Overview
Director Legal, Trademarks and Brand Protection Jobs in New York State at Wella Company
Function: Legal
Location:
NY, US
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Work Arrangement: Hybrid
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Position Title: Director Legal, Marketing and Digital IP Attorney
Location: New York City (hybrid, 3 days in the office)
Reports to: Head of IP
Direct Reports: NA
Scope / Brands: Global (with US-focus)
ROLE PURPOSE
The Director, Marketing and Digital IP Attorney will lead the IP function’s fourth pillar, Marketing & Digital, sitting alongside Patents, Trademarks, and Brand Protection within the global IP team. This role is the primary legal partner for all marketing, digital and social media IP matters, with a focus on contractual IP licensing, managing the company’s response to third-party claims related to image, music, and sound infringement across digital channels, and social media and domain account management.
The Director will combine hands-on legal expertise with proactive risk management, building the guidelines, processes, and training programs needed to minimize exposure for the business. While the role is global in scope, the primary focus will be on the US.
Success in this role will be measured by reduction in inbound IP claims, response time to third-party demands, training completion rates across marketing and digital teams, and the effectiveness of prevention frameworks in reducing repeat exposure.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
MARKETING AND DIGITAL IP STRATEGY & BUSINESS PARTNERING
Act as the lead IP partner for marketing, digital, and social media teams on all marketing and digital content and IP matters globally
Develop and implement a digital IP strategy aligned with the broader global IP framework
Advise on IP risks across digital campaigns, social media activations, influencer content, and online marketing initiatives
Establish cross-functional workflows with marketing and social media stakeholders to identify and mitigate third-party IP risks before content publication or campaign launch
Provide ad hoc advice on US trademark clearance and prosecution matters as needed, in support of the Trademarks & Brand Protection team
Partner with the Head of IP on high-risk or strategic marketing or digital IP issues
SOCIAL MEDIA & DOMAIN NAMES & DIGITAL CONTENT IP LICENSING
Lead the review, negotiation, and management of contractual IP licenses for digital and social media content, including music, images, video, and user-generated content
Develop standardized licensing frameworks and approval processes for digital content usage across brands and markets
Advise on rights clearance for campaigns, social media posts, influencer partnerships, and digital activations
Track license terms, renewal dates, and territorial or platform-specific restrictions to prevent unauthorized use
Support social media account clean-up initiatives, including account mergers, consolidation of duplicate or legacy accounts, and re-appropriation of handles or pages across platforms
Coordinate with marketing, digital, and platform partners on account ownership transfers, naming alignment, and resolution of unauthorized or dormant accounts
Lead domain name portfolio clean-up, including review and consolidation of domain name ownership, transfers, and retirement of unused or legacy domains
Coordinate with the Brand Protection team to ensure clear delineation of responsibilities (domain name watching and takedowns remain with Brand Protection; this role manages portfolio ownership and hygiene)
RESPONSE TO THIRD-PARTY IP CLAIMS (IMAGE & MUSIC)
Serve as the primary point of contact for incoming cease and desist letters alleging image, music, or sound infringement allegations in the Company’s digital and social media content
Assess the validity and risk level of inbound claims and develop response strategies in coordination with external counsel
Arrange for prompt takedown or removal of third-party assets across digital platforms and social media channels when warranted
Manage negotiations with rights holders and their counsel to resolve claims efficiently, including settlement discussions where appropriate
Coordinate closely with the Brand Protection team to ensure clear delineation of responsibilities: proactive enforcement and copyright takedowns remain with Brand Protection, while this role handles inbound third-party claims
Maintain a tracker of all inbound claims, response timelines, outcomes, and associated costs to identify patterns and inform prevention efforts
PREVENTION: GUIDELINES, PROCESSES & TRAINING
Develop and maintain clear dos and don’ts guidelines for social media posting, covering image sourcing, music/sound usage, user-generated content, and influencer material
Create practical content clearance checklists for marketing and social media teams to follow before publication
Design and deliver regular training programs for marketing, digital, and creative teams, focused on reducing the risk of third-party IP infringement allegations in digital content
Build standardized processes for pre-publication IP risk review of campaigns, social media posts, and digital activations
Use data from inbound claims (volume, type, root cause) to identify recurring risk areas and update guidelines accordingly
Monitor evolving platform rules, licensing market practices, AI-generated content developments (including AI images, AI music, and synthetic voices), and regulatory changes to keep prevention tools current.
KEY INTERFACE
Internal: Marketing, Digital, Social Media, Creative, Communications
External: Law firms, digital platforms (Meta, TikTok, YouTube), music and image licensing agencies, rights holders
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Qualified lawyer with strong experience in IP law, with particular depth in copyright, digital media, and content licensing; background in trademark law additionally preferred
Proven track record in: (a) Digital and social media IP advisory; (b) music, image, and content licensing (negotiation and management); (c) responding to copyright and IP infringement claims (preferred); (d) business partnering in consumer goods, beauty, media, or entertainment sectors
Experience managing external counsel and multi-jurisdictional digital matters
Familiarity with digital platform policies (e.g., Meta, TikTok, YouTube) and content takedown mechanisms
KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Strong business judgment and strategic thinking, with the ability to translate IP risk into practical guidance for non-legal teams
Excellent negotiation and communication skills
Ability to balance legal risk with commercial priorities in a fast-moving digital environment
High level of autonomy and execution capability
Collaborative, with the ability to operate in cross-functional global environments
Comfortable building new processes and frameworks from the ground up
We disclose the compensation range for positions in compliance with local law. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, skills and in comparison to internal incumbents currently in similar roles. Pay Range: $225-245,000 salary per year. The range listed is just one component of Wella Company’s total rewards package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonus plan or variable pay, depending on the role. In addition, Wella Company provides a rich variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid holidays and paid time off (PTO).
NOTICES
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.
If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please email [email protected]. This email account will not respond to inquiries regarding the status of a candidate’s application.
Wella participates in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. Information regarding your rights: Know Your Rights and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.
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Title: Director Legal, Trademarks and Brand Protection
Company: Wella Company
Location: New York State
Category:
