South Africa A&R Manager - Contract

UnitedMasters | Translation; Cape Town, Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a passionate A&R Manager to enhance the music landscape in South Africa. This role involves identifying new talents, pitching services to artists, and negotiating deals to ensure artist success. You will be the creative voice in the music community, building strong relationships with industry professionals and supporting artists in their release plans. Join a dynamic team dedicated to empowering independent artists and shaping the future of music distribution. If you have a solid network in the music industry and a passion for improving outcomes for artists, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in the music industry in A&R or marketing roles.
• Solid network in the music industry in South Africa.

Responsibilities

• Research and identify new talents and trends for new opportunities.
• Develop and maintain relationships with industry professionals.

Skills

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Client Management

Networking

Job description

UnitedMasters is building a marketplace that connects artists, brands and fans - empowering artists to earn and grow. UnitedMasters has taken the bold step of building a music distribution service that, radically, puts artists first - disrupting the legacy music business by letting up-and-coming artists distribute their music directly to fans through streaming services while maintaining ownership of their master recording rights and up to 100% of royalties. Through the combination of UnitedMasters’ music distribution platform and its deep ties to brands, UnitedMasters enables independent artists and change-makers to grow and earn unlike any other platform.

The UnitedMasters team is made up of musicians, marketers, engineers, and storytellers with backgrounds from YouTube, SoundCloud, Pandora, Facebook, Uber, Dropbox, Complex, VICE, and more. We work hand in hand with the award-winning creative teams that forge those innovative partnerships at Translation (our in-house creative advertising agency).

We are looking for a South Africa A&R Manager to join UnitedMasters! Please note that this is a contract position based in Johannesburg or Cape Town, South Africa.

What You'll Do

• Research and identify new talents and trends to build a pipeline of new opportunities.
• Pitch the company and services to artists, managers, and labels in order to bring new clients.
• Understand, inform, and negotiate deal points (advances, splits, royalties) and market rates for talent and work with A&R administration to build recording budgets.
• Develop and maintain relationships with industry professionals, including managers, agents, attorneys, etc., and seek new relationships necessary to ensure artist success.
• Identify local artistic opportunities for Partner Artists including South African and Diaspora artists in South Africa, working closely with global music and marketing teams on local trends, cross-genre remixes, collaborations with other talents (feats.), etc.
• Be a local point of contact for artists to support release plans and maintain a sustainable relationship with key stakeholders (managers, labels, music publishers).
• Find producers, writers, session musicians, mix engineers, and collaborators for projects.
• Be the creative voice of the company for the music community and attend events, concerts, panels, and conferences, relate to radio promoters, DJs, tastemakers, and other artists.
• Work with Artist Relations to confirm all recording-related documents are accurate and fully executed.
• Maintain a portfolio strategy and support own regional objectives and performance KPIs such as streams, views, subscribers, ROI, etc.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent communication, interpersonal savvy, and ability to build strong relationships.
• Ability to work cohesively with others and interact comfortably, effectively, and professionally with internal and external partners.

Minimum Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in the music industry in A&R, label management, repertoire or marketing roles.
• Relevant experience in client management.
• Solid network in the music industry in South Africa.
• Advanced English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for music, and improving outcomes for independent artists.

About UnitedMasters, Inc.

UnitedMasters Inc. represents the creative solutions company, Translation, and the leading software and services platform for independent creators, UnitedMasters. UnitedMasters enables ownership, exposure, and new paths for financial return for independent creators, while Translation helps brands leverage the power of contemporary culture to achieve transformational growth. Combined, UnitedMasters, Inc. is the world’s leading marketplace for cultural capital, connecting independent artists and brands to realize a future in which all creators own their future. Backed by Alphabet, Andreessen Horowitz, and Apple, UnitedMasters, Inc. is reimagining how brands and artists come together to tell their stories, build profitable growth, and push culture forward.