Senior Director Legal and Business Affairs 12 month FTC

Universal Music; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading music company is seeking an experienced commercial transactional lawyer to join its Legal & Business Affairs team. You will negotiate contracts, ensure compliance, and optimize business processes. The ideal candidate has a strong background in music industry law and proven experience in negotiating contracts with various stakeholders. This full-time position offers a collaborative environment, opportunities for professional growth, and competitive benefits.

Benefits

Group Personal Pension Scheme

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

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with experience in music or entertainment industry.
• Strong commercial aptitude for drafting beneficial contracts.
• Knowledgeable about music rights and industry dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Oversee legal and business affairs within UMGB.
• Negotiate contracts with artists and rights holders.
• Provide internal compliance support.

Skills

Negotiating bespoke contracts

Expert understanding of the music industry

Experience drafting recording contracts

Knowledge of brand partnerships

Ability to forge strong relationships

Education

Qualified lawyer

Tools

Commercial contracts

Job description

Music is Universal

Its the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music who help make us the worlds 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

The A Side : A Day in The Life

Universal Music Group is the worlds leading music company. Operating in over 75 countries UMG is a major actor in the expansion of the digital market and works with over 670 online partners worldwide.

At the forefront of innovation and to provide cross functional incremental revenues to the broader business a specific division called Universal Music for Brands (was established in 45 markets covering 70 territories and provides tailor-made entertainment marketing creative content and media solutions to many local and global partners.

The central UMGB team consists of specialist teams (insights & consultancy creative talent relations legal finance) and commercial teams (key accounts new business and market relations.)

The key focus for this temporary 12 month role within UMGBs Legal & Business Affairs teams includes : Internal support and advice internal and external compliance and contract drafting negotiation and execution.

Were looking for a commercial transactional lawyer with proven music industry experience negotiating with artists and rights holders. Experience negotiating brand partnership deals within the music and / or entertainment industries is highly valued but an understanding of the music industry is critical. You will oversee the legal and business affairs operations across UMGB to ensure smooth processes best practices and maximize returns.

The B Side : Skills & Experience

We are looking for a candidate who is able to demonstrate the following skills and experience :

Commercial Practice

• Proven experience of negotiating and drafting bespoke contracts to accommodate unique deal types.
• Strong commercial aptitude for drafting contracts which deliver value and protect UMGs interests.

Ability to help prepare and catalogue precedents.

• Managing internal approval processes with senior management and enforcing internal policies.
• Experience settling routine commercial contracts such as non-disclosure agreements and data sharing agreements.

Music

• An expert understanding of the music industry and the different rights holders (record labels publishers performing rights organisations etc).
• Experience drafting recording contracts and ancillary recorded agreements (e.g. mixer agreements produder agreements side artist agreements etc.) publishing agreements synch licences distribution agreements etc.
• Expertise in intellectual property law and commercial contracts.
• Experience in commissioning bespoke music and the recording process.
• Understanding of the live music industry and tour promotion.

Brand Partnerships

• Prior experience of brand partnerships talent endorsements and / or licensing agreements.

Experience working with advertising and creative agencies.

• Understanding of the role that data insights and strategy play in modern marketing campaigns.
• Experience drafting talent agreements (artist influencer etc.).

Personal Specification

• Experienced qualified lawyer with demonstrable track record in a senior level business affairs role within a music / digital content or entertainment business.
• Solid experience in commercial IP contracts and copyright work (drafting negotiating and advising).
• Proven ability to forge strong relationships across multi-functional and multi-territory business.
• A solid experience of negotiating and implementing various deal types with business partners and potential other brands.
• Solid experience of working with top name acts management agencies and brands.
• Proven track record in identifying and understanding commercial opportunities and advising on legals and growing revenues within a business.
• A demonstrable track record working on a fast-paced global team across multiple deals simultaneously.
• Experience of working at an international level.

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 jobholders 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.

Job Category : Business & Legal Affairs

Required Experience : Exec

Key Skills

• Anti Money Laundering
• Account Management
• Environmental Science
• Channel Sales
• Budgeting
• Db2

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1