Head of Business Affairs
Amazon
Head of Business Affairs
Amazon
Sells products online and rents cloud computing
Amazon MGM Studios is seeking a senior Business Affairs leader to drive deal-making for original film and television content in Japan — one of the world's most dynamic entertainment markets. This is an opportunity to shape the future of Japanese storytelling for a global audience on Prime Video.
As the development and production arm of Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios produces original content for Prime Video customers worldwide. In this role, you will be a leader on the business affairs team for all scripted and unscripted deals in Japan, reporting to the Head of International Business Affairs. You will bring significant experience negotiating original content development (e.g., original scripts, book options, underlying rights, overalls) and production matters (e.g., actor, writer, director, producer, and production company agreements). A comprehensive working knowledge of international film and television industry business models, development, and production methodologies is essential.
The ideal candidate understands what is market and what isn't, and can develop creative solutions to challenges that arise when blending traditional studio work with a global streaming service.
Key job responsibilities
- Lead all business affairs activities for Amazon MGM Studios Japan across scripted and unscripted original content
- Negotiate development deals including original scripts, book options, underlying rights, overall deals, and first-look arrangements
- Structure and negotiate production agreements with actors, writers, directors, producers, and production companies
- Manage, mentor, and develop a team of business affairs professionals, ensuring operational excellence and professional growth
- Advise senior creative and production executives on deal structures, risk assessment, and market-competitive terms under time-sensitive conditions
- Partner with Legal, Finance, Creative and Production to ensure deals align with corporate parameters and business objectives
- Monitor and advise on evolving market trends, competitive deal terms, and industry practices in the Japanese entertainment landscape
- Collaborate with the international Business Affairs team to ensure consistency and share best practices across territories
- Manage a varied, high-volume workload efficiently while maintaining composure in high-pressure situations
A day in the life
Your week might begin reviewing term sheets for an upcoming original series, followed by a negotiation session with a major Japanese production company. By midday, you're advising a creative executive on deal structure options for a new film project, then jumping on a call with the international Business Affairs team to align on global deal standards. Between meetings, you're coaching a team member through their first complex talent negotiation. No two days look the same — but every day involves creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and close collaboration across Amazon MGM Studios.
About the team
The Amazon MGM Studios Japan Business Affairs team is part of the broader International Business Affairs organization. We work at the intersection of creative ambition and business strategy, partnering with development, production, legal, and finance teams to bring original Japanese content to Prime Video's global audience. Our team values collaboration, intellectual curiosity, and a passion for entertainment.
- 7+ years of entertainment industry deal negotiation experience
- Experience in negotiating complex agreements with an understanding of legal terminology and reasoning
- Speak, write, and read fluently in Japanese
- Speak, write, and read fluently in English
- Experience managing a team
- J.D., MBA, or equivalent advanced degree
- Experience in content negotiation, acquisition or business development
- Experience in a studio, production company, streamer or television network
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Amazon runs the largest online store in the United States and rents cloud computing to businesses and governments through Amazon Web Services. AWS pioneered renting computing power over the internet, and Amazon built its own delivery network to get orders to customers quickly. Shoppers buy from Amazon and from independent sellers on its store, and Prime members pay a subscription for fast free shipping, streaming video and music, and other perks. AWS rents out computing power, storage, databases, and AI tools so companies can run software without owning servers, and Amazon also makes Kindle e-readers and Echo speakers with the Alexa assistant. Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, and it is based in Seattle, Washington.
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