Job Description
Description
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Lawyer (Commercial) to join the Business & Legal Affairs team on a 12-Month Fixed Term Contract covering family leave.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated lawyer to join our Commercial BLA team on a temporary basis. This role will provide business affairs and legal advice to support the commercial activities of UKTV, working with high performing teams across the business, including Commercial, Tech & Ops, Marketing, HR, Strategy and Finance. This role will work as a key member of a small team of high-performing and strategic advisors.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated lawyer to join our Commercial BLA team on a temporary basis. This role will provide business affairs and legal advice to support the commercial activities of UKTV, working with high performing teams across the business, including Commercial, Tech & Ops, Marketing, HR, Strategy and Finance. This role will work as a key member of a small team of high-performing and strategic advisors.
In this role you will get to:
- This role offers an opportunity to get involved in a wide variety of commercial contracts, identify and manage legal risks, advise on compliance with relevant laws and review and assess legal implications of company strategies.
- You will contribute to building and maintaining internal and external relationships and the role will require interactions with senior stakeholders across the business.
- You will get to contribute to a high performance culture.
- This role offers the chance for close collaboration with a range of commercial teams and lawyers across UKTV and BBC Studios.
- The role would suit someone who is curious, driven and passionate about the television and media.
Who you are:
- Qualified solicitor (either UK qualified or holding or eligible to hold a UK practising certificate under SRA rules). As a general guide, this role would be suitable for candidates with at least 6 years’ PQE but we are willing to consider exceptional and highly motivated candidates with less experience.
- Ability to lead complex negotiations and to advise on and draft complex agreements.
- An approach that is proactive and encompasses collaboration, flexibility, resilience, enthusiasm and energy.
- Strong organisational skills, the ability to prioritise well and to work both collaboratively and autonomously, as required.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to develop robust relationships and gain the trust and respect of colleagues quickly.
- Some knowledge of the broadcast/digital media/licensing sectors and of intellectual property law.
- Take a proactive and flexible approach to work and be comfortable with a dynamic environment with changing priorities and high volumes of work.
- General commercial background with expertise in leading highly strategic negotiations and advising on complex agreements.
- A strong interest in TV and media with an ability to demonstrate expertise or familiarity in relevant areas of law, such as privacy, intellectual property and consumer laws, as well as industry knowledge.
Key Responsibilities
-
Negotiation and Contracting: To negotiate, draft and advise on a range of commercial contracts and deals including in relation to: marketing (including sponsorship agreements, contributor releases, promotional stunts and social media), technology agreements (including TV playout, encryption and satellite capacity), outsourcing agreements, software licence agreements, platform arrangements and NDAs, advertising sales, channel and video on demand distribution, app syndication and other business services agreements.
-
Advising: To advise on all aspects of commercial, rights and business affairs. To undertake analysis of existing agreements. Assisting in developing new strategies and policies to protect UKTV’s business and legal interests. To assess and advise on regulatory requirements, relating to advertising, TV and digital distribution. Advise on legal compliance, including in relation to personal data and consumer laws, as well as anti-bribery and anti-modern slavery measures. Draft and advise on consumer facing terms and conditions, including for apps and competitions.
-
Stakeholder management: To positively represent UKTV and foster and develop proactive collaborative, creative and commercial relationships internally and externally.
-
Risk management: To highlight risks where relevant and seek to mitigate legal, contractual and business risk. Produce and contribute to policy, process and template documents. Carry out legal risk assessments and implement measures to manage UKTV’s exposure to legal risk.
-
Market intelligence: To be aware of market trends and stay up to date on changes in the media landscape to ensure best commercial practice. To gain and maintain a good understanding of new emerging business models.
- Team collaboration: To help develop and maintain a collaborative, constructive and high performing team and environment that is focused on working together and achieving company objectives. To lead by example in maintaining a culture of trust and empowerment. Mentor and develop junior BLA members.
Benefits
Hybrid-Working
At UKTV, we are working in a hybrid environment with a mixture of home and office working. Getting together in the office as a team and a company gives colleagues an opportunity to build and maintain great relationships, encourages our culture of collaboration and creativity while recognising that colleagues need to have a healthy and happy work-life balance. You’ll agree with your manager the split of time you spend in the office or at home based on the role that you do, how often you come together as a team and your personal preference.
Diversity & Inclusion Commitment
At UKTV, our inclusion vision is to truly represent society in our workforce and on-screen, and create a culture of fairness and respect where we champion difference so that every person feels included and empowered to do their best work. We are committed to ensuring a level playing field at UKTV where all employees and job applicants are given equal opportunity, and that we have diverse voices at the table in everything we do. We welcome applications from everyone and we want UKTV to be a place where you can be your authentic self, give your best and develop your career free from discrimination of any kind.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
About UKTV Media Ltd
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and scripted drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK’s most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world’s leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.