Manager, Music Rights & Clearances

OVERVIEW

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide.

Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role s means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

• Final date to receive applications:
  Friday, October 16th, at 5:00 pm ET

As the Music Rights & Clearances Manager, you will serve as the essential bridge between NPR Music’s creative programming and the complex landscape of intellectual property rights in an evolving media environment. You will lead the end-to-end clearance process for flagship productions—including the globally recognized Tiny Desk series—acting as a critical partner between production units, legal counsel, and external music industry rights holders.

This is a high-impact operational role for a detail-oriented licensing professional ready to modernize rights-tracking infrastructure, execute publishing and master agreements, and protect the artistic integrity and legal compliance of one of the most influential entities in music and public media.

• Clear Publishing & Composition Rights: Manage the research, negotiation, and clearance of musical compositions and publishing rights for NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts, special music events, and other programming.
• Secure Master & Synchronization Licenses: Lead the acquisition of master recording, sync, performance rights, and other clearances for music-focused podcasts, documentary video series, and digital editorial packages.
• Administer Releases & Performance Documentation: Maintain robust systems to verify that all featured artists, touring musicians, and record labels have signed required appearance releases, liability agreements, and rights documentation prior to broadcast or publication.

• Oversee Multi-Platform Digital Rights: Collaborate with Permissions Department and external distribution partners to monitor, claim, and clear music rights across third-party digital platforms (e.g., You Tube, Tik Tok, Instagram, and streaming channels).
• Coordinate Royalties & Distribution Accounting: Partner with internal finance teams, accounting colleagues, and external rights holders to support payment schedules and reconcile royalty obligations related to content distribution models.
• Manage Inbound & Outbound Rights Agreements: Review, execute, and archive inbound licenses and outbound syndication agreements, maintaining compliance across all content-sharing partnerships.

• Design & Implement Clearance Workflows: Design, document, and operationalize repeatable cross-functional clearance workflows and intake protocols that eliminate bottlenecks between production teams, legal counsel, and external partners.
• Partner with Office of General Counsel: Collaborate closely with NPR’s legal team to interpret contractual provisions, assess intellectual property risk, and enforce organizational compliance standards across all…