About WPP Production We are WPP Production - the unified global production company that brings together all of WPP's content producers, studios and craft experts into one connected organisation. We combine world-class human craft with next generation technology to originate, design, and deliver multi-channel content systems at scale. Built for borderless collaboration and powered by deep craft expertise, we are the production engine designed for today's always on, AI driven marketing world.

About WPP WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. com .

A Hybrid working model We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

What does a Group Director, Business Affairs do at WPP Production? WPP Production is seeking a Group Director of Business Affairs to serve as a senior leadership partner within WPP Production. In this role, you will lead a large, multi-disciplinary group of business affairs, talent, and traffic managers in support of a key agency creative group within WPP .

You will work in lockstep with the Head of Production and senior agency leadership, acting as a trusted commercial partner on all production-related matters. As a strategic head of a Business Affairs group within WPP Production, you will lead all commercial, legal, and operational aspects of client engagements and production. This role ensures that all business dealings—contracts, negotiations, talent agreements, and compliance—are handled strategically, efficiently, and in alignment with the company’s financial and creative goals.

The Group Director is the ultimate gatekeeper for outward-facing work, ensuring that production has all appropriate checks and balances in place prior to creative IP being distributed for public consumption. To be successful in this role, you must be a recognized industry expert on SAG-AFTRA Commercials contracts, anticipate union moves and industry trends, and provide swift, pragmatic commercial advice. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of negotiating high-profile talent contracts, complex production agreements, and major music licensing deals.

You have your finger on the pulse of emerging media and trends as they relate to content production, while understanding the risks and rights management associated with modern, multi-platform execution. Above all, you must strike a balance between risk mitigation and enabling great creative work, ensuring that our business runs as effectively and courageously as possible.

Responsibilities

Executive Leadership and Team Oversight Team Leadership: Direct, mentor, and inspire a highly-skilled Business Affairs team within the WPP Production North American network. Team Building and Culture: Foster an inclusive, growth-minded, and collaborative environment. Establish clear career pathing, training programs, and performance standards to elevate the group’s capabilities.

Staffing and Resource Allocation: Oversee group resourcing and staffing models. Partner with executive leadership to assess workload, optimize team bandwidth, and strategically assign Business Affairs resources to client accounts and production hubs. Scoping and Budget Planning: Lead scoping and staffing discussions for Business Affairs services, ensuring proper commercial coverage is budgeted across agency SOWs.