Senior Manager, Legal & Business Affairs, Rhino

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

Job summary

A leading global music company is seeking a skilled qualified solicitor to join their Legal & Business Affairs team. You will advise on rights in the catalogue, negotiate agreements, and ensure compliance for new product releases. The ideal candidate has experience in the music industry and possesses strong negotiation, communication, and analytical skills.

Qualifications

• Experience in a legal or business affairs role within the music industry, ideally 4 years PQE.
• Experience negotiating and drafting agreements related to recorded music catalogues.
• Strong analytical skills in rights issues.

Responsibilities

• Advise the catalogue team on rights in the catalogue.
• Ensure necessary rights and clearances are in place for product releases.
• Manage enquiries from catalogue artists and representatives.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Drafting agreements

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Education

Qualified solicitor

Job description

The Legal & Business Affairs department is a close-knit team of lawyers and paralegals who work closely with Warner Music UK's frontline labels, catalogue division and distribution business to negotiate, draft and manage a wide range of agreements with artists and third parties to ensure necessary rights and clearances are in place for product releases and the other activities of our artists. Your role: This role is responsible for advising the Rhino catalogue team on our rights in the Warner Music UK recorded music catalogue; and for the negotiation, drafting and management of a variety of agreements with both artists and third parties relating to our catalogue. Here you'll get to:

Responsibilities

• You will advise the catalogue team on the extent and nature of our rights in the catalogue (including investigating our rights and undertaking due diligence).
• You will work alongside the catalogue team to ensure all necessary rights and clearances are in place for new catalogue product releases and projects.
• You will manage enquiries from catalogue artists and their representatives about their agreements.
• You will resolve disputes arising in relation to the catalogue.
• You are experienced in negotiating and drafting the full range of artist and third party agreements related to recorded music catalogues, including recording and licensing agreements, producer agreements, featured artist agreements, and sample licences.
• You have excellent attention to detail and experience analysing rights issues.
• You have strong communication, negotiation and drafting skills.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with experience in a legal or business affairs role within the music industry (ideally 4 years PQE, though applicants with less previous experience and relevant expertise are welcome).
• Experience negotiating and drafting a wide range of artist and third‑party agreements related to recorded music catalogues.
• Strong attention to detail and analytical skills in rights issues.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and drafting abilities.

Our Values

• Curiosity: We immerse ourselves in culture and break through barriers. Curiosity fuels innovation and is the key to our future.
• Collaboration: Making music and delivering it globally is all about teamwork. Great ideas travel worldwide and build connections across our diverse community.
• Commitment: We pursue excellence for our team and our talent. Everything starts with a leap into the unknown, and we act with integrity and deliver on our promises.

About Warner Music Group

At Warner Music Group, we're a global collective of music makers and music lovers, tech innovators and inspired entrepreneurs, game‑changing creatives and passionate team members. Here, we turn dreams into stardom and audiences into fans. We are guided by three core values that underpin everything we do across all our diverse businesses.

WMG is home to a wide range of artists, musicians, and songwriters that fuel our success. We are committed to creating a work environment that actively values, appreciates, and respects everyone. We encourage applications from people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. Consider a career at WMG and get the best of both worlds – an innovative global music company that retains the creative spirit of a nimble independent.