Senior Director, Artist & Label Services

Universal Music Group•Santa Monica, CA

About The Position

We are UMG, the Universal Music Group. We are the world’s leading music company. In everything we do, we are committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship. We own and operate a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. We identify and develop recording artists and songwriters, and we produce, distribute and promote the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music to delight and entertain fans around the world. Famehouse, a division of UMG, is the preeminent leader in merchandise & D2C solutions in music, defining & delivering the industry’s best-in-class service to connect artists with their fans. Established & headquartered in Philly, Famehouse powers merch and D2C for UMG’s labels, artists, and Bravado. Our success & culture is fueled by collaboration—both within FH and with our partners. We are passionate about the impact of D2C & merchandise for artists, providing a full-service solution to grow an artist’s owned business including strategy, creative, merchandising, fulfillment, customer service, technology, and more. How We LEAD: Famehouse is seeking an experienced merch Account/Brand Manager to join our team in Los Angeles as a Sr. Director, Artist & Label Services, focusing on artists across the Capitol roster. In this role, you’ll serve as the senior strategic lead across a portfolio of artists, owning the long-term direction of their merchandise and D2C businesses. You will shape merch & D2C strategies that align with the artist’s creative vision to deliver strong commercial results across both merch and music, developing long-term (rolling 12mo+) calendar plans across all revenue channels and guiding the strategy behind every campaign, product launch, and fan experience. This role requires a strong ability to sell ideas and inspire confidence with artist and label teams, bringing clarity & thoughtful storytelling to every campaign discussion to help artists understand D2C & merch’s impact in building fandom. It requires exceptional taste, deep cultural fluency, and an intuitive understanding of artist brand, aesthetic direction, and creative identity. Senior Directors also play an important leadership role within the organization, mentoring other account managers and helping shape best practices across the team. Success requires exceptional collaborative leadership, working across many teams and partners to ensure Famehouse delivers best-in-class outcomes for artists. Candidates must lead with positivity, respect, and a team-first mindset, ensuring strong partnerships across the organization and consistently delivering great outcomes for artists.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in account management, artist relations, marketing, or eCommerce within music, entertainment, or merchandise.
Demonstrated success managing high profile artist relationships and complex campaigns.
Exceptional understanding of the label, artist, and merchandise ecosystem, ideally with prior label-side, artist commerce, or D2C experience.
A passion for the music & culture of Capitol’s roster is a must. Candidates should bring dedication in serving the artist community and delivering exceptional experiences for their fans.
Deep expertise in D2C commerce, merchandise strategy, and fan engagement.
Exceptional communicator and presenter with strong experience leading discussions with artist management and senior label leaders.
Strong cultural fluency and creative instincts aligned with artist brands.
Proven collaborator and team leader with a reputation for positivity and trust across teams.
Highly organized and capable of leading multiple complex artist businesses simultaneously.
Passion for music, fan culture, and building artist-to-fan businesses.
Commitment to teamwork and respect for every function is required; must be willing to set personal ego aside for the good of the team and delivering for our artists and partners.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior relationship lead for Capitol Music Group and their artists, building trusted relationships with artist managers, label teams, and creative partners.
Lead holistic, cross-channel merchandise strategy across D2C, tour, retail, and licensing, including for physical music on d2c, exclusives, and fan engagement moments.
Develop and guide rolling 12-month calendar plans across all channels, including D2C, tour & VIP, retail, and licensing initiatives, working closely with the artist team, label marketing and creative.
Inspire artist and label teams through clear storytelling and compelling strategy presentations, as well as in all wider planning discussions.
Lead development and presentation of major artist proposals, calendar plans, strategic initiatives, and go-to-market initiatives, ensuring buy-in from artists and label stakeholders.
Partner closely with Campaign Managers to ensure all campaigns and initiatives remain on track to achieve artist and label goals, proactively identifying opportunities to optimize performance.
Lead Artist & Label Business Reviews, presenting insights, growth opportunities, and long-term strategic recommendations.
Manage artist and label feedback across all initiatives and oversee business and product approvals.
Serve as a collaborative, trusted leader within the organization, mentoring other account managers and partnering closely with partners across Famehouse.
Must operate with positivity, respect, and a solutions-focused mindset.
Maintain strong client satisfaction and help Famehouse continue to grow as a trusted partner for the world’s most influential artists.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Including 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 so much more (up to $720/year)
Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement
401(k) with 100% immediate vesting on the first 5% of your contributions, plus an additional UMG contribution
A variety of ways to prioritize much-needed time away from work including:
Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) for exempt employees
3-weeks PTO for non-exempt employees
2-weeks paid Winter Break
10 Company Holidays (including Juneteenth and Wellbeing Day)
Summer Fridays (between Memorial Day and Labor Day)
Generous paid parental leave for every type of parent