Business Affairs Manager

Overview

Our Beauty Client is seeking a proactive and highly analytical Business Affairs Manager to support the Global Creative team. This role sits at the intersection of finance, legal operations, and creative production, ensuring fiscal accuracy, contractual integrity, and operational excellence across the Creative organization.

The Business Affairs Manager oversees financial reporting and reconciliation for Creative Opex, leads production-related contract workflows, and ensures all activities comply with the brand’s financial and legal protocols. The role supports seven Creative sub-departments—including Design, Copy, Packaging, Operations, and an in-house content production team—and serves as a trusted partner across Finance, Legal, and Creative leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting

• Ensure accuracy and integrity of all Creative financial records, reports, and documentation.
• Review and maintain Production and Freelancer trackers; validate monthly actuals for proper coding and posting.
• Investigate, resolve, and reconcile discrepancies, errors, and inaccuracies.
• Maintain fiscal year reporting, including YTD and YTG spend tracking.
• Monitor and manage rebills and reclasses in partnership with Finance and cross-functional teams.
• Generate purchase orders in Ariba across multiple cost centers and GL accounts.
• Process, track, and manage a high volume of vendor invoices; communicate payment status with vendors and internal stakeholders.

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Build and maintain monthly Production estimates for OneSource Corporate Finance, ensuring alignment with ELC strategic plans.
• Participate in monthly financial reviews with Corporate Finance, OneSource, and Creative leadership to analyze spend and budget allocation.
• Attend monthly budget check-ins with Creative sub-departments and adjust forecasts as needed.
• Cascade budget updates to Global Creative partners under the direction of the Executive Director, Creative Operations.

Contracts & Business Affairs

• Draft, review, and manage all production-related contracts in collaboration with ELC Legal and Content Producers.
• Lead initial contract negotiations with agents, vendors, and production companies; ensure agreements are fully executed prior to shoot dates.
• Serve as a Power User and subject-matter expert for financial and legal processes within the Brand and Creative organization.
• Resolve issues and inquiries related to contracts, invoicing, budgeting, and compliance.

Operations & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Run weekly cost-reconciliation meetings with Production team members and Creative Operations leadership.
• Communicate effectively with vendors, Corporate Finance, Legal, and internal teams to resolve issues and maintain workflow continuity.
• Support the Executive Director and hiring managers with interview coordination and general recruiting operations for Creative roles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 5–7+ years of experience in finance, legal operations, business affairs, or a related field.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial reporting.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to synthesize and reconcile large data sets.
• Exceptionally detail-oriented with outstanding organizational and prioritization skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented problem solver with excellent communication skills.
• Comfortable working independently while partnering cross-functionally.
• Ability to remain composed under pressure, bringing a positive attitude and sense of humor to high-intensity situations.

• #LI-SH2