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Universal Music Group

Director, Creative

Posted 2 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
In-Office
Santa Monica, CA
97K-204K Annually
Senior level
In-Office
Santa Monica, CA
97K-204K Annually
Senior level
The Creative Director will lead design and creative strategies for UMG's top artists, ensuring cohesive brand storytelling and innovative product development while collaborating with various teams and managing timelines.
The summary above was generated by AI

We are UMG, the Universal Music Group. We are the world’s leading music company. In everything we do, we are committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship. We own and operate a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. We identify and develop recording artists and songwriters, and we produce, distribute and promote the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music to delight and entertain fans around the world.
 

Famehouse, a division of UMG, is the preeminent leader in D2C solutions in music, defining & delivering the industry’s best-in-class service to connect artists with their fans. Established & headquartered in Philly, Famehouse powers D2C for UMG’s labels, artists, and Bravado, along with a select roster of 3rd party clients. Our success & culture is fueled by collaboration—both within FH and with our partners. We are passionate about the impact of D2C & merchandise for artists, providing a full-service solution to grow an artist’s owned business including strategy, creative, storefront merchandising, fulfillment, customer service, technology, and more.

How We LEAD 

  

Famehouse is seeking a Creative Director to oversee and elevate design and creative strategy across some of the world’s most iconic artists. This role blends hands-on artistry with creative vision. 

  

The Creative Director will collaborate closely with the Creative Team, Product Development, Account Management, Digital Creative Services, and UMG label partners, as well as directly with artists and management teams, to concept and execute best-in-class campaigns and products. 

  

How You’ll CREATE 

Creative Leadership & Vision

  • Lead Creative Direction – Own the creative vision for UMG’s top-tier artists from concept through execution, ensuring alignment across branding, graphics, and product design.

  • Build Cohesive Narratives – Develop unified brand storytelling and visual identities that reflect each artist’s voice.

  • Inspire Cultural Relevance – Bring deep knowledge of pop culture, fashion, and design trends to inform strategy and keep teams connected to the cultural landscape.

  • Facilitate Collaboration – Lead brainstorming and ideation sessions that push creative boundaries and foster innovation across teams.

Design & Product Development

  • Oversee Design Development – Direct, design, delegate, and manage presentations, graphics, apparel and product designs, collections, and branding materials.

  • Product Innovation – Partner with Product Development to interpret artists’ creative vision into innovative, authentic, and trend-informed physical products.

  • Provide Constructive Feedback – Review creative concepts, proposals, and deliverables, offering guidance that sharpens execution and strengthens overall creative output.

  • Develop Creative Briefs – Translate brand and management direction into actionable briefs with clear objectives, timelines, and deliverables.

Artist, Label & Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Collaborate & Partner – Team up with label creative partners to execute strategic and cohesive creative aligned with UMG’s highest-tier artists and rollout plans.

  • Artist Facing – Collaborate directly with artists and management to bring the artist’s creative vision to life while balancing internal strategy and planning.

  • Represent Creative Excellence – Attend label and artist meetings as a key creative partner, presenting ideas and ensuring alignment across all creative touchpoints.

Team Leadership & People Management

  • Mentor and Delegate – Assign projects to in-house and freelance designers, providing clarity, feedback, and collaboration. Curate designer groupings based on skill, aesthetics, and availability.

  • Coach and Lead – Offer strategic direction, constructive feedback, and career development support to direct reports.

  • Manage Timelines – Oversee project schedules to ensure on-time delivery.

 Bring your VIBE: 

  • 7+ years’ experience managing projects and creatives from ideation to execution, preferably in music or fashion/retail. 

  • Established track record of selling through creative concepts and strategies to clients. 

  • Natural collaborator. Must be willing to set ego aside to deliver for our customers (both fans and artists). 

  • Exceptional verbal and written abilities. 

  • Deep understanding of what goes into our work and this role, including: 

  • Music fandom and the fan to artist connection. 

  • Brand differentiation across artists and music genres. 

  • eCommerce, specifically trends and best practices as they apply to the fan to artist relationship. 

  • Creative approach to problem solving. 

  • Comfortable juggling multiple high priority projects simultaneously with strong attention to detail. 

  • Ability to stay flexible, calm and collected under pressure, and to be accountable for meeting deadlines amidst changing client needs. 

  • Self-starter attitude, capable of owning important responsibilities from inception to completion. 

  • Strong critical thinking skills and an ability to make decisions informed by data. 

  • Highly skilled in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. 

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office. 

  • Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, illustration, fashion design, marketing, or a related field.  

Perks Playlist:

Join an entrepreneurial, global organization where authenticity, boldness, creativity, connection, drive, and insight aren’t just values—they’re how we work every day. Here are some of the ways we support you along the way (and just a few of the benefits we offer):

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

  • Including 100% coverage for out-patient in-network mental health services

  • Fertility coverage for eligible medical plan participants

  • Wellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel, and so much more (up to $720/year)

  • Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement

  • 401(k) with 100% immediate vesting on the first 5% of your contributions, plus an additional UMG contribution

A variety of ways to prioritize much-needed time away from work including:

  • Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) for exempt employees

  • 3-weeks PTO for non-exempt employees

  • 2-weeks paid Winter Break

  • 10 Company Holidays (including Juneteenth and Wellbeing Day)

  • Summer Fridays (between Memorial Day and Labor Day)

  • Generous paid parental leave for every type of parent

Check out our full overview of benefits on the Perks Playlist page of the career site.

Disclaimer: This job description only provides an overview of job responsibilities that are subject to change.
Universal Music Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an E-Verify employer in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah.

For more information, please click on the following links.

E-Verify Participation Poster: English / Spanish

E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English | Spanish


Job Category:
Creative, Design & Production

Salary Range:

$96,660 - $204,215

The actual base salary offered depends on a variety of factors, which may include, as applicable, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, specific and unique skills, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.  All candidates are encouraged to apply.

Top Skills

Illustrator
Indesign
MS Office
Photoshop
HQ

Universal Music Group Santa Monica, California, USA Office

2220 Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

Universal Music Group Los Angeles, California, USA Office

21301 Burbank Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, United States, 91367

Universal Music Group Santa Monica, California, USA Office

2220 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90404

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