Director, Acquisitions (Paramount Pics)

Storytelling is, and will always be, the heart of what we do at Skydance.
Our vision is to build a thriving entertainment ecosystem where stories and worlds are imagined, brought to life and experienced. We create for every age and audience, anchored by the strength of our content and experiences and the depth of our connection with fans. We are creator-first, audience-focused, tech-forward, globally scaled. Here, you’ll work with talented teams that move fast, think boldly and collaborate with purpose to deliver results. We aim high, champion the best ideas and win together, earning the trust of our employees, creators, partners and audiences every day. If you’re energized by the opportunity to help build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology, we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard. LET’S GO!

Overview:

If you thrive at the intersection of dealmaking, financial analysis, and creative judgment, this role is for you. We’re hiring a Director, Acquisitions to help shape Paramount Picture’s film slate. This role sits at the center of the studio’s acquisitions strategy, structuring and negotiating deals while partnering closely with finance and legal to evaluate opportunities across the global marketplace. You’ll build deep familiarity with the studio’s output and licensing deals, and use that knowledge to identify commercial opportunities that align with our broader strategy.

You will be the studio’s presence at major festivals and markets, including Sundance, Cannes, TIFF, and AFM, leading internal prep, briefing the EVP, and representing Paramount directly in conversations with filmmakers, producers, and sales agents. Beyond the deal, you’ll stay involved through post-production, offering creative feedback on cuts, and you’ll drive cross-departmental coordination through mastering, marketing, distribution, and publicity to ensure a successful launch.

This role requires someone who can move fluidly between financial rigor and creative instinct, with the relationships and market fluency to spot opportunities.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Structure, negotiate, and execute acquisitions deals, utilizing financial analysis and strategic insight in partnership with finance and legal teams

• Lead financial evaluation of acquisition opportunities, partnering with finance to build and analyze P&L models to inform valuation and overall deal strategy

• Maintain deep familiarity with the studio’s global output and licensing deals and leveraging them effectively in the evaluation of acquisition opportunities worldwide

• Lead sourcing, tracking, and evaluation of packages across the global marketplace, identifying commercial opportunities aligned with the overall acquisition strategy

• Maintain and cultivate strong relationships across agencies, financiers, filmmakers, producers, and international sales companies to gain access to high-level acquisition opportunities

• Lead internal preparation for major film festivals and markets (e.g., Sundance, Cannes, TIFF, AFM), including identifying priority titles, coordinating team coverage, and preparing the EVP with relevant materials and market intelligence to align internal stakeholders around acquisition targets

• Represent the studio in market-facing conversations at festivals and markets, attending screenings and meetings with filmmakers, producers, and sales agents to evaluate opportunities and communicate the studio’s acquisition priorities

• Provide strategic guidance and creative feedback to filmmakers and producers on acquired projects, including reviewing cuts during post-production and collaborating with creative stakeholders to help shape the final film

• Maintain deep familiarity with the domestic and international sales landscape, sourcing market intelligence on upcoming projects and monitoring buyer sentiment

• Oversee the lifecycle of acquired titles from acquisition through release, driving cross-departmental coordination across mastering, marketing, distribution, publicity, and legal to ensure timely delivery, optimal windowing strategy, and successful launch

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in film, Business, Media, or a related field

• 8+ years of experience in film acquisitions, distribution, or sales, preferably with a major studio or agency

Additional Qualifications:

• Strong analytical and financial modeling literacy, with the ability to interpret P&L projections and apply financial insights to acquisition decision-making

• Established industry relationships across the creative and sales communities

• Strong understanding of the global film marketplace and distribution landscape

• Proven ability to evaluate material, talent packages, and market dynamics through both a creative and commercial lens

• Exemplary written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to interface effectively with senior leadership as well as external partners

Founded in 1912, Paramount Pictures works with talented filmmakers to produce and distribute entertainment around the world. The film studio’s iconic logo has opened some of the most successful and beloved films in cinematic history, including timeless classics such as The Godfather, Chinatown, Forrest Gump and Titanic; and blockbuster franchises such as Star Trek, Transformers, Mission: Impossible and Sonic the Hedgehog. Recent, innovative, break-out films such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Arrival, Rocketman, and A Quiet Place have added to Paramount’s film legacy. With a beautiful 65-acre lot in the heart of Hollywood, a worldwide network of offices and a culture of engagement, Paramount Pictures’ passionate employees ensure the studio continues to deliver creativity and innovation to a dynamic industry. Paramount Pictures controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, and Paramount Players. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group. Paramount Pictures is a subsidiary of Paramount, which connects with billions of people worldwide through its global brands including MTV, CBS, Paramount Network, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET and streaming service Paramount+.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hiring Salary Range: $115,000.00 - 140,000.00. 

The hiring salary range for this position applies to New York, California, Colorado, Washington state, and most other geographies. Starting pay for the successful applicant depends on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.  The benefits available for this position include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) plan, life insurance coverage, disability benefits, tuition assistance program and PTO or, if applicable,  as otherwise dictated by the appropriate Collective Bargaining Agreement. This position is bonus eligible.  

What We Offer :

• Attractive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages. Check out our full list of benefits here .
• Generous paid time off.
• Complimentary subscriptions to HBO Max, Paramount+, and other Skydance streaming services and digital news products.
• Robust employee engagement opportunities, including access to exclusive screenings and events, speaker series, volunteer activities and more.

Skydance is an equal opportunity employer (EOE)

We embrace the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit. In line with the laws of the country or region in which the role is based, this includes consideration without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion or belief, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, union status or any other category protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you may request a reasonable accommodation during the job application and/or recruitment process. You can request reasonable accommodations by calling View phone number on careers.paramount.com or by sending an email to View email address on careers.paramount.com. Only messages left for this purpose will be returned.