Call for applications: Universal Music South Africa A and R manager

The position is permanent and the successful candidate will report to the head of the local urban department.

Main purpose of the role

The A&R manager will be responsible for identifying and evaluating talent, managing the full roster of artists, and representing the commercial interests of both the label and the artists.

“You will provide strategic and operational directives to ensure a healthy churn rate and deliver a new release repertoire of the highest quality,” Universal Music South Africa said. “You will also liaise with the marketing team to develop effective and creative marketing plans for each artist, collaborate with business affairs to oversee acquisitions for the roster and identify and develop artists for international exploitation. Additionally, you will lead and mentor the A&R team at UMG SA.”

Person specification

• Identify and source potential artists, labels, catalogues and repertoire for the UMG SA roster.
• Manage the full roster of UMG SA, providing strategic and operational directives to achieve a healthy churn rate and deliver a high-quality new release repertoire.
• Work with UMG SA artists, their managers, and other members of the creative community to ensure the steady availability of new release repertoire.
• Oversee the delivery of all recorded music assets, including audio and video masters, artwork, lyrics, and accompanying legal and label documentation required by product teams.
• Liaise with the marketing team to develop effective and creative marketing plans for each artist and assist in maximising the exploitation of revenue streams.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to develop and procure synchronisation licenses with third parties to drive licensing revenue.
• Work with UMG’s business affairs team to oversee and implement acquisitions for the UMG SA roster to ensure compliance with best practices and company policy.
• Work with the Head of the Department to identify and develop artists and repertoire for international exploitation.
• Adopt a best-practices approach to innovation in the business and provide leadership and mentorship to the A&R team.
• Manage relationships with UMG SA artists and their representatives.
• Attend regular meetings to review the roster with other relevant internal stakeholders.
• Develop a clear A&R strategy and brief for your scout network, outlining the types of artists you are looking for, the genres of music you are interested in, and the markets you want to target.
• Provide your scouts with the necessary tools and resources to effectively identify and evaluate new artists, such as access to industry databases, music platforms, and data analytics tools.
• Establish clear communication channels with your scouts, including regular check-ins and status updates, to ensure that they are aligned with your A&R strategy and that you are aware of any new opportunities or challenges.
• Train your scouts on best practices for evaluating talent, such as assessing an artist's live performance, social media presence, streaming data, and fan engagement.
• Provide your scouts with feedback and support to help them improve their scouting skills and to encourage a collaborative culture within your A&R team.
• Implement clear processes for reviewing and evaluating scout recommendations and ensure that all recommendations are thoroughly vetted before making any investment decisions.
• Regularly review and assess the performance of your scout network and make adjustments as needed to optimise your A&R strategy and maximise the success of your roster of artists.

Education and experience

• Relevant tertiary diploma or certificate in business management, marketing, or communications.
• Qualification in sound engineering or a similar studio recording-related field is an added advantage.
• Solid A&R experience gained within the music industry.
• Understanding of market forces and how to best position artists in relevant markets.
• Proven experience in delivering creative and cost-effective music content for streaming exploitation.
• Understanding of P&L management and the business planning process.
• Demonstrated complex problem-solving and decision-making skills and the organisational skills to manage and prioritise a varied workload.
• Demonstrated the ability to quickly build credible working relationships at all levels of the company.
• Experience successfully driving collaborative working and managing conflicting points of view.
• A persuasive and confident communicator who has a strong network of key contacts and is an excellent negotiator.
• Enthusiastic and engaging, with a clear passion for artists and repertoire.
• Provides clear direction in a collaborative and mentoring way to drive a dynamic and changing environment and achieve results.
• Entrepreneurial approach to taking initiative and capitalising on opportunity while remaining calm under pressure.
• Confident, credible, and self-aware individual.

Diversity and inclusion

Universal Music is an equal opportunities employer and committed to the principle of diversity.

Disclaimer

The company presents this job description as a guide to the major areas and duties for which the jobholder is accountable. However, the business operates in an environment that demands change and the jobholder’s specific responsibilities and activities will vary and develop. Therefore, the job description should be seen as indicative and not as a permanent, definitive, and exhaustive statement.

Interested artists should apply via email at: noni.jacobs@umusic.com before 29 May.

Note: All UMG employees are currently required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before entering any company offices unless they have been approved for an exemption or unless prohibited by applicable law.