Senior Manager, Rights Management

The Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California in 2028, returning to the United States for the first time in over 30 years. 2028 will be the first time LA hosts the Paralympic Games, creating an opportunity to expand awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities.

LA28, the organizers for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, is on a mission to create an unparalleled Games experience for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people. Our vision is to collectively create what’s next through sport, community and the power of our differences.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will represent LA and leverage the strength of our community’s diversity and creativity as we collectively work to design a Games that we all want to be a part of. We do this by focusing on people and by inviting everyone into the story of the LA28 Games.

The LA28 organizing committee is an independent, non-profit organization that is privately funded and governed by a board of directors. 

Our Vision is to collectively create what’s next by harnessing sport, community and the power of our differences. Our Mission is to create an unparalleled Paralympic and Olympic Games for athletes, fans, partners, our community and our people.

Values and Behaviors:

• Optimism – Embody a positive, enthusiastic, and solution-oriented attitude in everything we do; challenge the status quo, inspire and support one another to achieve our best; have our eyes on the future and believe we can make a meaningful impact
• Integrity – We communicate openly and honestly, listen, and respectfully value multiple perspectives; we do what we say and are accountable for everything we do; we do the right thing, always. Even when it isn’t easy
• Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standard and expectations; we live our values and truths and persevere through challenges; we are continuous learners and adapt and pivot with speed to meet changing needs
• Inclusion – We seek to represent, include, empower and level the playing field; our work reflects the communities we serve and the world in which we live; we leverage our platforms to bring awareness to issues relevant to who we are
• Co-Creation – We are authors of a shared story. Everyone contributes their unique voice to our shared mission; we share pride in our accomplishments and ownership of our shortcomings
• Boldness – We embrace creativity, courage and outside-the-box thinking; we are unafraid to take risks, explore unconventional solutions, and learn from the process; we are innovators, disruptors, and challengers of the status quo

Senior Manager, Rights Management:

The Senior Manager, Rights Management will be an integral part of the LA28 team, responsible for various marketing- and IP-related matters including day-to-day engagement with both internal and external stakeholders to refine, implement, and oversee various intellectual property rights management systems and strategies, and manage approvals of external requests for use of intellectual property.  This position will leverage critical-thinking, communication, relationship-building, process creation, management skills, and sound judgment to (1) oversee the administration of the organization’s Stakeholders Approvals Management (“SAM”) system; (2) liaise with internal executives on rights management and approvals of requests to use intellectual property; and (3) guide stakeholders within and without the Olympic and Paralympic Movements on various marketing- and IP-related issues, approvals, and implementations.   

The ideal candidate will have experience with a wide range of marketing functions, including project management, business operations, communications, advertising, branding, digital marketing, experiential and social media.  They must be organized and adept at multitasking, able to handle many diverse projects at once and meet tight deadlines.  The accelerated onboarding and integration of the Senior Manager, Rights Management will be critical.  This role offers an unparalleled opportunity to increase your professional network, gain valuable skills, and grow with the organization as we gear up for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games!   

This position will report to a Managing Counsel. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the administration of the Stakeholders Approvals Management (“SAM”) system
• Liaise with internal executives on rights management and approvals of requests to use intellectual property
• Guide stakeholders within and without the Olympic and Paralympic Movements on external requests for use of various marketing- and IP-related issues, approvals, and implementations
• Build strong relationships with internal teams and their external stakeholders  
• Proactively monitor and advise on the use of intellectual property for external parties such as International Federations, venues, and varied community stakeholders
• Devise and implement a co-creation operational framework that benefits all stakeholders using the system
• Review creative and approvals in the SAM system, which includes coordinating with senior leadership and internal cross-functional departments
• Manage ongoing stakeholder engagement through meetings, conference calls, and written correspondence
• Engage in ongoing refinement of internal approval and communication processes and planning, including with regard to operation of the SAM system
• Prepare activity reports and metrics for measuring program success and impact
• Support delivery and execution of Games-time contractual obligations and additional needs 
• Partner with the functional area experts across the Olympic and Paralympic Movements to educate and train them on rights management and processes
• Liaise with IOC, IPC, USOPC, National Governing Bodies, and other stakeholders as needed
• Supervise support staff working on rights management matters
• Engage in a steady stream of self-directed analytical work, meetings, and decision-making
• Work closely with individual departments to anticipate, identify, and manage expectations and external relationships
• Perform significant projects / duties as assigned by supervisor or other key personnel

Expectations:

• 7+ years experience in brand/marketing guidelines and approvals and/or intellectual property clearances required, preferably with leadership experience 
• Hands-on experience in building and implementing processes and systems, including ensuring consistency and ensuring buy-in from multiple stakeholders, and leading relationships with strategic partners
• General understanding and experience with intellectual property and brand/marketing principles
• Strong operational and program execution skills
• Strong cross-functional skills and capacity for creativity/innovation 
• Excellent presentation preparation skills and ability to work successfully with varied audiences
• Commitment to understanding industry trends 
• Knowledge and first-hand experience within the sports marketing industry desired; experience in the Olympic or Paralympic Movements is a plus
• Clear communicator with attention to detail  
• Self-directed/self-starter individual with excellent organizational skills and possessing personal drive to start a project and see it through to completion 
• Demonstrated ability to organize complex projects and supervise support staff
• Strong interpersonal skills including ability to communicate effectively with a variety of contacts, including outside parties, senior management, and business associates
• Excellent judgment, knowing when to escalate issues
• Excellent analytical skills, capable of identifying and prioritizing issues and providing alternative solutions
• Excellent project and time management skills and ability to manage and prioritize changing workloads to meet deadlines
• Consistently able to make sense of complex and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve issues
• Consistently able to adapt approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations
• Positive, team-oriented, and collaborative attitude
• High level of personal integrity and professional ethics; ability to maintain confidentiality
• Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
• Local candidates preferred

Physical requirements

• Ability to work in an office environment, based in Los Angeles, CA
• The majority of work may be conducted in an office setting, requiring extended periods of time using computers, phones, and other office equipment

While experience in these areas is nice to have, we also look for candidates with intellectual curiosity and a demonstrated ability to learn quickly to round out areas where a candidate may not have depth of experience.  This job description is a general summary of responsibilities and requirements and is not intended to be all-inclusive of the responsibilities and requirements of this position.

Education:

• Undergraduate degree required or equivalent work experience

The annual base salary range for this position is $115,000.00 - $130,000.00. The pay scale provided is the range that LA28 reasonably expects to pay as starting base compensation for this role. All LA28 compensation remains subject to final determination based on individual candidate qualifications, experience, or other reasonable criteria consistent with LA28’s operational business needs and applicable law.

LA28 does not provide relocation assistance.

LA28 is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin, or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We strive to build a team that is diverse, inclusive and encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities to apply. We will consider all qualified candidates with criminal histories in a manner consistent with local law. We assess applications based on relevant skills, education, and experience a candidate can add to our team.