Senior Vice President, Merchandise Supply Chain & Manufacturing Operations

Universal Music Group•Philadelphia, PA

23d•$185,350 - $384,560

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 You’ll CREATE: The Senior Vice President, Merchandise Supply Chain & Manufacturing Operations will serve as the executive owner of a modern, scalable supply chain supporting artist merchandise across D2C ecommerce, touring, and wholesale/retail channels. This leader will architect and transform the operating model, systems, and global network that power the business — balancing creative speed with operational rigor to support artist demand at scale.

Requirements

20+ years of experience in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations leadership, with significant experience in retail or consumer goods environments
Proven executive leadership in operating model design, supply chain transformation, and enterprise systems implementation
Deep expertise in end-to-end supply chain processes including production, logistics, inventory, and fulfillment
Experience leading ERP/PLM/WMS/OMS implementations and driving enterprise-wide adoption
Strong understanding of network optimization, cost-to-serve modeling, and multi-channel distribution
Demonstrated ability to lead through change in complex, fast-paced organizations
Strategic mindset with the ability to translate creative and commercial ambition into scalable operational execution
Exceptional leadership presence, influencing skills, and executive-level communication capabilities

Responsibilities

Management & Product Compliance Shape and evolve vendor operating models, including deal structures, capacity allocation, and risk diversification
Lead vendor performance management frameworks, including scorecards, audits, and continuous improvement programs
Oversee global compliance risk, including product safety, labeling, ethical sourcing, and emerging regulatory requirements
Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Sustainability teams to embed requirements directly into vendor and product workflows
Production Operations & End-to-End Process Design Own the end-to-end production flow, ensuring processes support speed, scale, and cross-channel consistency
Advise on supply strategies that support artist-driven demand volatility including rush drops, tour ramp-ups, pop-ups, and limited-run collections
Implement manufacturing visibility and exception management to proactively manage risk and timelines
Drive improvements that reduce lead times, lower cost-to-serve, and increase agility without sacrificing quality or compliance
Establish governance models that align production, planning, finance, and commercial teams
Supply Chain Operating Model & Transformation Design and evolve the future-state supply chain operating model across structure, process, systems, and talent
Lead large-scale transformation initiatives, including process reengineering and capability maturity upgrades
Define decision rights, accountability, and escalation paths across production, logistics, and vendor management
Partner with executive leadership to align supply chain strategy with long-term growth, margin, and artist experience goals
Systems Design & Implementation Serve as executive sponsor for enterprise systems design and implementation (PLM, ERP, OMS, WMS, and planning tools)
Translate business requirements into scalable system architectures that support multi-channel complexity
Drive adoption of data-driven decision-making, dashboards, and performance analytics
Ensure systems enable compliance, financial accuracy, inventory visibility, and operational scalability
Logistics, Distribution & Network Optimization Lead end-to-end logistics strategy, including inbound freight, outbound fulfillment, and returns
Design and optimize global distribution and warehouse networks supporting ecommerce, retail replenishment, and touring
Oversee carrier strategy, 3PL partnerships, and freight procurement to balance service and cost
Develop scalable solutions for tour logistics including show deliveries, pop-ups, and post-tour returns
Continuously evaluate network performance and identify consolidation, nearshoring, and regionalization opportunities
Leadership & Organizational Enablement Build and lead a high-performing, multi-disciplinary supply chain organization
Develop leadership capability and succession plans across operational roles
Foster a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement
Benchmark against best-in-class retail, consumer goods, and entertainment supply chains

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