Senior Director/Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs

Thunderbird Entertainment, Atomic Cartoon's Parent Company is seeking an accomplished Senior Director or Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs (title will be determined based on experience) to provide senior production legal advice across a diverse slate of live-action scripted and unscripted, and animated programming. This role will oversee all aspects of production legal from development through to distribution, ensuring Thunderbird Entertainment’s creative vision is supported by strong, practical legal guidance. As both a skilled negotiator, and trusted production partner, the Vice-President, Business and Legal Affairs, will play a pivotal role in enabling our teams to create world-class programming for an international audience.

Atomic Cartoons Inc. is an award-winning animation studio with locations in Vancouver's Mt. Pleasant Animation District, Ottawa's Hintonburg neighborhood and Los Angeles. Since its inception over 25 years ago, Atomic Cartoons has created and produced numerous 2D and CG animation productions including Super Team Canada, Princess Power and Last Kids on Earth. Atomic is well known for its artist-friendly culture and flexible work environment. We are always looking for artists of all levels to join our team!

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Help strategize and execute all legal matters for development, production, post-production, sales, distribution, and service of all entertainment and business endeavours across all Thunderbird divisions, including Thunderbird Entertainment, Great Pacific Media and Atomic Cartoons.
• Provide leadership and support to the Legal and Business Affairs team, promoting consistency, collaboration and best practices across all productions.
• Negotiate and draft talent agreements, producer agreements, rights agreements, finance agreements and other agreements in connection with the development and production of entertainment-based television and digital properties.
• Handle above and below the line guild and union matters.
• Handle and/or work with outside counsel to handle production legal, litigation, copyright and trademark, music, and rights and clearance matters.
• Handle the negotiation, drafting, and closing of all entertainment-related deals and business relationships; including deals to acquire and develop television or digital properties in all genres including factual/lifestyle, reality, scripted live-action, animation, and hybrid productions; co-production deals, distribution deals, output deals, first-look deals and all other agreements for the ancillary exploitation of intellectual property.
• Ensure compliance with company own policies, third-party agreements, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Maintain and update corporate best practices and remain up to speed on applicable financing and regulatory issues as they relate to the company’s interests.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: 

• An LLB/JD from an accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the Law Society of British Columbia or eligible for membership within a specified period.
• Minimum 7 years’ of business and legal affairs experience at a North American independent production company, broadcaster/streamer, and/or major law firm with both scripted and unscripted experience.
• Current knowledge of the legal environment, practices and trends in both independent television production in North America and internationally.
• Strong understanding of the Canadian television environment including CMF, Telefilm co-production treaties and broadcaster license agreements.
• Well established relationships within the entertainment, business affairs and legal communities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Superior analytic, negotiation and legal drafting skills.
• Unyielding attention to detail.
• Highly responsible, self-motivated, and able to thrive in an energetic, fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment.  
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to maintain credibility and effective working relationships with high level internal and external contacts.
• Proven ability to independently exercise sound judgment, make sound decisions, and perform under minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated initiative to take on tasks and set own priorities deadlines to drive results.
• Vancouver or Toronto based candidates are preferred for this role, however candidates within Canada will be considered.

START DATE: ASAP


- All Thunderbird employees in this role have the opportunity to work remotely within The Lower Mainland or The Greater Toronto Area. Those within Vancouver and the Lower Mainland can also choose hybrid and in-office options. 

INTERESTED?

Atomic Cartoons Inc. and Thunderbird Entertainment welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

We thank you for your submission; only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

While remaining sensitive, fair, and providing equitable treatment for all, Atomic Cartoons works to increase participation and advancement to reflect all personnel – including Women, Indigenous People, Visible Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities, who are all qualified members. Thus, it helps identify and remove barriers that prevent the full participation of members of designated groups in the workplace.