VP, Legal, Labor Relations - WBTV
Warner Bros. Discovery
Date: 8 hours ago
City: Toronto, Ontario
Contract type: Full time
Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery… the stuff dreams are made of.
Who We Are…
When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what’s next…
From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.
Your New Role
This position serves as a senior legal and strategic advisor on labor relations matters for Warner Bros. Television and its affiliated companies, with responsibility for both U.S. and Canadian productions. The role manages union-related claims and grievances, oversees production and personnel labor issues, and ensures compliance with applicable collective bargaining agreements in both jurisdictions. It also plays a key role in industry-wide negotiations through the AMPTP and CMPA, provides guidance on enforcement matters, and supports proactive labor strategy across all content platforms. The position requires close collaboration with production, legal affairs, business affairs, and studio leadership to safeguard labor stability and advance Warner Bros.' operational goals in a dynamic and evolving entertainment landscape.
Your Role Accountabilities
This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.
Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.
If you’re a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.
In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery’s total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $196,000.00 - $364,000.00 salary per year. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.
If you’re a qualified candidate with an arrest or conviction record, please know that your application will be considered in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
Who We Are…
When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what’s next…
From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.
Your New Role
This position serves as a senior legal and strategic advisor on labor relations matters for Warner Bros. Television and its affiliated companies, with responsibility for both U.S. and Canadian productions. The role manages union-related claims and grievances, oversees production and personnel labor issues, and ensures compliance with applicable collective bargaining agreements in both jurisdictions. It also plays a key role in industry-wide negotiations through the AMPTP and CMPA, provides guidance on enforcement matters, and supports proactive labor strategy across all content platforms. The position requires close collaboration with production, legal affairs, business affairs, and studio leadership to safeguard labor stability and advance Warner Bros.' operational goals in a dynamic and evolving entertainment landscape.
Your Role Accountabilities
- Handles guild and union labor issues for Television productions. Manages a high-volume, cross-format workload requiring advanced knowledge of multiple collective bargaining agreements and production practices.
- Advises internal stakeholders—including Legal Affairs, Business Affairs, Casting, Production, and Finance—on the application of guild and union agreements. Participates in production meetings and provides solutions to time-sensitive labor challenges.
- Serves as first or second chair in US and Canadian industry-wide negotiations, requiring in-depth analysis of proposals and company positions during bargaining. Partners with senior leadership to shape proposal strategies, interpret complex issues, and represent company interests at the bargaining table.
- Handles guild and union grievances, arbitrations, and NLRB charges. Prepares strategic responses and partners with outside counsel to resolve matters with minimal disruption to production or exposure to the company.
- Manages outside counsel in arbitration and labor-related litigation, including strategy development, budgeting, and hearing preparation. Ensures consistent legal positioning across cases and departments.
- Develops and delivers labor-related training sessions to internal stakeholders. Advises on internal policy updates to ensure alignment with current labor standards, contract obligations, and industry best practices.
- Represents the company in CMPA and AMPTP working groups, guild-related boards, and cross-studio initiatives. Builds and maintains trusted relationships with union representatives and other labor executives, serving as a collaborative and influential voice within the entertainment labor community.
- 10+ years of labor, legal, and/or production experience in the entertainment industry
- Working knowledge of the various US and Canadian guild and union collective bargaining agreements
- Strong working relationships with guild and union representatives, and other studio labor executives
- Proven experience leading or second-chairing major labor negotiations
- Demonstrated success managing labor relations across multiple formats
- Track record of resolving complex grievances, arbitrations, and NLRB matters with minimal disruption to production or legal exposure
- Experience supervising and mentoring labor professionals, including attorneys and labor executives
- Background in handling organizing campaigns or union jurisdictional disputes
- Experience advising cross-functional teams (legal, business affairs, production, casting, finance) on labor risk and guild contract application
- Comfortable working in high-pressure, fast-paced environments with competing priorities and short deadlines
- BA/BS degree required
- J.D. strongly preferred.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex legal and labor concepts to both legal and non-legal audiences
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities; able to assess risk, anticipate challenges, and develop proactive, business-aligned solutions
- Demonstrated ability to navigate high-pressure situations with diplomacy, sound judgment, and discretion
- Proven track record of creative problem-solving and adaptability in a fast-paced, dynamic production environment
- Collaborative leadership style with a commitment to mentoring and developing junior team members
- Ability to build trust and work effectively with diverse internal stakeholders and external partners, including union representatives, production teams, and senior executives
- Resilience and professionalism when working with challenging personalities and managing conflict
- High level of organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands and manage multiple complex matters simultaneously
- Deep understanding of entertainment industry dynamics, production workflows, and the practical application of collective bargaining agreements across television, streaming, and feature platforms
This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.
Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.
If you’re a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.
In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery’s total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $196,000.00 - $364,000.00 salary per year. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.
If you’re a qualified candidate with an arrest or conviction record, please know that your application will be considered in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
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