Music is Universal
 
It’s the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music who help make us the world’s leading music company. From A&R to finance, legal to digital, sales to marketing, Universal Music is the place to grow and develop your career within a truly commercial and innovative business that leads in everything it does.

Everyone is welcome to apply for our roles, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment because of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, age, marital status, background, pregnancy, or caring responsibilities. We also recognise the importance of diversity of thought within our teams and are fully committed to embracing the talents of people with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and other forms of neurocognitive variation.

We will always seek to make appropriate adjustments to recruitment, workplaces, and work processes to be fully inclusive to people with different needs and working styles. If you need us to make any reasonable adjustments for you from application onwards, including alternatives to the online form or to disclose a neurocognitive condition, please email UniversalMusicCareers@umusic.com.

Global Classics and Jazz - Who We Are 

Do you want to be part of Universal Music Group’s market-leading Global Classics and Jazz team – working with some of the biggest artists from the world of classical music, jazz and beyond? Do you want to work alongside some of the most iconic labels such as Decca Records, Deutsche Grammophon, Blue Note and Verve? Do you want to be part of campaigns for world-class artists including Andrea Bocelli, Max Richter, Jon Batiste, Samara Joy, Ludovico Einaudi, Lang Lang, Lise Davidsen and Yunchan Lim? Then, read on.

Global Classics and Jazz is a division within Universal Music Group focusing on a diverse range of music throughout the company, from classical to jazz and beyond (including instrumental, electronic, folk, soul, indie and soundtracks). Working with the company’s market leading and iconic labels, including Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Blue Note, ECM, Verve/Decca US, Hyperion and Mercury KX, GCJ is the largest and most successful classical and jazz recorded music business in the world. We are committed to growing the international profile for UMG’s genre-leading artists and labels.

Who you will work with

The Global Classics and Jazz team is led by Natasha Baldwin (President of Global Classics, Jazz & Screen), with oversight from Dickon Stainer (Chairman of Global Classics & Jazz) . This role will be reporting to Michelle Teh (Senior Vice President of Global Classics and Jazz). The GCJ leadership team has a wealth of experience across the recorded music business, across all genres. The wider team includes international marketing, data and analytics, audience, digital and commercial partnerships, as well as online e-commerce store Everything Jazz. There is regular interaction with GCJ markets around the world, as well as collaboration with UMG communications, brand and sync teams.

A Day in the Life of an International Communications & Artist Strategy Manager 

This role is unique and varied – with a wide range of genres and artists, no two days are the same. Each morning will involve reading the news, following social media and monitoring media coverage for our artists and releases, being sure to observe any notable stories – sometimes these also spark ideas for stories which you can share with colleagues for feedback. By mid-morning you may be required to review an album press release and artist biography and then speak to PR colleagues in key markets to ensure the media strategy is aligned and we have the best chance of reaching a wide audience. In the afternoon you may want to pitch to a journalist or discuss with your audience colleagues a strategy to amplify a great story that comes from traditional press through social media . Dotted throughout the day there could be a meeting with the brand team or an agency and calls to share information, review targets and discuss projects.

Your impact and reach - what does this role actually contribute to the business and how is it measured

Whilst PR can be measured in number of articles and media reach, its impact is more nuanced. It is crucial to maintaining a strong reputation and building profile for GCJ artists, labels and the wider company. Working with brands is an opportunity to secure meaningful partnerships with our artists with potentially both commercial return as well as reach and viewership. Building PR through social media and influencers will also be a key aspect of this role. 

Key Responsibilities:

International media campaign management for GCJ artists, labels and releases

• Identify and generate news stories and create storytelling tools - both for artists and GCJ overall, including international trade press and beyond.

• Run regular communication calls with label PRs, ensuring optimal timing of stories and releases across the group.

• Constant vigilance of media and social channels - being alert for potential opportunities and concerns.

• Ability to strategise, problem solve and collaborate with colleagues to make informed decisions about PR.

• Support the wider GCJ artist marketing team with international promotion, interviews and translations.

• Maintain media contacts and constantly expand personal network of International journalists, across TV, radio, print, podcasts and online.

• Handle media related enquiries internally and externally

• Oversee international press reports and monitor media/social media coverage

International Artist Strategy 

• Work closely with labels, artists and management teams to contribute to shaping artist storytelling

• Help identify and hone in on an artist’s DNA - liaise closely with labels and artist teams on shaping clear artist propositions.

• Ability to challenge artist projects that don’t define a clear proposition or story

• Encourage artist development - strategise and set goals to help move the artist to the next level

• Internationalise strategies that are already effectively working in one market 

• Looking for new and innovative ways to communicate and create global moments

Amplify international storytelling opportunities via social media/influencers for GCJ artists
 

• Work closely with the Audience team to ensure media stories from traditional outlets are amplified using a multi-platform approach where possible.

• Look for short form content opportunities to tell more traditional media stories through social media channels and influencers 

• Together with the Audience team, build a network of key influencers and social media platforms across markets that can benefit our artists

 Brand Strategy – in conjunction with the Sync teams:

• Present and pitch our artists to the internal brand teams 

• Hone the artist propositions into digestible pitches with engaging stories to excite brands, agencies and music supervisors 

• Suggest brand opportunities that could be a good fit for GCJ artists 

• Liasing with the label, sync team and artist to deliver a brand campaign and associated PR opportunities

Corporate communications

• Maintain close communication with UMG Global PR teams.

• Keen awareness of news cycles, paying particular attention to media outlets and stories with cultural relevance - aim to insert GCJ artists into these narratives if appropriate

• Clear and diplomatic communication with multiple stakeholders

Person Specification: 

Essential

• Strong PR skills and media relations expertise in the music, digital or entertainment industries

• Understanding of today’s PR and communications environment

• Broad knowledge of classical and/or jazz music and genres beyond

• News obsessed – both music and wider media business 

• Confident communicator across all levels of seniority internally and externally 

• Excellent writing skills, story-telling ability and confidence writing and editing press releases

• Strong organizational and time-management skills, capable of handling tight deadlines.

• Digital and social media strategy experience  

• Awareness of digital innovation and evolving technologies

• Proven ability to navigate multiple stakeholder conservations with diplomacy 

• Attention to detail and highly developed organisation skills, deadline driven

• Ability to multi-task, think quickly and exercise sound judgement 

• Confidential and trustworthy, must be a team player and open to guidance 

• Self-motivated

• Experience with events, media and content launches

• Ambition and tenacity

• Potential to work weekends at busy times

• Some flexibility required to account for different time zones

 Desirable

• Broad range of active international media contacts

• Languages

• An understanding of music in 2025 and how the industry, media and fans interact

• Experience with internal corporate communications

Just So You Know…

The company presents this job description as a guide to the major areas and duties for which the jobholder is accountable. However, the business operates in an environment that demands change and the jobholder's specific responsibilities and activities will vary and develop. Therefore, the job description should be seen as indicative and not as a permanent, definitive, and exhaustive statement.

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