fan experiences. We're hiring a Head of Licensing & Business Affairs to own licensing deals, partner negotiations, and IP agreements that power our product roadmap.
This is a hands-on individual contributor role. You'll negotiate directly with major licensors, draft deal terms, and manage partner relationships across entertainment, music, and sports.
What You'll Do
Licensing & Deal Negotiation
- Identify and prioritize IP opportunities aligned with product and commercial strategy
- Lead negotiations across entertainment, sports, music, talent, and likeness rights
- Negotiate royalty rates, minimum guarantees, term, territory, usage rights, and co-marketing commitments
- Build deal-level financial models to evaluate royalty structures and unit economics
- Draft and review term sheets, deal memos, and licensing agreements with legal counsel
Business Affairs & Contract Management
- Serve as business owner for all licensing agreements
- Track contractual obligations, renewal windows, approval deadlines, and usage restrictions
- Maintain an accurate inventory of active licensing rights, terms, and territories
- Partner with finance on royalty reporting, guarantees, and payment obligations
Partner Relationship Management
- Primary point of contact for studios, music rights holders, sports organizations, and agencies
- Represent the company at licensor meetings, industry events, and trade shows
- Monitor entertainment, gaming, sports, and pop culture trends to surface new opportunities
Internal Collaboration
- Brief marketing, product, development, finance, and legal on deal terms and obligations
- Coordinate co-marketing commitments tied to licensing agreements
- Support product launches from a licensing and business affairs standpoint
What We're Looking For
- 6+ years in licensing, business affairs, IP partnerships, entertainment, gaming, music, sports, or consumer products
- Proven track record negotiating licensing deals, business terms, and partner agreements
- Experience with entertainment IP, music rights, sports properties, or talent/likeness rights
- Strong grasp of term sheets, royalty structures, minimum guarantees, and contract obligations
- Comfortable as a hands-on IC in a lean, fast-moving environment
- Genuine interest in games, entertainment, pop culture, music, or sports
Preferred: existing relationships with studios, music publishers, record labels, sports properties, or agencies; licensee-side experience; familiarity with physical gaming or collectible products.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base salary: $110,000–$140,000 depending on experience
- Performance bonus based on deal execution and launch support
- Medical, dental & vision | 401(k) | Employee product discount | Hybrid schedule
Remote candidates with highly relevant experience will be considered and should expect to travel to Elk Grove Village approximately once per month.
Pay: $110,307.77 - $140,445.91 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Remote
