At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead brand strategies for iconic music merchandise and connect artists with fans.
- Company: Join Universal Music, the world's leading music company with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private medical insurance, and 25 days annual leave.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for creativity and career growth.
- Why this job: Shape the future of music merchandise and work with legendary artists.
- Qualifications: Experience in brand management and a passion for music and fashion.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
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
UMUK Merchandise is a fast-growing music merchandise department and a key, foundational part of the business, connecting artists and fans through innovative products and experiences. The team works closely with both new and established clients to acquire and actively promote merchandise rights for UMUK-signed music acts, while creating tailored products and marketing plans for each. The business unit oversees the design and ideation of merchandise and manages a portfolio of artists, providing a broad scope of services across eCommerce, tour, VIP, Fan Clubs, licensing, and retail. UMUK artists include The Beatles, Sam Fender, Lola Young, Aurora, The Last Dinner Party, Loyle Carner, FLO, Glass Animals and December 10, to name but a few.
This is a fast-paced role overseeing merchandise strategies across UMUK’s label roster. UMUK is currently looking for a Senior Brand Manager to oversee a number of the UK Label’s music brands. This individual will work with the unique needs and challenges of our clients to deliver full-service support across a variety of categories, including strategic planning, brand development, consumer marketing and creative development. The successful candidate will act as the central owner of the brands and work cross-functionally with sales, tour, licensing, direct-to-consumer and operations teams to develop creative plans and ensure they are executed flawlessly across the globe.
The B Side: Skills & Experience
- Be Managerial
- Define vision, mission, goals and strategy for each brand
- Develop a global brand building and marketing plan that fits with the client/brand vision
- Work closely with artist and their management to develop merchandising strategies resulting in best revenue opportunities.
- Awareness of the brand’s P&L and how your strategy can drive revenue
- Work with label, tour dept, sales and direct-to-consumer teams to develop integrated product/marketing campaigns around artists
- Develop and execute non-traditional marketing campaigns around artist merchandise
- Monitor and analyse business metrics in order to optimise product line and maximise commercial opportunity
- Work closely with Tour, Sales, Licensing, D2C and touring departments to develop product lines and ensure artist strategy is executed
- Develop artist brand standards and usage guidelines
- Oversee the development of existing and potential client presentation materials
- Regularly present results (both financial and creative) back to Label commercial leads and wider team.
- Be Organised
- Ensure campaigns and strategies are executed to the highest standards globally
- Oversee the management of the product portfolio for each brand including product development, creative identity, style guides and internal approvals
- Obtain and expedite all approvals required from artist
- Be Creative
- Oversee development of creative materials for artist roster
- Develop and test new product concepts
- Ensure all materials are consistent with strategy, on time and within budget, legally compliant
Person Specification
- Necessary
- Demonstrate capability driving brand growth and brand equity with smart and creative marketing plans
- Experience working cross functionally to drive brand and product initiatives from concept to execution
- A demonstrable ability of brand management specifically developing always on or evergreen and merchandise ranges.
- Proven track record of consumer engagement planning, innovative thinking, program development and execution
- A strategic approach to brand building programs
- Overall leadership and management of brand growth through sound strategic thinking and excellence in execution
- Awareness and interest in current fashion trends and styles
- Interest in music, especially pop/classic rock/urban
- Knowledge of delivering memorable brand experiences, social media campaigns, advertising campaigns, media
- Planning and brand tracking tools
- Experience in multi-cultural marketing
- Foster and develop a strong partnership with the client
- Strong experience with brand planning and marketing support
- Experience in managing innovation and new product development
- Experience coaching employees and being coached
- Experience in owning and tracking P&L and budget items with emphasis on ROI
- Independent self-starter, flexible, comfortable working in unstructured environment, and able to manage multiple priorities effortlessly
- Excellent communication skills verbal/written, meetings and presentations
- Team player with collaborative style and good listening skills
- Proficient in Word, Excel and PowerPoint
About UMG UK
We are Universal Music Group UK – the UK’s leading music-based entertainment company. We exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. We help UK artists produce, distribute and promote the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music to inspire and entertain fans at home and around the world.
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.
Senior Brand Manager, Music Merchandise employer: Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group UK is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that thrives on creativity and innovation in the heart of Kings Cross, London. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion, employees benefit from comprehensive perks such as private medical insurance, generous annual leave, and opportunities for professional growth within a leading music company that shapes culture through artistry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Brand Manager, Music Merchandise
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the music merchandise industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion for music! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, let your love for music shine through. Share your favourite artists, trends, or even your own experiences in the industry. It’ll make you memorable and relatable!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its artists. Know their merchandise strategies and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to their brand growth. Tailor your answers to show you understand their vision and can help execute it flawlessly.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. So, hit that apply button and let’s get the conversation started!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Brand Manager, Music Merchandise
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Music:When you're writing your application, let your love for music shine through! Mention specific artists or genres you connect with and how that passion drives your interest in the role. We want to see that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you genuinely care about the music industry.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for this role. Highlight your experience in brand management and marketing, especially in the music or merchandise sectors. We appreciate when candidates take the time to align their skills with what we’re looking for!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read. We love a well-structured application that clearly outlines your achievements and experiences without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website! It’s the best way to ensure it gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us that you’re serious about joining our team at Universal Music.
How to prepare for a job interview at Universal Music Group
✨Know Your Brands
Before the interview, dive deep into the brands you'll be managing. Understand their history, current market position, and recent campaigns. This will not only show your passion for the role but also help you discuss how you can elevate these brands further.
✨Showcase Your Creativity
Prepare to share examples of innovative marketing strategies you've implemented in the past. Think about how you can apply similar creative thinking to develop unique merchandise concepts that resonate with fans and drive revenue.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Metrics
Since the role involves monitoring business metrics, come prepared with examples of how you've used data to optimise product lines or marketing strategies. Highlight your experience with P&L management and how it has influenced your decision-making.
✨Demonstrate Cross-Functional Collaboration
This position requires working closely with various teams. Be ready to discuss your experience in cross-functional projects, showcasing how you’ve successfully collaborated with sales, licensing, and creative teams to execute campaigns flawlessly.
