Director, Advertising Strategy (IGA) at Universal Music Group

Santa Monica, California, United States

Universal Music Group Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Music, Entertainment, AdvertisingIndustries

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree, preferably with a concentration in advertising, marketing, business administration, or communications
  • 5+ years’ experience leading digital advertising strategy - preferably within entertainment, e-commerce, or agency environments; 10+ years industry experience
  • Passionate about the advertising landscape and music
  • Experience overseeing strategy and execution across digital media channels, including paid search, social, programmatic, display, video, mobile
  • Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to adapt quickly in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior leadership and external partners
  • Hands-on experience with major digital ad platforms

Responsibilities

  • Partner with Interscope leadership, digital project managers, and paid media teams to lead full-funnel campaign planning, execution, and optimizations across artist and label priorities
  • Serve as the main point of contact between the central media team, Interscope marketing team, and artist management to ensure seamless communication and alignment
  • Represent paid media strategy and results in executive level and cross-functional meetings, framing presentations around goals, learnings, and growth opportunities
  • Track performance across campaigns, providing proactive recommendations to optimize for fan engagement, revenue growth, audience acquisition goals
  • Partner with CRM embeds to coordinate always-on fan acquisition and first-party audience segmentation strategy
  • Manage both hard dollar and gratis media budgets, tracking spend, pacing, testing, and optimization opportunities
  • Lead test-and-learn initiatives including creative A/B testing, multivariate testing, and platform or format experimentation
  • Research emerging platforms, trends, and innovations to inform future media planning strategies
  • Collaborate with creative and content teams to ensure campaign assets align with platform best practices

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Paid SearchSocial MediaProgrammatic AdvertisingDisplay AdvertisingVideo AdvertisingMobile AdvertisingFull-Funnel StrategyPaid MediaDigital Media StrategyCampaign ManagementStakeholder Management

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the employment type for this position?

This is a permanent, full-time position.

Is this role remote or does it require office presence?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What skills are required for the Director, Advertising Strategy role?

The role requires experience overseeing strategy and execution across digital media channels including paid search, social, programmatic, display, video, and mobile; managing multiple high-priority campaigns; building relationships with stakeholders; and distilling complex data into actionable insights.

What is the company culture like at Universal Music Group?

UMG is committed to artistry, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with artist success as the ultimate metric driving the mindset, skillset, and company culture.

What makes a strong candidate for this Director role?

The ideal candidate is passionate about the advertising landscape and music, experienced in full-funnel digital media strategies, excels in a fast-paced environment managing campaigns and stakeholders, and can communicate data insights clearly to executives.

Universal Music Group

Global music recording, publishing, and distribution

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group (UMG) operates as a major player in the global music industry, engaging in recording, publishing, and distribution across over 60 countries. The company works with a wide range of clients, from famous artists like Elton John and Taylor Swift to new and independent musicians. UMG's operations include selling physical and digital music, streaming services, licensing music for various media, and organizing live performances. The company signs artists to contracts, produces their music, and manages their publishing rights, while also offering marketing and promotional services to help artists expand their reach. UMG generates revenue through multiple channels, including music sales, streaming subscriptions, licensing fees, live performances, and merchandise. This diverse approach allows UMG to maintain its leadership position in the music market by providing comprehensive support to artists and capitalizing on various revenue opportunities.

Santa Monica, CaliforniaHeadquarters
1934Year Founded
$3,890.9MTotal Funding
IPOCompany Stage
Consumer Goods, EntertainmentIndustries
10,001+Employees

Benefits

Competitive Salary
401k
Flexible PTO
Medical, dental, visiion insurance
Student Loan Repayment Assistance & Tuition Reimbursement
Well-Being Allowance

Risks

Legal battle with Drake over 'pay-for-play' could harm UMG's reputation.
Downtown Music acquisition may face regulatory scrutiny, delaying expansion plans.
AI partnership with Amazon may not fully address evolving AI content challenges.

Differentiation

UMG leads the music industry with a diverse global presence in 60+ countries.
UMG's artist-centric streaming model enhances engagement and revenue for musicians.
UMG's strategic partnerships, like with Amazon, bolster innovation and content protection.

Upsides

UMG's acquisition of Downtown Music boosts its independent music sector presence.
Partnership with KLAY Vision positions UMG as a leader in AI-driven music innovation.
Collaboration with WPP enhances UMG's marketing capabilities and global reach.

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