Senior Manager, Sync Clearance

Kobalt Music; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Senior Manager of Sync Clearance at Kobalt Music in Los Angeles leads rights clearance, negotiations, and end-to-end licensing for North America. You will collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure licenses are secured and payments received in a timely manner.

This role emphasizes relationship building with music supervisors and licensees, project management, and guiding a team toward business objectives.

Qualifications

• Extensive sync clearance experience and knowledge of music licensing and copyright.
• Deadline-driven with the ability to prioritize large volumes of work efficiently.
• Social intelligence and adaptable communication to build relationships.
• Solution-oriented mindset and positive change mindset.
• Enthusiastic team player eager to help where needed.
• Proficiency with common software and tools (G-Suite, MS Office, Excel, presentation tools, email).
• Experience managing direct reports and data analytics is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Rights clearance & negotiation: close synchronization requests with fair terms for North America.
• Relationship management: build and maintain relationships with music supervisors and licensees.
• Client & writer engagement: advise and obtain approvals for license requests.
• Troubleshoot & collaborate: resolve split discrepancies with internal/external partners.
• Project management: advance business objectives through forward-thinking projects.
• Supervisory responsibilities: manage direct reports and develop the team.

Skills

Sync clearance experience

Music licensing knowledge

Relationship management

Communication skills

Project management

G-Suite

Microsoft Office

Excel

Presentation tools

Email

Tools

G-Suite

Microsoft Office

Excel

Presentation tools

Email

Job description

Job Title: Senior Manager, Sync Clearance
Department: Synchronization
Reporting To: VP
Location: Los Angeles
Hybrid Working: 3 days in your local office
Full-time | Permanent

The Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Manager of Sync Clearance to join our close-knit Synchronization team in Los Angeles. Reporting to the VP of Sync Clearance & Licensing Administration, this role requires thoughtful negotiation, rights clearance, deal execution, and project management across our world-class publishing catalog for sync licenses originating in North America.

This is a business oriented position for someone who can build and maintain strong relationships, solve complex problems, and enjoys turning creative opportunities into meaningful revenue for writers and artists. You’ll work closely with internal teams and external partners to ensure Kobalt’s catalog is successfully licensed and payments are received in a timely manner.

What You’ll Do

• Rights Clearance & Negotiation
  Negotiate and close synchronization requests, ensuring all rights are cleared accurately, efficiently, and with fair terms & fees across a wide range of media-types for licenses originating in North America.
• Relationship Management
  Build, develop and maintain strong relationships with music supervisors & licensees to accommodate their needs while prioritizing our writers’ & artists’ best interest.
• Client & Writer Engagement
  Effectively communicate with Kobalt clients, including songwriters, artists and their representatives to provide advice and obtain approval for license requests.
• Troubleshoot & Collaborate
  Work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to troubleshoot split discrepancies and overcome obstacles in the end to end licensing process.
• Project Management
  Collaborate on forward-thinking projects to advance our business objectives.
• Supervisory Responsibilities
  Effectively manage direct reports to ensure individual and team goals are met and personal development is fostered.

What You’ll Bring

Preferred:

• Extensive sync clearance experience and sophisticated knowledge of music licensing and copyright.
• A deadline driven approach with the ability to prioritize and facilitate large volumes of work efficiently.
• Social intelligence with highly adaptable communication skills to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external parties.
• A solution-oriented mindset that is eager to make positive change.
• Enthusiastic team player, who is keen to help wherever needed.
• Strong proficiency with common software and tools, including G-Suite, Microsoft Office, Excel, presentation tools and email.

Additional Skills That Could Add Value:

• Experience managing direct reports.
• Proficiency with data & analytics.

What Success Looks Like

By Month 3: You have built strong internal relationships, understand Kobalt’s workflows, and are actively clearing sync opportunities.

By Month 6: You are independently managing your customer base, leveraging your knowledge of Kobalt’s systems, anticipating client expectations, and actively contributing to key projects.

By Year 1: You have built strong credibility internally and externally, driving significant revenue for the organization and are a key contributor to important initiatives.

Key Behaviours for Success:

Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering an inclusive and supportive environment through the sharing of knowledge and working collectively to achieve shared goals and deliver high-quality results.

Communication: Timely and meaningful correspondence, ensuring our clients and customers are well informed and serviced appropriately.

Time Management & Prioritization: Thoughtful multi-tasking to successfully manage a complex workload.

Interview Process & Logistics

• Introductory call with a member of our Recruitment Team
• Interviews with hiring manager
• Final stage interview and Q&A
• Feedback at each stage

We aim to complete the full interview process from initial application to offer within three to four working weeks. While we do our best to meet this timeline, there may be occasional delays. If that happens, our Recruitment Team will keep you updated every step of the way

Why Choose Us

At Kobalt, we’ve championed creators since 2000. Our technology and music services are built to make the industry more transparent, fair, and rewarding for artists, songwriters, and rights holders. We’re proud to work with some of the world’s most influential talents including Phoebe Bridgers, Sam Fender, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Karol G, Young Thug, Kali Uchis, FINNEAS, and Andrew Watt as well as acclaimed writers like Simon Aldred (Rag’n’Bone Man, Liam Gallagher, Celeste) and Clarence Coffee Jr. (Dua Lipa, Lizzo, The Snuts).

We’re a company that thrives on creativity, collaboration, and progress. Our values: Music First, Transparent, Tech Powered, and Transformative. Shape how we work, build, and grow together. We are a community of people who care deeply about making a meaningful impact in music and technology.

Kobalt is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in equitable access to opportunities and are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and identities. If you need any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know we’re happy to help.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. Kobalt is an equal opportunity employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

The range provided is for Los Angeles-based hires only and will be commensurate with candidate experience. Pay ranges for candidates in other locations other than Los Angeles may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. Pay range: $81,000 - $85,000