Sr. Manager, Business Affairs

Who We Are

UnitedMasters is building a marketplace that connects artists, brands and fans - empowering artists to earn and grow. UnitedMasters has taken the bold step of building a music distribution service that, radically, puts artists first - disrupting the legacy music business by letting up-and-coming artists distribute their music directly to fans through streaming services while maintaining ownership of their master recording rights and up to 100% of royalties. Through the combination of UnitedMasters’ music distribution platform and its deep ties to brands, UnitedMasters enables independent artists and change-makers to grow and earn unlike any other platform.

The UnitedMasters team is made up of musicians, marketers, engineers, and storytellers with backgrounds from YouTube, SoundCloud, Pandora, Facebook, Uber, Dropbox, Complex, VICE, and more. We work hand in hand with the award-winning creative teams that forge those innovative partnerships at Translation (our in-house creative advertising agency). We are looking for a Senior Manager, Business Affairs to join UnitedMasters!

Role Overview A dedicated Business Affairs specialist responsible for leading the day to day execution of music Business Affairs and clearance matters. This role provides expert ownership of side-artist agreements, label waivers, sample and interpolation clearances, producer related documentation, and release readiness. Working closely with Artist Operations, Legal, A&R, Finance, Marketing, and external partners, this position helps ensure releases are properly structured, documented, negotiated, and cleared before release.

What You’Ll Do

Lead the end to end execution of music Business Affairs and clearance processes, ensuring releases are legally and operationally ready prior to release Negotiate and manage side artist agreements, label waivers, and related deal terms (including NAR, PPD, market share, and other commercial provisions) Identify potential sample and interpolation issues and coordinate clearance efforts with internal stakeholders and external clearance vendors Support producer and featured artist agreement matters as they relate to clearance and release readiness Serve as the Business Affairs validation checkpoint within the release process, helping to confirm required approvals, documentation, and clearance terms before release Partner closely with Artist Operations, Legal, A&R, Marketing, Commerce, Finance, and external managers, attorneys, labels, and rights holders to resolve Business Affairs matters Act as the subject matter expert on music clearance mechanics, providing guidance across Artist Operations, Legal, and Finance Develop, maintain, and continuously improve standardized Business Affairs documentation, templates, and operating procedures Partner with Artist Operations to support and continuously improve the company's release gate and clearance workflow Identify operational risks and proactively resolve clearance issues before they impact release timelines Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 5+ years of Business Affairs experience within a record label, music company, or comparable music industry environment Demonstrated experience with side artist agreements, label waivers, sample and interpolation clearances, producer agreements, and music release workflows Strong understanding of master and publishing rights from a Business Affairs and clearance perspective Experience negotiating with record labels, artist management, attorneys, publishers, and other external rights holders Experience working cross functionally with Artist Operations, A&R, Legal, Finance, and external business partners in a music release environment Excellent communication and relationship management skills across internal and external stakeholders Highly organized, detail oriented, and capable of independently managing multiple high priority matters simultaneously Ability to balance legal, operational, and commercial considerations within a fast paced