Analyst, Strategic Analytics

Universal Music•Santa Monica, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Universal Music Group (UMG), a global music company operating in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries, is seeking an Analyst to join its Strategic Analytics team. The role is based on-site at UMG’s Santa Monica office. The Analyst consults on projects for senior executives and teams across Business Development, Finance, Communications, Marketing, and UMG’s label groups. The position calls for strong SQL and data-analysis expertise, especially when working with large, unfamiliar, or messy datasets, and an interest in learning the business models shaping digital and subscription-based media. The Analyst extracts and interprets data from diverse sources, assesses data quality, reconciles information against authoritative sources, and turns complex findings into clear narratives and data-driven recommendations for varied audiences. The role involves collaborative, consultative project work, learning UMG’s data sources, and supporting analysis such as identifying user and platform trends or building models for licensing negotiations and executive decision-making.

Requirements

2–5 years of experience in consulting, finance, or a related analytical field is preferred.
Proficiency with Excel and data-visualization tools, and the ability to create compelling PowerPoint presentations.
Experience working with large datasets and using SQL for data extraction and analysis.
Experience engaging stakeholders in a consultative, client-facing, and analytical capacity.
Strong intellectual curiosity and eagerness to explore new datasets, business models, and industry trends.
Proactive mindset, with the ability to anticipate needs, take initiative, and drive work forward independently.
Familiarity with statistical concepts and tools and the ability to apply them effectively.
Excellent communication skills, including explaining analyses, translating complexity, and presenting to executives.
Ability to navigate ambiguous problems and structure them into clear, actionable analytical steps.
Ability to build relationships across business units and thrive in a collaborative team environment.
Passion for music, analytics, and data’s role in creative and commercial outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in the music or entertainment industry.
A track record of self-started projects demonstrating initiative, experimentation, or personal passion, such as side data projects, GitHub repositories, or music/technology projects.
Financial modeling expertise.
A natural tendency to ask why and explore solutions beyond the obvious.

Responsibilities

Write complex SQL scripts to extract data needed for projects.
Explain the benefits and pitfalls of datasets based on an understanding of data quality.
Work with disparate data sources and reconcile information against the source of truth.
Distill and interpret large amounts of data into a clear narrative.
Learn UMG’s data sources and develop subject-matter expertise in them.
Manage requests professionally and communicate data-driven recommendations to audiences ranging from senior executives to analysts.
Work in project teams to answer questions in a consultative manner.
Analyze user and platform trends, including engagement, listening habits, conversion, retention, monetization, and genre insights.
Develop dynamic models to support licensing negotiations, executive presentations, and high-level decision-making.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
100% coverage for out-patient in-network mental health services.
Fertility coverage for eligible medical plan participants.
Wellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel, and other expenses, up to $720 per year.
Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement.
401(k) with 100% immediate vesting on the first 5% of employee contributions, plus an additional UMG contribution.
Flexible Paid Time Off for exempt employees.
Three weeks of PTO for non-exempt employees.
Two-week paid Winter Break.
Ten company holidays, including Juneteenth and Wellbeing Day.
Summer Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Paid parental leave for every type of parent.