Universal Music Group – Director, Streaming & Playlist Strategy (Hip-Hop & RnB) (United States)

Virgin Music is looking for a Director, Streaming & Playlist Strategy. The Director will interface with the programmers of all accounts and streaming services, preparing and strategizing for Hip-Hop + R&B releases for our labels. The primary focus of this role is to provide editorial playlists, strategize to grow a recording across various playlists, maintain best-in-class relationships, and analyze user behavioral data to identify opportunities in the streaming ecosystem. This role requires regular visibility reports, planning, strategy and recommendations with DSP partners, labels and artists. Regular presentations to discuss user behavior, consumption data and organizational strategy.

This role will work collaboratively within the sales team and report to the sales marketing manager. It requires a wide range of skills in a very dynamic and forward-thinking group of labels and requires a unique perspective to think ahead and anticipate the needs of tomorrow today.

How we do it:

As Director, Distribution Strategy and Mailing List, you will play a key role in promoting and securing the visibility and repertoire of our artists in the commercial space. You will create effective streaming marketing campaigns that will serve as vehicles to drive streaming discovery and growth. You will live and breathe the ecosystem of the editorial playlist and communicate regularly with our partners so that our labels, artists and repertoire are at the top of the list for all opportunities.

How will you CREATE:

Relationship Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships and work specifically with DSP / Streaming service programmers (Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon, Pandora, Tidal, etc.), cultural capital and data to achieve targets / goals / plans while supporting / providing the necessary asset gathering and pitch administration.

Partner Relationships: Work with label partners and business partners to develop the strategy and provide the assets necessary for the best approach to market while being available for meetings to provide performance summaries to the using internal dashboards and data tools. This information will help you formulate your advice, strategy and weekly reports.

Data-driven analytics: Query and talk to specific data points significant to account relationships and artist / manager expectations, using this information to determine your strategic next steps in growing a recording on recording services. streaming. Manage a weekly priority list and immerse yourself in user behavior and consumer data.

Go-to-market strategy: Understand the demographics that make up the hypothesis of streaming partner playlists and artist fan bases, and, based on the timeline and information provided, regularly develop and communicate targets for playlist and streaming goals.

Marketing Tools: Help develop and nurture a variety of targeted marketing and communications tools inside and outside the organization to ensure that all priority content, assets and drivers are presented to the contacts of consistently and in near real time.

Promotional Alignment: Find, secure, and ensure execution of promotional opportunities as part of the opportunity, including partner-led content capture activations or launch events.

Partner Currency: Together with the Marketing and Social Media teams, help develop the Account Partner Currency in the form of social media tags, playlists and various other uses of partner platforms and toolkits to support partnerships with artists.

Culture-driven focus: knowing, immersing yourself in and speaking eloquently about the pulse / relevance of an artist within performing culture, conveying what is meaningful for account relationships and comparing expectations artists / managers.

Weekly Updates: Create and manage weekly updates for all partners, highlighting playlist additions, areas of growth, and priority post opportunities. Also work with label partners to ensure they consistently provide concise / meaningful updates to the sales team.

New Opportunities: Constantly look for new third party partners who can help market and promote our releases. Plus, work with pre-existing partners to develop new ways to help raise the profile of our partners.

Virgin Music ‘Branding’ / Visibility: Acting as the ‘face’ of Virgin Music, maintaining a presence at concerts and events (post-COVID).

Bring your VIBE:

• 6+ years of music industry experience with a focus on streaming, consumer driven sales, promotion or marketing
• A long-standing passion and in-depth knowledge of Hip-Hop + R&B music, past and present
• Experience in strategizing and executing marketing campaigns, including presenting proposals to potential clients
• Knowledge of and interest in taste makers and critical players in the Hip-Hop + R&B community and where / when to best use
• Must be familiar with / able to navigate partner dashboards and adapt to many data tools, with the ability to understand user behavior through data
• Must be tech-savvy with a deep understanding of current and upcoming cultural, musical and sub-genre trends, a bonus for interest in technology and general market trends
• Must have many key contacts / relationships in the Hip-Hop + R&B landscape (Apple, Spotify, Tidal, etc., as well as radio, blogs, trendsetters, press, etc.)
• Applicants should be outgoing, analytical, creative, innovative, detail-oriented and resourceful.
• Ability to act as a leader and advocate for gender in multiple departments including, but not limited to A&R, digital, finance, international, legal, marketing, promotion and sales, on a daily basis
• A relaxed and confident approach to all internal and external business relationships. The ability to put yourself in the position of an artist, manager or partner at any time to see their side as needed
• Must have a desire and be available for after-hours meetings, performances, artist and programmer relations (post-COVID)

Skills / Knowledge:

• An irreproachable ability to establish and maintain numerous relationships in the industry, with a “partner first” mindset
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to effectively communicate strategy, results and market conditions that will drive project growth and optimization
• Must have a solid understanding of the streaming landscape and how to optimize content on platforms
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize based on a changing workload and rapidly changing environment
• Must have an appetite for processes and a willingness to use project management tools
• Strong attention to detail
• A great storyteller with strong communication skills with the ability to write and communicate performance results to leaders and management
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills including adaptability, personal effectiveness and the ability to build relationships quickly
• Strong organizational and time management skills including prioritization and tracking
• Must be collaborative. A team player who is ready to be part of a “family” culture

Reading list of benefits:

• Competitive compensation including salary, benefits and a generous 401k savings plan
• Paid holidays – Paid public holidays, “Gift week”, Summer Fridays
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Support for employee development
• Annual Gymnasium Reimbursement Package
• Pet Insurance, and much more!
• Universal Music Group is an equal opportunity employer

Disclaimer: This job description provides only an overview of the job responsibilities that are subject to change.