Vice President, Global Digital Partnerships & Emerging Media

OVERVIEW: 

As Kobalt’s Global Digital Business team continues to evolve and grow, we are negotiating increasingly sophisticated deals, managing a heightened volume of transactions & partnerships, and adapting to new markets and products that are coming to market across the world.  Additionally, the commercial challenges and complexity that is required for confident and best-in-class execution of digital licensing deals with existing services and new segments requires a senior level role that is empowered to dive significant strategic thinking and close deals.  The SVP, Global Digital Business lead negotiations with licensees and other partners and act as a senior strategic point of contact with Kobalt’s global digital partners.  The role will play an integral part in supporting strategy formulation and gathering and synthesizing deal requirements to drive mutually workable outcomes in negotiations and partner development.  They will have significant responsibility to drive the future of our digital business into the future.

WHAT DOES AN SVP, GLOBAL DIGITAL BUSINESS AT KOBALT DO?

• The VP will act as negotiator and strategic lead with a wide set of Kobalt’s digital partners, and in doing so will source requirements, design new deal parameters, and execute upon our digital strategy
• Collaborate with a diverse set of internal stakeholders to ensure the effective operationalization of the partnerships across the internal business while engaging, monitoring, tuning and steering our external business relationships.
• Negotiate multi-million dollar content licensing partnerships that are material revenue to Kobalt.  Including YouTube, Apple, Spotify, TikTok, Meta, Amazon, etc.
• SA key executive at Kobalt for all matters related to our digital business, including income, how rights flow globally and across different types of client deals, digital royalties, commercial structures, and overall platform trends and opportunities across the entire music business.
• Strategy Corporate Development:  Will collaborate closely with Kobalt Senior Management in developing various Corporate Strategy Projects, collaborating with Finance, Operations, Creative, Tech, Administration, Business Affairs, all on a global basis.
• Will have flexibility to create new deal structures independently (with appropriate oversight and approval process that are outlined).  
• Will work through new platform partnerships that are outside of “licensing” deals, including monetization optimization services, data analytics, creative & marketing, among others.
• Will work closely with various trade associations, including NMPA (National Music Publishers’ Association, various societies, and IFPI, among others.

WHAT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• 10+ years of experience in commercial licensing negotiations at a music publisher or record label, including first-hand experience with licensing mechanical, performance, sync, and lyric rights globally. Negotiation skills must be excellent.
• First in class executive level social and presentation skills.  This role will interact closely with all of Kobalt Senior Management, including CEO, as well as various industry C-Suite staff.
• Highly adept at prioritizing business critical items in a high-stakes environment.
• Highly fluent in industry operational matters, including DDEX, Work Registrations custom-and-practice.
• Deep analytical skills, with particular focus on forecasting and modeling out market growth trends and overall economic value of our key licensing deals.
• Ability to work across a multifunctional team successfully. Experience navigating complex problems while partnering with all levels of the organization.

Why Choose Us

At Kobalt, we’ve championed creators since 2000. Our technology and music services are built to make the industry more transparent, fair, and rewarding for artists, songwriters, and rights holders. We’re proud to work with some of the world’s most influential talents including Phoebe Bridgers, Sam Fender, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Karol G, Young Thug, Kali Uchis, FINNEAS, and Andrew Watt as well as acclaimed writers like Simon Aldred (Rag’n’Bone Man, Liam Gallagher, Celeste) and Clarence Coffee Jr. (Dua Lipa, Lizzo, The Snuts).

We’re a company that thrives on creativity, collaboration, and progress. Our values: Music First, Transparent, Tech Powered, and Transformative. Shape how we work, build, and grow together. We are a community of people who care deeply about making a meaningful impact in music and technology.

Kobalt is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in equitable access to opportunities and are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and identities. If you need any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know we’re happy to help.

If this sounds like you, then please share your story by filling out the application below. To get you in the right mood, have a listen here to songs by our talented creators, especially curated to get you in the right mood when looking for the next challenge! 

IMPORTANT NOTICE

US: Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. A full background check on acceptance of offer. Kobalt is an equal opportunity employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

NYC Pay Transparency Law: The range provided is for NYC-based hires only and will be commensurate with candidate experience. Pay ranges for candidates in other locations other than NYC may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. Pay range: $140,000 - $180,000

LA Pay Transparency Law: The range provided is for Los Angeles-based hires only and will be commensurate with candidate experience. Pay ranges for candidates in other locations other than Los Angeles may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. Pay range: $140,000 - $180,000