Contracts Manager (12m Maternity Cover) – Kings Cross, London

Music is Universal. It’s the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music who help make us the world’s leading music company. From A&R to finance, legal to digital, sales to marketing, Universal Music is the place to grow and develop your career within a truly commercial and innovative business that leads in everything it does.

Everyone is welcome to apply for our roles, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment because of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, age, marital status, background, pregnancy, or caring responsibilities. We also recognise the importance of diversity of thought within our teams and are fully committed to embracing the talents of people with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and other forms of neurocognitive variation. We will always seek to make appropriate adjustments to recruitment, workplaces, and work processes to be fully inclusive to people with different needs and working styles. If you need us to make any reasonable adjustments for you from application onwards, including alternatives to the online form or to disclose a neurocognitive condition, please email UniversalMusicCareers@umusic.com.

The A Side: A Day in The Life

The Contracts Manager is responsible for managing legal and contractual matters across all UMPG companies and repertoire. The role also provides contract management, administrative, and general support to the Legal and Business Affairs department.

The B Side: Skills & Experience

• Be Organised
  • Maintaining the department Options Diaries, the Advances schedule and other contract management documentation and systems.
  • Preparing and maintaining the RADAR (contract tracking) documents (including UMPG Top Earners, UMPG Main Radar & Universal Production Music Radar).
  • Monitoring, tracking and communicating contractual fulfilments, including all matters related to product releases.
  • Dealing with all matters relating to the take up of options, deal extensions and expiries.
  • Drafting and issuing side letters and contractual amendments and liaising / negotiating with external third parties re the same.
  • Leading the Option meeting process including preparing for and attending Options meetings and dealing with action points identified in options meetings.
  • Preparing for and attending the UK Administration meetings including royalty close meetings and quarterly royalty payment reviews.
  • Reviewing contracts in response to internal and external requests.
  • Informing Licensing Department of required contractual clearances and consents.
  • Dealing with reduced / gratis rate mechanical licensing requests.
  • Conducting due diligence for acquisition deals.
• Be Knowledgeable
  • Dealing with general contract and admin queries (phone, email etc).
  • Answering contractual queries from internal departments and third parties in relation to all UMPG executed agreements and licences.
  • Instructing and/or assisting the UK and International Copyright and Admin team on reversion, protection of copyright and duplicate copyright claims in respect of UMPG UK catalogue worldwide.
• Be Collaborative
  • Managing relationships with UMPG stakeholders (internally and externally) and third party licensees.
  • Working with the Business Affairs Assistant and providing cover as required.
  • Other ad-hoc duties that may arise.

Personal Specification

• Necessary
  • Educated to degree standard (or equivalent).
  • Experience in dealing with commercial contracts.
  • Experience in dealing with, and an understanding of, intellectual property.
  • Confident in liaising with/presenting to senior management.
  • Excellent written skills and knowledge of grammar.
  • Previous experience of ‘high-volume’ administrative duties in a high pressured office environment.
  • Ability to prioritise workload independently and make decisions quickly.
  • High level of attention to detail, whilst handling commercial expectations and knowing how to prioritise.
  • Professional telephone manner.
  • Ability to deal with queries effectively and efficiently.
  • Time management skills and personal organisation.
  • Determination to see tasks through to completion.
  • Good understanding of office IT (Word, Outlook, Excel).
  • Personality/character - Team player; highly organised; methodical; initiative / self motivated; professional; flexible, ability to work calmly under pressure.
• Desirable
  • Previous experience of drafting legal documentation.
  • Ability to make analytical commercial decisions on deals.
  • Experience working in a copyright/royalties/synch/licensing department.
  • Business Affairs / legal experience.
  • Media / Music industry experience.
  • An interest in music.
  • Ability to introduce & develop new methods of working.

Bonus Tracks: Your Benefits

• Group Personal Pension Scheme (between 3% and 9%).
• Private Medical Insurance.
• 25 paid days of annual leave.
• Interest Free Season Ticket Loan.
• Holiday Purchase scheme.
• Dental and Travel Insurance options.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Salary Sacrifice Cars.
• Subsidised Gym Membership.
• Employee Discounts (Reward Gateway).

Just So You Know... 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.