As a Business Affairs Manager in ITV Studios Scripted Drama team I am responsible for supporting the creative teams to realise programmes from development through to transmission. Working closely with ITV Studios creatives across the drama slates of Quay Street Productions, Silverprint Pictures, Tall Story Pictures, Happy Prince and Jeff Pope's factual drama's. This includes negotiating and contracting appropriate talent and participant deals; acquiring rights in books, scripts etc; commissioning original work from new writers; broadcaster agreements and co-production deals. Dealing regularly with all the major UK broadcasters, SVOD commissioners, talent agents and agencies and publishers, seeking to enhance and build ongoing relationships for our mutual benefit. Providing trusted advice on the business affairs implications of programmes, to anticipate any legal and rights concerns and to offer solutions to resolve these challenges. • Negotiating and contracting of third party agreements, including talent and contributor agreements, commissioning agreements with broadcasters, access arrangements, format and other underlying agreements, and deals with key third party rights holders.• Working with key Creative Heads to deliver their business affairs requirements throughout the creative process, from development through to delivery• Developing and maintaining relationships with key agents, creative talent, publishers and commercial partners.• Providing excellent organisational management of busy production slates ensuring that deals are accurately reflected within company databases and shared with relevant departments• Drafting of standard and bespoke contracts with sound understanding of underlying legislation and commercial parameters and with strong attention to detail.• Ensuring that ITVS’s deals support ITV’s rights strategies and to play a part in the setting and implementation of these frameworks

• Negotiation and contacting writers and creators of comedy content for the BBC in house comedy teams. • Liaising closely with the comedy production teams to establish their requirements and advise on fees, rights and any clearance issues associated with the production or distribution of their programmes. • Drafting deals as appropriate to engage established and emerging talent, taking into consideration the various union and framework agreements as appropriate. • Effectively communicating and negotiating daily with comedy agents and representatives on a wide number of deals and proposals. • Keeping up to date across the wider comedy and broadcasting industry to further develop links with the talent, agents and other involved third parties.

• Negotiation and contacting of writers, contributors and creators of drama and comedy content for BBC Northern Ireland• Managed the business affairs across the long running soaps such as Eastenders, Holby City, Casualty and Doctors. • Worked closely with the production teams to engage the writers across the soaps and other contributors, such as specialist medical or police consultants. • Provided excellent organisational skill to manage a high volume area, utilising a wide range of databases and creating bespoke spreadsheets and systems to record and track writers.

• Worked closely with the Locations Manager on BBC in house productions to provide productions with locations, access agreements to properties and studios for the purpose of filming. • Working to specific budgets, negotiated with a variety of external third parties such as the National Trust, local councils, commercial property owners, as well as individual members of the public. • Ensuring always to adhere to BBC policies, ensuring the acquisition of all the relevant permissions and rights as needed.

The Rights Assistant position involved clearing the rights in a wide range of programming for secondary use including on what was then the new BBC digital channels. Investigating the contractual and rights positions on historical programmes to ensure the BBC were able to exploit the programmes as desired and acquiring those rights were needed.