Senior Director, Business & Legal Affairs

Universal Music Group•Santa Monica, CA

13d

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. How We Lead: Merchandise and commerce are a part of the fabric of music culture. For artists, it’s a powerful extension of their brand and creative identity. For fans, it’s a tangible way to connect more deeply with the artist and the culture they represent. Our products are being sold through artists’ official ecommerce shops, through online marketplaces and in thousands of retail and e-tail locations around the world. We also service our artists on the road, providing merchandise and VIP experiences at live shows. We find ways to push innovation through both products and partnerships. The Senior Director, Business & Legal A?airs will play a critical leadership role in structuring, negotiating, and executing complex commercial deals in support of artist-led merchandise and commerce initiatives. Reporting to the SVP, Head of Business Affairs, this role serves as a strategic partner to Artist Relations, Artist Strategy, Commercial, Creative, and Finance teams—guiding opportunities from early-stage concept through execution, while protecting the company’s interests and enabling innovative, artist-first solutions. This role requires a seasoned dealmaker with strong legal judgment, commercial instincts, and the ability to operate confidently in fast-moving, high-visibility environments. The Senior Director will bring clarity to complex deal structures, anticipate risk, and help teams move opportunities forward efficiently and thoughtfully, balancing creativity with rigor.

Requirements

6-8+ years of experience in business affairs, legal, or commercial dealmaking roles, ideally within music, merchandise, entertainment, media, or consumer products.
Proven negotiation experience handling complex, high-value agreements with artists, partners, and third parties.
Strong commercial instincts with the ability to translate creative and strategic goals into clear, executable deal terms.
Excellent legal judgment, exceptional verbal and written communication skills, and attention to detail, paired with a practical, business-minded approach.
Comfort operating autonomously and collaboratively in ambiguity and fast-paced, artist driven environments with shifting priorities.
Organizes own work, coordinating projects, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and following up on assignments with a minimum of direction.
Collaborative and relationship-oriented, with the credibility to influence cross-functional partners and senior stakeholders.
High level of discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive deal information and artist relationships.
Comfort working with templates, trackers, and approval processes; strong Monday.com and document-management skills a plus.
JD and bar admission required

Nice To Haves

Experience with corporate compliance and product compliance is a plus, particularly in environments involving consumer goods, manufacturing, licensing, and global distribution.

Responsibilities

Lead deal strategy and negotiation: Own the legal and business a?airs aspects of artist merchandise and commerce deals, including rights acquisitions, licensing, partnerships, and strategic collaborations, from initial structuring through negotiation and execution.
Advise early in the deal lifecycle: Partner with Artist Relations and Commercial teams during opportunity intake and pitch development to assess feasibility, structure options, and key deal considerations before terms are finalized.
Draft and negotiate agreements: Prepare, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements, including artist agreements, licensing deals, manufacturing and fulfillment agreements, distribution arrangements, and brand partnerships.
Balance risk and creativity: Provide practical, solutions-oriented legal guidance that supports innovative artist opportunities while managing legal, financial, and reputational risk.
Drive cross-functional alignment: Collaborate closely with Artist Relations, Artist Strategy, Creative, Finance, and Operations to ensure deal terms align with business objectives, creative intent, and operational realities. Liaise with third party manufacturers, retailers, commercial vendors and anti-counterfeiting vendors, as well as UMG partners.
Ensure deal readiness and approvals: Guide internal approvals, ensuring all key stakeholders are aligned on deal economics, risk profile, and execution requirements prior to signing.
Own deal execution and handoff: Ensure smooth transition from signed agreement to execution by partnering with internal teams to communicate deal terms, obligations, and timelines clearly.
Improve BA processes and tools: Help evolve templates, playbooks, and workflows to support scale, consistency, and speed across a growing deal pipeline.
Serve as a trusted advisor: Act as a steady, thoughtful presence in high-pressure situations, bringing sound judgement, discretion, and leadership to sensitive negotiations and artist relationships.

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
Check out our full overview of benefits on the Perks Playlist page of the career site.