Legal and Contract Compliance Manager

Job Description/Position Summary 

This role will serve as the company’s primary internal contracts resource, responsible for negotiating, revising and maintaining agreements with limited reliance on outside counsel. The position requires the ability to assess legal risk, understand established company positions, identify negotiation flexibility, and independently manage contract changes within defined risk parameters. 

The position requires deep knowledge of contract law, strong negotiation skills, experience with intellectual property and licensing structures, and the ability to manage relationships with internal stakeholders, external partners, and legal counsel. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Paralegal & Legal Support 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. 

• Coordinate 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  

1. 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. 

1. 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. 

1. 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. 

1. 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. 

Required Skills & Abilities 

• 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  

• Ability to make independent recommendations on acceptable risk positions  

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.