Senior Vice President, A&R

This is a Full Time Job

Senior Vice President, A&R (Merchandise & Brand Partnerships)

THE ROLE

Merch Traffic is a division of Live Nation Entertainment that develops, produces, and distributes official artist merchandise through tour, e-commerce, retail, and licensing.

We are seeking a Senior A&R Executive to be a founding member of our team in Nashville, Tennessee. This senior executive will focus on sourcing, negotiating, and closing merchandise deals with top-tier talent, as well as driving the long-term success of those deals across tour, e-commerce, retail and licensing. A strong network within the Nashville music community at the highest level is essential, alongside the ability to cultivate new relationships. The Senior Vice President will collaborate closely with Merch Traffic's executive, legal, and finance teams to execute deals. Outside of dealmaking, the Senior Vice President, A&R will act as the most senior strategic partner to clients, guiding their brand and official merchandise business to achieve its maximum potential, while also serving as an effective thought partner and creative collaborator. They will oversee a team of artist relations, production, and creative professionals in Nashville – as well as cross-functional support teams within and outside of Merch Traffic - who will be executing the day-to-day management of the clients' merchandise businesses, ensuring delivery of exceptional results and achievement of deal projections.

The ultimate goal is to generate long-term growth for clients and the company by securing profitable merchandising deals and fostering ongoing, collaborative client relationships.

WHAT THIS ROLE WILL DO
• Serve as Merch Traffic's senior artist relations executive in the Nashville market
• Scout emerging and established talent in Nashville music scene and beyond whose brand and merchandise potential align with Merch Traffic's strategic goals
• Source, negotiate, and close merchandise deals that deliver positive financial and strategic results for Merch Traffic while building long-term value for clients
• Negotiate with top-tier talent/representation in a highly competitive environment; lead tough discussions with attorneys, artists, managers, and internal partners while demonstrating leading expertise in the merchandise and music business
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, artists, artist managers, music executives, and colleagues to facilitate dealflow and stay informed about market dynamics and competitor activities.
• Maintain a detailed pipeline of all deals and ongoing conversations
• Build deal projections, proposals and contracts based on internal/external data and a deep understanding of artist merchandise deal points and best practices
• Develop long-term strategic plans for client merchandise portfolios, including sales forecasts, expansion plans and brand development initiatives
• Be fully accountable for deal P&L's, ensuring financial targets (revenue, cost of goods, expenses, net profit) are met
• Lead cross-functional teams (i.e. production, e-commerce, accounting, inventory management, creative, marketing), ensuring they are aligned with client goals and are working cohesively to deliver results at the highest level
• Serve as the senior liaison between clients and Merch Traffic, acting as a partner, advocate and expert while developing long-term, trusting business relationships.
• Manage crises and solve problems under pressure to ensure client satisfaction amidst various challenges with production, creative, sales performance, and more
• Constantly ideate and proactively pitch creative and strategic concepts to clients which maximize financial and brand equity impact
• Identify and implement cutting-edge merchandising trends and innovations that can set clients' merchandise offerings apart in the marketplace

WHAT THIS PERSON WILL BRING

The ideal candidate for this role is an experienced leader in the music industry with a rolodex of top-tier talent and representation, substantial experience in the artist merchandise business, and a proven track record of profitable deal-making. They will have:
• 5+ years working on artist merchandise deals with knowledge of tour, e-commerce, retail and licensing business models and landscape
• Proven leadership in high-pressure environments
• Advanced negotiation skills
• Strong analytical and financial acumen
• Creative sensibilities around product and promotions
• Finger on the pulse of latest branding and merchandising trends

BENEFITS & PERKS

Our motto is 'Taking Care of Our Own' through 6 pillars of benefits:
• HEALTH: Medical, Vision and Dental benefits for you and your family, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• YOURSELF: Generous paid time off policy including paid holidays, sick time and paid days off for your birthday, Free concert tickets
• WEALTH: 401(k) program with company match, Stock Program
• FAMILY: New parent programs & support including caregiver leave and childcare cash, infertility support
• CAREER: Tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment internal growth and development programs & trainings
• OTHERS: Volunteer time off, crowdfunding network

Live Nation's policy regarding vaccinations and masking related to a pandemic or other infectious disease control measures, acts of God, health and safety mandates and/or restrictions imposed by applicable local, state or federal governments has evolved over time. Currently, we strongly encourage employees to be fully vaccinated from such infectious diseases for which vaccinations are available. You are expected to follow Live Nation's health and safety protocols and policies as they change from time to time.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

We are passionate and committed to our people and go beyond the rhetoric of diversity and inclusion. You will be working in an inclusive environment and be encouraged to bring your whole self to work. We will do all that we can to help you successfully balance your work and homelife. As a growing business we will encourage you to develop your professional and personal aspirations, enjoy new experiences, and learn from the talented people you will be working with. It's talent that matters to us and we encourage applications from people irrespective of their gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability status or caring responsibilities.

Live Nation strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of age (40 and over), ancestry, color, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), family and medical care leave or the denial of family and medical care leave, mental or physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), marital status, domestic partner status, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, military and veteran status, political affiliation, national origin (including language use restrictions), citizenship, race, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), gender, gender identity, and gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law, rule, ordinance or regulation.

We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles

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