Director, Global A&R

Warner Music Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading music company in Canada is looking for a Director, Global A&R to manage artist identification and development. The ideal candidate will have 8-10 years in A&R roles and a passion for emerging talent. Responsibilities include market analysis, project management, and developing global strategies for artist growth. This full-time position based in Toronto offers a salary range of $110,000 - $140,000 annually and requires being in the office four days a week.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 to 10 years in A&R or related roles with track record.
• Passion for music with an ear for emerging talent.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify emerging talent for frontline labels.
• Collaborate with producers, songwriters, and artists.
• Oversee project execution and recording budgets.
• Build strategies for global artist exposure.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and analysis.

Skills

Talent Identification & Acquisition

Creative Development & Artist Strategy

Project Management

Market Analysis

Strong leadership skills

Education

Post-secondary education in Creative Arts, Music or Business Management

Job description

Overview

At Warner Music Group, we are a global collective of music makers and music lovers, tech innovators and inspired entrepreneurs, game-changing creatives and passionate team members. We value curiosity, collaboration and commitment, and work across diverse businesses to turn dreams into stardom and audiences into fans. WMG is home to a wide range of artists, musicians and songwriters and is committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Job Title: Director, Global A&R

Reports To: President, Warner Music Canada

Department: A&R

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Regular, Full Time

Working Hours: 37.5 hours/week

Pay range: $110,000 - $140,000 annual

Vacancy: New Position

Your Role

This role works closely with WMG's Global A&R team, local A&R teams in different regions, artists, producers, and internal teams to tailor the release of new music via artist features and remixes. The role will craft and execute a roadmap for new artist signings at WM Canada / ADA Canada and identify emerging talent for frontline labels. This position requires a combination of creative vision, deep industry knowledge, and the ability to drive innovation in talent acquisition and artist development.

What You’ll Get To

• Talent Identification & Acquisition:
  Work across different countries and regions to identify emerging talent for frontline labels. Lead the identification and signing of exceptional artists across genres, with a focus on long-term career development and market impact. Develop and maintain strong relationships with key industry influencers, managers, agents, and other music professionals.

• Creative Development & Artist Strategy:
  Collaborate with producers, songwriters and artists to shape and execute their musical vision. Provide creative guidance, mentorship, and support throughout the recording process to ensure each artist’s sound resonates with global audiences. Set up periodic songwriter camps. Work with the publishing community to solicit and review songs for artists on our labels.

• Project Management & Oversight:
  Oversee development and execution of projects by managing producers, songwriters and other collaborators, monitor recording budgets, and ensure timelines and milestones are achieved efficiently. Preserve the artist’s ideas and integrity; act as liaison between labels and artists, producers, songwriters, management and attorneys. Partner with Marketing to develop and execute strategies and release schedules that showcase our artists, including storytelling and multichannel engagement. Support frontline A&Rs to evaluate quality and maximize artist work. Oversee rollout from pre-planning to completion of artist video shoots, recording sessions, production, and other artist-centric projects. Travel and time in studios with current artists and potential partners.

• Market Analysis & Industry Trends:
  Stay ahead of emerging trends, identify opportunities to engage new audiences, review market performance, and adjust artist development strategies. Monitor social media and other platforms to stay connected to innovations in music and related spaces.

• Global Impact & Branding:
  Build and execute strategies for global artist exposure and growth. Collaborate with marketing, public relations and other departments to ensure global reach of artists and releases. Pursue talent for frontline labels while maintaining relationships with artists, managers and the broader industry.

About You

• A minimum of 8 to 10 years in A&R or related roles with a strong track record of discovering, developing and managing artists across genres.


• Passion for music with an ear for emerging talent, trends and sound innovations. Ability to translate an artist’s creative vision into actionable strategies that drive commercial success.


• Strong leadership skills and ability to inspire and manage a diverse team.


• Experience working with cross-functional teams and external partners on complex projects.


• Well-established relationships with music professionals and the ability to leverage this network for opportunities.


• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including negotiation and relationship-building at all industry levels.


• Ability to balance creative instincts with business acumen and long-term artist growth.


• Flexibility to travel on short notice.


• Post-secondary education in Creative Arts, Music or Business Management is an asset.


• Understanding of the digital commerce space including DSP artist portals and key artist development playlists.

About Us

Warner Music Group is home to a broad roster of labels and the publishing company Warner Chappell Music tied to a global entertainment ecosystem including ADA and WMX. We champion emerging artists and global superstars alike and strive for inclusive excellence across our business.

EEO & Additional Information

WMG is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion and diversity and will evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religion or belief, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, or any other protected characteristic. We provide reasonable accommodations in the application process upon request at [e-mail].

This position requires being in the office 4 days a week to support talent development and collaboration.