Merlin
Manager, Member Relations
Nashville, TN
August 2024
The Company
Merlin provides independents the means to own their future. Merlin is a member led, music focused organization providing digital music licensing for independents across the globe. Members benefit from Merlin’s premium deals, but work directly with key digital partners.
Our membership consists of independent labels, distributors, and other rights-holders, representing tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country in the world. Merlin works collaboratively with our digital partners, delivers value back to those digital partners, and seeks to drive other incremental benefits to our members.
Merlin’s approach has enabled our membership to grow to represent 15% of the global market share. Merlin’s membership includes independents such as Amuse, Armada Music, AudioSalad, AVL Group (including CD Baby, DashGo and FUGA), Beggars Group, Cinq Music Group, CmdShft, Curb, Domino, Encore, Epitaph Records, Exceleration, Freeme Digital, Hopeless Records, IDOL, Kontor New Media, Mad Decent, MNRK Music Group, Ninja Tune, ONErpm, Polyvinyl, Pony Canyon, Redeye, Secret City, Secretly, Stones Throw, Symphonic Distribution, Sub Pop, Warp and hundreds more.
Merlin has deals with nearly 40 digital services, including partners like Apple, Audiomack, AWA, Boomplay, Canva, Deezer, JioSaavn, KKBox, Meta, NetEase, Pandora, Peloton, Snap, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tencent, TikTok, TREBEL, Twitch, Vevo, YouTube Music, and many other global, regional and strategic partners, as well as being in conversations with dozens more.
Merlin has team resources in London, New York, North Carolina, Minneapolis, Berlin, Bangkok and Tokyo. Find out more at www.merlinnetwork.org
The Opportunity
The Manager, Member Relations is an enthusiastic digital music executive with experience working at music distributors in a client or label relations role. This position sits at the core of Merlin’s Member Relations team, working closely with our global membership, contributing to our mission of empowering independents, and supporting members in maximizing the opportunities made available to them via our best-in-class deals.
Merlin is the global licensing partner for the world’s leading independent record labels, distributors and digital music companies, and our members successfully manage their digital businesses in direct relationships with our licensing partners.
This is an excellent opportunity for a process driven, proven self-starter who is keen to dig deeper into how digital partner deals work, understands the value and needs of independent music companies and is a confident communicator driven by the rewarding mission of serving the independent entrepreneurs that comprise the Merlin membership.
This person will possess an advanced ability to successfully manage multiple projects, comprehend the complex developments across the digital marketplace and be equally comfortable leading and working collaboratively with Merlin’s global team in a fast paced, success-driven and fun atmosphere.
Position Status, Location and Reporting
This is a full time role based in Nashville, TN. Merlin employs a distributed work model with our global team members primarily working remotely. This position will report directly to Merlin’s SVP, Member & Partner Success.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead day to day communications and support for existing Merlin member companies
- Contribute to member acquisition strategy
- Educate and lead communications with applicant companies and prospective members
- Stay deeply knowledgeable about and able to effectively communicate commercial deal terms, digital partner integrations, marketing opportunities, tools and marketplace developments
- Investigate, troubleshoot, and effectively resolve issues for members
- Demonstrate strong commercial sensibility and good judgment on issues requiring cross functional escalation
- Communicate member needs, developments and successes with Merlin’s global team
- Actively contribute toward improving processes, developing scalable solutions and keeping on top of new opportunities, market news and what is driving success in the digital music market
- Flexibility to focus on specific projects and territories or with members and partners as assigned by senior management from time to time
- Take advantage of opportunities to stretch and grow the remit of the role as the business evolves
Required Experience
- Minimum of 3 years of experience working at digital music companies, music labels, distributors or artist services companies
- Strong understanding of the digital music industry, music distribution, the mechanics of the digital music supply chain and tools and opportunities available via digital music platforms
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a disciplined adherence to commercial awareness and confidentiality
- Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work with clients of all personalities
- Active listening skills to accurately respond to inquiries and requests
- Ability to establish the highest degree of credibility and rapport with owners and executives at independent music companies and DSPs
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Airtable and familiarity with task management programs and contact management systems
- Comfortable prioritizing multiple issues/tasks
Preferred Qualifications
- Proficiency in Spanish
- Established network of contacts with independent music companies and digital partners
Compensation
A competitive salary, incentive, and benefits package will be offered, commensurate with the role and the relevant experience of the final hire.
Equal Opportunity and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Merlin is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. Further, the company strives to create a diverse, welcoming, equitable and inclusive environment for all applicants, employees, member companies and partners.
Contact
EnterGain is the exclusive recruiter on this project. Qualified candidates should apply directly to this posting.
Disclaimer
The job description above is intended to set forth the general nature of the work that will be expected of the person who takes on this role. The job description is not, however, meant to be construed as an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities required for this role. From time to time, all personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities as needed.
