Full Time Job
Legal & Business Affairs Executive
Universal Music Group
- Paid
- Full Time
Job Description
Title: Legal and Business Affairs ExecutiveResponsible to SVP & Director of Legal & Business Affairs
Department: Polydor
Location of work: 4 Pancras Square, Kings Cross
Music is Universal
It's the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music UK who help make us Britain'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 [email protected]
A Day in The Life
Reporting to the SVP & Director of Legal & Business Affairs, the Legal and Business Affairs Executive will work alongside all departments of the label to provide legal guidance across all aspects of decision making within the business (using their legal analysis and commercial intuition). Alongside this they will be negotiating and finalizing all manner of deals to ensure that the label's commercial releases (from singles, videos, albums and more) are fully cleared ahead of deadline.
Skills & Experience
Document Amendments & Artist Agreements
• Negotiating & drafting featured/guest vocalist agreements, sample agreements, other clearance paperwork and agreements for videos, photography and artwork using precedents and standard form agreements
• Drafting side letters and other general correspondence to managers and Artist lawyers
• Assisting with negotiating deal memos and recording agreements for new Artist signings and to negotiate and document amendments to Artist agreements
• Responding to legal and rights-based queries from across the label including marketing, A&R and from across the wider company
• To notify relevant Company personnel on all pertinent terms of such agreements, in particular any restrictions relating to the exploitation of recordings/videos
Be Administrative
• To assist with managing the legal databases (GRS and Rights Hub), ensuring the data is accurate (including by analysing and interpreting contractual rights) and up to date at all times and archiving and logging signed contracts
• To ensure compliance with all Group legal directives and internal guidelines
• To negotiate and implement all other necessary agreements with third parties of whatever nature relevant to the Company
• To undertake any project and ad hoc work as directed including the research and drafting of legal correspondence and contracts
• To provide support from time to time for SVP and Director, Legal & Business Affairs in respect of Artist audits and litigation
Be Collaborative
• To provide day to day business point of contact to managers and lawyers on behalf of the company
• To notify the Royalties Department and keep accurate records of all contracts entered into and any amendments made, supplying copies to them at all times
• To respond to the Royalties Department, Catalogue Department and synch/brands/licensing, and metadata/production/supply chain teams on any queries
• To supervise arrangements with Producers, mixers and remixers in conjunction with outside legal counsel
Be Vigilant
• To refer any instances of alleged piracy or parallel imports to the necessary teams
• To spot potential infringements (such as trademark or passing off in marketing materials) or breaches or company policy around exploitations of music
Be Advisory
• To provide general legal advice to marketing, digital, video and promotions departments, for example, the viability and risk of the use of certain content for artwork, fan prize and competitions, social media channels and initiatives
• To provide legal and general business support on the new growth areas of the industry such as new technology/digital media (e.g. ''virtual branding'', apps etc.), merchandising, ''D2C'' retail, branding and sponsorship
Personal Specification
Necessary
• Passionate about working within music
• Reasonable knowledge of how a record company functions, and an understanding of the music industry as a whole
• Proactive and articulate approach to work
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with an approachable manner
• Excellent time management skills
• Lateral thinking with the ability to grasp the overall picture of legal projects
• Highly organised and self-motivated, with an energetic and enthusiastic approach
• Ability to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to work as part of a team and alone
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Excellent attention to detail
Desirable
• Post Qualification approach to work
• Experience of working in a Legal & Business Affairs department or music solicitor's company
• Experience in commercial, contracts and copyright work
• Excellent word, excel and other Microsoft packages and databases skills and Docu-Sign
Your Benefits
• Group Personal Pension Scheme (between 3% and 9%)
• Private Medical Insurance
• 25 paid days of annual leave
• Interest Free Season Ticket Loan available
• Holiday Purchase scheme
• Dental and Travel Insurance options
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Salary Sacrifice Cars
• Subsidised Gym Membership
• Employee Discounts (Reward Gateway)
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.
Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gw8vqk-52-91-54-203-42 in your application.
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Universal Music Group
We are Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company. We are the home for music’s greatest artists, innovators and entrepreneurs.