Lead, Business Development, Licensing

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Oversee Sureel's business operations and manage the commercial aspects of negotiations with AI firms, DSPs, digital service providers, and rights holders.

• Report directly to the CEO and two Co-Presidents.

• Negotiate licensing models, revenue frameworks, payment processes, and economic structures.

• Create business use cases and commercially feasible integration terms for Sureel's infrastructure in collaboration with AI companies and DSPs.

• Formulate licensing and economic frameworks that can scale across various partners and markets.

• Structure commercial agreements involving multiple stakeholders among rights holders and industry participants.

• Collaborate with Client Relations on rights-holder relationships, managing commercial terms and deal economics.

• Engage with Warner Music Group counterparts regarding commercial terms, licensing structures, and strategic objectives.

• Supply market intelligence on emerging technologies, competitive shifts, licensing innovations, and deal dynamics.

• Act as a representative for Sureel within industry and standards organizations, including DDEX and WIPO.

• Develop pricing and packaging strategies, including enterprise fees, API and usage-based pricing, transaction fees, revenue sharing, licensing administration, analytics, and hybrid structures.

• Establish repeatable commercial and licensing frameworks.

• Assist in structuring rights, permissions, guardrails, attribution, reporting, and economic obligations within commercial agreements.

• Manage confidential and proprietary information with care and integrity.

• Contribute to shaping industry standards and licensing frameworks for programmatic implementation.

⛳️ Requirements

• Extensive experience in structuring and negotiating commercial agreements within music, media, or technology sectors, including licensing arrangements, platform integrations, revenue-share models, or rights-technology transactions.

• Proven track record of leading negotiations on the business side with platforms, DSPs, technology firms, or rights holders, managing complex deals from term sheet to signature.

• Strong understanding of music industry economics, including revenue generation from rights, licensing frameworks, and value distributions among platforms, intermediaries, and rights holders.

• Capability to model revenue structures, pressure-test assumptions, and articulate business logic effectively to technical teams and senior counterparts.

• Proficiency in structuring complex deals for various parties.

• Ability to represent leadership in high-stakes negotiations, make informed judgment calls on terms, and escalate issues when necessary.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to maintain composure in a fast-paced environment.

• Familiarity with pricing, licensing structures, technical standards, and ecosystem incentives.

• Passion for the music industry and a desire to work within a small, collaborative, startup-like team.

• Direct experience negotiating with AI companies, DSPs, or other digital service providers is advantageous.

• Experience engaging with artists, labels, publishers, or CMOs/PROs on the commercial front is a plus.

• Background in deal structuring and licensing, business development, commercial strategy, or partnerships is beneficial.

• Involvement in industry licensing, standards, or policy initiatives is a plus.

• Experience collaborating directly with C-level executives is an advantage.

• Familiarity with developing commercial models for infrastructure, APIs, marketplaces, payments, rights technology, or other platforms is beneficial.

• A curiosity about the music and entertainment landscape and the impact of AI on creators is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Flexible work hours and remote work options.

• Opportunity for professional growth and development.

• Engaging team culture that values collaboration and innovation.