Associate Business Development Manager (A&R)
We are seeking an experienced and commercially driven Associate Business Development Manager (A&R) to lead artist and label partnerships while driving the growth of our music catalog and distribution business.
This role combines Business Development, A&R, partnership management, and team leadership. You will identify promising artists and content partners, negotiate commercial agreements, develop release strategies, and lead a small team to achieve catalog growth and revenue targets.
The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of the music industry, excellent relationship management skills, commercial acumen, and a passion for discovering and developing music opportunities.
🤖 What you will do
1. Business Development & Partnerships
- Identify and acquire new artists, record labels, distributors, music publishers, and strategic content partners
- Develop and execute partnership strategies to expand the company's music catalog and market presence
- Lead commercial negotiations, including distribution, licensing, and revenue-sharing agreements
- Build long-term relationships with artists, management teams, labels, producers, and industry stakeholders
- Represent the company at industry events, showcases, conferences, and networking opportunities.
2. A&R Strategy
- Identify emerging artists and commercially promising music projects
- Evaluate demos, artist portfolios, market potential, and commercial viability
- Develop artist acquisition strategies aligned with company objectives
- Work closely with artists on release planning, positioning, and long-term career development
- Recommend investments based on market trends, audience insights, and business potential.
3. Release & Catalog Management
- Lead release planning from signing through launch
- Coordinate with Marketing, Editorial, Operations, Product, and Content teams to ensure successful releases
- Monitor release performance and optimize strategies using streaming and audience analytics
- Support catalog optimization and identify opportunities for content monetization.
4. Commercial Strategy
- Drive catalog growth, streaming performance, and revenue generation
- Identify new business opportunities, including exclusive releases, fan engagement, and new monetization models
- Develop business cases and financial forecasts for major partnership opportunities
- Monitor competitor activities and industry developments.
5. Team Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop the A&R and Business Development team
- Set team objectives, KPIs, and performance expectations
- Coach team members in negotiation, relationship management, and commercial skills
- Allocate resources and prioritize acquisition opportunities
- Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture.
6. Data Analysis & Reporting
- Analyze streaming performance, audience insights, market trends, and partner performance
- Develop recommendations based on data to improve artist acquisition and release strategies
- Prepare business reports and executive presentations
- Monitor key business metrics and continuously optimize performance.
👾 What you will need
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Music Business, Communications, Media, or a related field.
Experience
- 5–8+ years of experience in Business Development, A&R, Artist Management, Music Distribution, Content Partnerships, or Digital Media
- Proven experience negotiating agreements with artists, labels, or distributors
- Experience leading projects or managing a small team is highly preferred
- Existing network within the music industry is a strong advantage.
Required Skills
1. Business & Commercial
- Strong negotiation and closing skills
- Strategic partnership development
- Financial and commercial acumen
- Contract negotiation and deal structuring
- Project management.
2. Music Industry Knowledge
- Strong understanding of digital music distribution
- Knowledge of streaming platforms and digital music business models
- Understanding of recording rights, publishing rights, neighboring rights, and royalty structures
- Familiarity with music marketing and release campaigns.
3. Leadership
- Team leadership and coaching
- Stakeholder management
- Decision-making and prioritization
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Problem-solving.
4. Technical
- Advanced Excel and PowerPoint
- Experience with streaming analytics and business intelligence tools is preferred.
5. Language
- Professional English communication (written and spoken).
Why Join Us
- Shape the future of Vietnam's digital music industry
- Work with leading artists, labels, creators, and entertainment partners
- Lead strategic partnerships that directly impact millions of music listeners
- Enjoy opportunities for professional growth, leadership, and innovation in a fast-growing digital entertainment ecosystem.
