Senior Business Development Manager

Role Overview:

Reporting to the Director, Business Development, the Sr. Business Development Manager will play a key role in driving strategic partnerships and leading the commercial structuring, negotiation and execution of commercial arrangements across Studio Business Group (SBG). SBG supports PlayStation Studios’ first-party business, working across studios and teams to enable the development and delivery of world-class gaming experiences. Working within the broader business development strategy, this role will lead deals from initial evaluation and commercial structuring through negotiation, contracting, internal approvals and execution. The Sr. Business Development Manager will work closely with Legal, Finance and business stakeholders to evaluate deal economics, develop commercial terms, navigate contractual and IP considerations, and drive deals toward successful completion.

The successful candidate will be an experienced and confident deal leader who combines strong commercial judgement with disciplined execution. They will be comfortable independently leading complex negotiations with external partners, while recognizing when strategic, financial or risk considerations require alignment or escalation to the Director and other senior stakeholders.

This role is located in the UK and you will operate as part of a global team, with primary responsibility for commercial matters in Europe and support for matters in other regions as business needs require.

What You'll Be Doing:

Deal Management & Negotiation

• Lead and manage commercial negotiations and strategic deals from initial opportunity assessment through execution.
• Develop negotiation approaches and commercial structures aligned with established business and commercial objectives.
• Evaluate deal economics, key value drivers, financial implications and trade-offs to support recommendations and decision-making.
• Negotiate with external partners and identify practical solutions that balance commercial opportunity with appropriate management of risk.
• Partner with senior business development and business leaders on particularly complex, high-value or strategically significant transactions.

Commercial Structuring & Contracting

• Develop and negotiate commercial terms across a range of arrangements, including partnerships, licensing and other strategic commercial arrangements.
• Partner closely with Legal, Finance and relevant business teams to evaluate contractual, licensing, intellectual property and financial considerations.
• Translate business requirements and negotiated positions into clear commercial terms.
• Identify commercial, contractual and operational risks and work with appropriate stakeholders to develop solutions or escalation paths.

End-to-End Deal Execution

• Support the commercial management of agreements throughout their lifecycle, including amendments, renewals, extensions, commercial issues and exits, working with Legal and relevant business owners as appropriate.
• Manage the deal process from initial evaluation and negotiation through contracting, approvals, execution and handoff.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders throughout the deal lifecycle to maintain alignment and drive timely decision-making.
• Develop business cases, deal recommendations and materials to support internal reviews and approvals.
• Maintain clear documentation of commercial positions, approvals, commitments and key decisions.
• Contribute to the continued development of deal-management processes, tools and governance.

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and serve as a knowledgeable commercial partner throughout the deal process.
• Act as a trusted commercial partner to business leaders and cross-functional stakeholders, providing advice on deal structures, commercial terms, negotiation strategy, rights and obligations, and commercial risk.
• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with external partners.
• Navigate differing priorities across internal teams and external partners to build alignment and move negotiations forward.
• Support ongoing partner relationships and identify opportunities to strengthen or expand commercial partnerships.

What We Are Looking For:

• 8+ years of experience in business development, deal management, commercial strategy, partnerships or a related field, with a demonstrated track record of independently leading complex commercial negotiations.
• A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent qualification or relevant professional experience) in Business, Law, Finance, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience structuring, negotiating and executing commercial arrangements, ideally within gaming, entertainment, media, tech or other IP-led industries.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to assess deal economics, value drivers, financial trade-offs and business implications.
• Working knowledge of commercial contracts, licensing and intellectual property considerations, with experience partnering closely with Legal.
• Experience managing deals across the full lifecycle, including negotiation, contracting, approvals and execution.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills and experience working across complex, cross-functional organizations.
• Ability to build credible and productive relationships with external partners.
• Sound judgement and the ability to balance commercial opportunity with legal, financial and operational considerations.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple deals and priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate commercial issues, trade-offs and recommendations.
• High standards of professionalism and integrity.
• Some domestic and international travel will be required.