Account Lead

Job description

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: Virgin Music is looking for a superstar Account Lead/Manager to join our industry-leading Commercial Marketing team. This role will build go-to-market commercial release plans, identify and execute innovative commercial opportunities, and develop creative release strategies while nurturing key relationships with our commercial accounts, artists, and label partners. The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience building, optimizing, and managing YouTube channels on behalf of artists , with a deep understanding of the platform’s underlying mechanics. They are fluent in YouTube’s ecosystem—from content strategy and audience development to monetization and discovery levers—and know how to leverage the full suite of YouTube tools to grow artist presence, engagement, and global reach. This individual will also possess exceptional relationship management skills, be proactive and results-oriented, and demonstrate strong strategic and analytical thinking. They must thrive in a fast-paced environment and serve as a passionate advocate for Virgin’s artists and label partners. How you'll CREATE: Relationship Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with DSPs and streaming partners while also serving as a key YouTube platform expert—driving storytelling, content strategy, and audience growth initiatives. Collaborate with playlist/genre leads and platform representatives by utilizing cultural insight, marketing strategy, and data to deliver against targets. Support asset collection, optimize content delivery, and manage pitch administration. Attend regular meetings and maintain in-person relationships with partners. Partner Account Manager: Represent Virgin Music Group repertoire as the Account Lead across various commercial accounts, including YouTube as a core strategic platform . Maintain a deep, working knowledge of best practices, tools (e.g., YouTube Studio, Content ID, Official Artist Channels), and opportunities across accounts. Lead release strategies, long-lead planning, and campaigns while pitching and securing opportunities that drive visibility and discovery for artists. Label Relations: Work directly with Virgin Music Group labels to identify opportunities across release schedules, including YouTube-first or YouTube-enhanced strategies (premieres, Shorts, live content, catalog optimization). Educate teams on platform best practices and ensure alignment on KPIs, reporting, and performance tracking. Streaming and Commercial Marketing Strategy: Create dynamic release plans that integrate YouTube as a central discovery and fan engagement engine , leveraging content formats, release timing, and platform features to maximize impact. YouTube Channel Strategy & Optimization: Lead the development and ongoing management of artist YouTube channels, including channel optimization, content programming, metadata strategy, release cadence, audience segmentation, and growth tactics . Utilize YouTube analytics and insights to inform strategy, improve performance, and drive subscriber and viewership growth. Data Analysis: Provide daily and in-depth analysis across platforms, with a strong emphasis on YouTube performance metrics (audience retention, CTR, watch time, traffic sources, etc.), translating insights into actionable recommendations. Label Meetings: Communicate release performance and strategic recommendations, including YouTube-specific insights and optimization opportunities , while building forward-looking plans. Digital Marketing Strategy: Partner with label digital teams to ensure campaigns are innovative and platform-native, with a strong emphasis on video strategy, fan engagement, and discovery through YouTube and emerging formats (e.g., Shorts) . Artist Relations: Liaise directly with labels, managers, and artists to guide YouTube content strategy, channel growth, and best practices , ensuring seamless execution across campaigns. Culture Driven Focus: Stay deeply connected to cultural trends and platform behaviors, particularly video consumption trends and YouTube-native formats , translating them into meaningful opportunities for artists and partners. Bring your VIBE: Proven experience building and managing YouTube channels for artists or music brands , with a strong understanding of platform mechanics and growth strategies Deep knowledge of YouTube Studio, Content ID, Official Artist Channels, monetization, SEO/metadata, and audience development tactics Exceptional relationship management skills with existing music industry contacts Highly analytical with the ability to interpret data and trends, especially video and audience performance metrics Able to manage large workloads in a fast-paced, high-volume environment Experience developing and executing campaigns and pitching strategic proposals Tech-savvy with a strong understanding of digital platforms, trends, and emerging technologies Creative, innovative, detail-oriented, and resourceful Highly organized with strong prioritization and multitasking skills Proactive, with a ‘can do’ attitude and willingness to attend live events regularly Passionate about music and culture 3+ years’ experience in music industry sales, marketing, or digital strategy, with YouTube/platform experience strongly preferred Project management experience preferred Existing relationships with labels and/or commercial platform partners preferred College degree preferred Perks Playlist: Join an entrepreneurial, global organization where authenticity, boldness, creativity, connection, drive, and insight aren’t just values—they’re how we work every day. Here are some of the ways we support you along the way (and just a few of the benefits we offer): 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. Disclaimer: This job description only provides an overview of job responsibilities that are subject to change. Universal Music Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer We are an E-Verify employer in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah. Please note, UMG is not enrolled in E-Verify in California and New York, and cannot support employment of candidates whose employer must enroll in E-Verify, for example candidates on STEM-OPT. For more information, please click on the following links. E-Verify Participation Poster: English / Spanish E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English | Spanish Job Category: Commercial Services Salary Range: $66,050 - $95,000 The actual base salary offered depends on a variety of factors, which may include, as applicable, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job. All candidates are encouraged to apply.