Senior Legal & Business Affairs Manager

Universal Music Group UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group Pension Scheme (3-9%)

Private Medical Insurance

25 days annual leave

Season Ticket Loan

Holiday Purchase scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Salary Sacrifice Cars

Employee Discounts

Job summary

Universal Music UK is seeking a qualified solicitor to provide comprehensive legal and business affairs support for artist merchandise, brand partnerships and retail/e-commerce activities across the labels. You will draft and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements and offer pragmatic legal advice to grow the merchandising business.

Role involves close collaboration with internal stakeholders and external partners; strong organisational skills and experience in entertainment law are

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales.
• Minimum of 2 years' post-qualification experience, ideally in music, media or entertainment law.
• Experience drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide practical, business-focused legal advice.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously.
• A proactive, self-sufficient approach with strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Drafting, negotiating and advising on agreements relating to artist merchandise, brand licences and retail/e-commerce partnerships.
• Overseeing legal deal approvals and internal sign-off processes; manage key contractual deadlines.
• Rights management systems and documentation; liaising with external counsel on litigation matters.
• Provide day-to-day legal support for merchandise and e-commerce projects across the labels.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Organisational skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Team player

Attention to detail

Education

Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales

Job description

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 [e-mail].

About Us – Legal & Business Affairs

The Label Legal Team (part of the broader Legal & Business Affairs team) provides legal and business affairs support to all Universal Music UK labels, including the Polydor Label Group, Island EMI Label Group, Fontana and Decca Records. The team works closely with label executives and commercial teams to deliver practical legal advice that supports the development of artists, brands and commercial opportunities across the business.

The Role

This role is responsible for providing a full range of legal and business affairs support to Universal Music UK's labels in relation to artist and brand merchandise, retail partnerships and e-commerce activities. Working closely with internal stakeholders and external partners, you will negotiate and draft a broad range of commercial agreements while providing pragmatic legal advice that supports the growth of our merchandising business.

Key Responsibilities

• Drafting, negotiating and advising on agreements relating to:
• Artist merchandise agreements, including new deals, renewals and extensions.
• Brand licence agreements and strategic brand partnerships.
• Retail and e-commerce agreements with commercial partners.
• Venue merchandise agreements.
• Pop-up store agreements and associated commercial arrangements.
• Other merchandise and e-commerce related agreements as required.

Overseeing And Administering

• Legal deal approvals and internal sign-off processes.
• Option diaries and key contractual deadlines.
• Rights management systems and related documentation.
• Litigation matters, including liaising with external counsel where appropriate.
• Day-to-day legal support for merchandise and e-commerce projects across the labels.

Skills, Experience, Qualifications And Behaviours Required

• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales.
• Minimum of 2 years' post-qualification experience, ideally gained within music, media or entertainment law.
• Experience drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide practical, business-focused legal advice.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously.
• A proactive, self-sufficient approach with strong attention to detail.
• A collaborative team player with excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Why Join Us?

• A varied and challenging role working across high-profile artist, merchandise and e-commerce projects.
• The opportunity to work alongside a talented, collaborative and dynamic Legal & Business Affairs team.
• Close involvement with the commercial activities of Universal Music UK's labels.
• Exposure to an exciting, innovative and fast-moving industry where no two days are the same.

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.

Job Category

Business & Legal Affairs