Classical A&R Manager

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

The A Side: DECCA

Since 1929, DECCA has been the home of the world's greatest musicians. Working with globally successful artists like Max Richter and Andrea Bocelli, to groundbreaking experimental artists in the ambient instrumental space such as Ólafur and LUXE, bringing the music of these artists to a global audience is all in a day's work.

The label has always been at the forefront of classical music artistic excellence, musical innovation and creative entrepreneurship. Home to prominent classical icons and contemporary classical favorites including Yunchan Lim, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Alexandra Whittingham, Klaus Makela, Pavarotti, Ashkenazy and Solti, and more.

The B Side: The Role

Areas Of Responsibility

• Classical Talent Scouting, with a strong focus on online spaces: Within a continually evolving market you will identify new classical and classical adjacent talent, opportunities and repertoire avenues that are creatively and commercially attractive, as well as general rising trends and audience community targets. You will prepare research reports and summaries for the Executive Producer, working with our in-house data and insights team. You will review and respond to demo submissions and speculative pitches. You will monitor and attend relevant live activities in the wider classical industry both in UK and overseas.
• Classical Artist Development: You will support the Decca Classics Executive Producer in nurturing and developing the recording careers of our global roster.
• Classical A&R Project Management: You will plan and coordinate projects end-to end, from the signing process through to the recording and beyond, including studio research, building and engaging optimum, bespoke recording teams, negotiating fees, budgeting and overseeing all post-production. You have the drive and ability to see projects through to completion. You will work closely and collaboratively with the marketing, promotion, and digital teams to develop a successful release strategy.
• Relationship Management: You will communicate confidently and proactively with artists and their management teams, producers, composers, publishers and all internal and external teams.
• General A&R support: You will provide reliable, fast-paced support to the Executive Producer and the wider A&R team in general A&R tasks such as maintaining records of recording session plans, coordinating label copy with the A&R Administration team, proactively communicating plans and updates and sharing audio with internal teams.

Person Specification

Essential

• Self-starter with a creative, entrepreneurial mindset, ready to contribute ideas as part of a close-knit team of classical music experts within a boutique label at UMG
• Strong understanding of and passion for classical music and classical adjacent genres
• Significant experience of working in classical music
• Strong understanding of the social media and streaming landscape as a method to track artists and trends; TikTok, Linktree, Spotify, Instagram, Soundcloud
• Excellent relationship-building and relationship-management skills and the ability to deal with difficult situations with tact and diplomacy
• Have a commercial sensibility, aiding in deal negotiations and budgeting
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Detail-oriented
• Comfortable working at a fast pace
• Calm under pressure
• Capacity to represent the company at meetings, concerts and events, including occasional national and international travel.
• Curiosity and a willingness to learn, as well as the courage to ask questions during the onboarding process

Desirable

• Experience of creating pitches, including design and presentation
• Knowledge of foreign languages

Bonus Tracks: 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

Contact details

4 Pancras Square, London, N1C 4AG

Visit website to apply