Director, Talent & Creator Partnerships

About BuzzFeed, Inc.

BuzzFeed, Inc. (Nasdaq: BZFD) is home to the best of the internet with a mission to spread joy and truth. Across entertainment, news, food, pop culture, and commerce, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, and buy now — and into the future. Born on the internet in 2006, BuzzFeed, Inc. is committed to improving it: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives. 

🐝🎥 BuzzFeed Studios: Where Stories Come to Life

BuzzFeed Studios brings stories to life for hundreds of millions around the world, creating entertainment and viral content that sparks joy, inspires, and gets people talking. Our portfolio includes household names like BuzzFeed, Tasty, BuzzFeed Celeb, Cocoa Butter, Pero Like, and Unsolved, reaching over 134M people each month through articles, videos, quizzes, podcasts, newsletters, and more.

Business Area: Content

Job Category: BuzzFeed Studios

Salary: $135,000.00- $150,000.00 USD 

Union Status: Non-Union 

BuzzFeed Inc. is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. We reserve the ability to adjust the final compensation for this role based on the final candidate's experience, skillset, certifications, and geography.

The Community You Will Join

BuzzFeed Studios is looking for a Director, Talent and Creator Partnerships to oversee and grow its creator business and overall talent relationships. This individual will be the primary architect of the Studios relationships with both digital creators and Hollywood talent.

Part creative, part deal-maker, part relationship manager, the Director, Talent and Creator Partnerships will work alongside producers, and brand and social leads to identify the right faces for our content—ranging from emerging TikTok stars to established traditional talent. The role will own the entire relationship with these creators/talent: from sourcing/discovering, to bringing in the relationship, navigating complex negotiations with reps, to executing the partnership successfully. The Director, Talent and Creator Partnerships is focused on supporting the Studio from an editorial and branded perspective and will require exceptional organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders, and impeccable written and verbal communication/diplomacy skills. 

The ideal candidate possesses a deep rolodex of industry contacts (talent, reps, managers, and agents) and understands the nuances of both creator-led branded content and traditional talent agreements. This individual should thrive in a fast-paced environment, working autonomously while working alongside a cross-functional team of multi-hyphenates. This role reports to the SVP, Distribution and Business Development.

A Typical Day

• Partner with brand and social leads to identify high-impact talent and creators; lead the outreach, vetting, and management of these relationships.
• Act as the primary bridge between BuzzFeed Studios and the talent industry. Build and maintain robust relationships with talent agents, managers, and publicists at major firms and boutique agencies.
• Lead the negotiation of complex talent agreements and creator deals.
• In partnership with the Business organization, manage the Creator Product and maintain BuzzFeed Studios system of tracking both editorial and branded partnerships.
• Partner with Data teams to track and analyze ROI (e.g., audience growth, engagement metrics, and revenue impact).
• Serve as the senior point of contact for talent, ensuring they have a premium experience working with BuzzFeed Studios and encourage long-term partnerships.
• Represent BuzzFeed Studios at major industry events, festivals, and conferences to maximize networking and business development opportunities.
• Work alongside relevant teams in the Studio and Business organizations to deliver on creator/talent obligations for branded deals. 
• Work with Editorial, Social, and Sales teams to identify social trends and priority brands, making strategic recommendations for talent who can drive growth in these areas.
• Partner with Marketing to develop materials/one-sheets for individual creators.
• Continuously develop our talent offering to ensure BuzzFeed Studios remains an industry leading partner for both talent and advertisers.

Who You Are

• 8+ years in talent relations, casting, or partnerships, ideally at a major studio, publisher, streamer, or talent agency.
• Proven track record working with both digital-native creators and traditional talent (actors, hosts, etc.).
• A deep, active network of contacts across major and boutique talent agencies and management firms.
• Expert-level understanding creator and talent contracts, deal structures, talent fees, and industry-standards for both digital creators and traditional talent.
• Experience using project management tools like Airtable to manage a high volume of talent leads and active deals.
• Impeccable communication and diplomacy skills
• The ability to navigate the personalities and egos of the industry while securing the interests of the business.
• A calm, collected approach under pressure.
• The ability to pivot between high-level strategy and granular execution.
• A passion for driving measurable results and surpassing goals.

Use of artificial intelligence or an LLM such as ChatGPT during the interview process may be grounds for rejection of your application.

Life at BuzzFeed, Inc.

We celebrate inclusion and are committed to equal-opportunity employment. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, gender, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other protected category.

You can expect:

• A supportive, inclusive atmosphere on a team that values your contributions.
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth through work experience, offerings from our in-house Learning Team, our Employee Resource Groups, and more.
• An attractive and equitable compensation package, including salary.
• A well-rounded benefits program featuring paid time off, unlimited sick time, comprehensive medical benefits, a family leave policy, access to mental health platforms, retirement plans, health and wellness discounts, and much more.