About us
A unique opportunity to join an award-winning artist and project management agency.
Innovation, expertise and responsiveness have been the hallmarks of HarrisonParrott ever since its foundation in 1969 when Jasper Parrott and Terry Harrison pioneered a new approach to artist and project management. Today, that restless and challenging spirit is as strong as ever, shared across one of the most experienced teams in the business.
We have more than 80 people working for Harrison in locations across the world who speak a total of 18 European languages as well as Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian and Korean. With offices in London, UK, Munich, Germany, Paris, France and Madrid, Spain we operate on a truly global scale. While our main focus is classical music, we also work with other art forms, including ballet and theatre, and our exciting sister company, Polyarts works on a 360 degree management approach focusing on new music, contemporary classical, as well as projects in film, gaming and the tech and pop sectors.
This role would become a key part of the senior management team at Polyarts, who are rapidly becoming a global reference in the space between classical, contemporary and commercial music. We seek people who match our pro-active drive and ambition with a can- do attitude, who are excited about playing a key role in the future of the arts on a global scale.
Job purpose
We are looking for an ambitious Associate Director, to work alongside existing senior management at Polyarts. They will take our attractions and projects department to the next level, both strategically and commercially. The role’s primary function would be to develop the business, seek out and sign commercial artists and projects, and develop and take existing projects and artists to wider global success.
This person would be a key contributor to wider company strategic and entrepreneurial initiatives and identify opportunities for the company. The Associate Director will have direct line management of a small team. Eventually, there is scope in this role to become a key part of Senior Management at Polyarts and a key member of the wider group strategy in the long term.
Key relationships
Senior Management at Polyarts and HP, Directors, Senior Artist Managers, Artist Managers, Touring, Artist Coordinators, Marketing, Logistics, Finance teams
Key Accountabilities
General
- Oversee a roster of existing properties and develop new properties/titles within the roster with a focus on top level talent and symphonic projects
- With strategic guidance and input from the CEO and team/ G,roup COO formulate a strategic plan for these projects.
- Demonstrable experience budgeting and delivering successful commercial live events and projects
- Identify and recruit both new artist signings (established and developing artists) and potentially bring in new projects to the roster from the start.
- Seek out and identify the best partners depending on genre, style or leading artist/ project’s wishes
- Produce projects from scratch and or book/sell ready-made projects globally
- Understanding of the Commercial industry and Symphonic industry – Gaming and Filming industry experience (symphonic tours) a plus –
- Work with the CEO/Management of Polyarts and partner AD Polyarts to improve all aspects of the Polyarts brand.
- Contribute to the Polyarts Company management/ governance aspects as the role develops
Special Projects: Attractions
- Fully oversee and grow a roster of symphonic commercial pop, rock, jazz, gaming, film artists and projects in the attractions space (Symphonic tours)
- Work with different formats and partners depending on projects (i.e. commercial bookers, promoters or direct to venue sales)
- Focus on growing and cementing gaming music projects both through existing projects and new projects in the embryo stage
- Create projects from scratch with world class artists and partners and or sign ready to go projects
- Book/ sell globally (depending on the project either through agents, directly or through promoters etc.)
- Negotiate/advise on contract terms, ensure fee negotiations are finalised, supervise teams in their role to process and manage the issuing and finalisation of contracts/ budgets/ offers/ and production.
- Negotiate/advise on contract terms for contracts which are non-specific to engagements, such as recording and TV contracts, investment contracts, media partnerships, production partners, guest artist contracts etc.
Financial administration/ Dealmaking
- Ability to produce and manage complex and accurate projections, budgets and other financial information to ensure the company’s finance team and artists/orchestras are fully informed.
- Confident and experienced deal maker who will deliver successful and profitable projects
- Ability to contribute to wider business financial objectives.
- Planning and management of own travel budget.
- This role will have clear financial targets and annual KPIs to be set on a 3-5 year basis. Sales, marketing and PR
- Establish and build relationships with venues/promoters/orchestras/ artist PR teams
- Contribute to and support the general marketing strategy and effort.
- Procure and negotiate engagements to implement the agreed career plan strategy for artists.
- Assistance with other parts of the business and specific projects where expertise is required (artists and touring) is needed.
- Advise artists/orchestras on their marketing, PR and digital strategies to complement their musical identity. Strategy, business development and entrepreneurship
- Work with CEO and Directors to help define and deliver strategic objectives for Polyarts, in this growing area - identifying targets, gaps in the roster, trends in the industry and developments in specific markets/territories (new halls/festivals/promoters).
- Develop tools to maximise effectiveness
- Act as an ambassador for the company and improve the efficiency and professionalism/expertise in house
- Support branding and recognition in the industry
People
- Day to day line management of direct reports.
- Working with Head of HR & Operations on the mentoring programme.
Benefits
- 25 days of paid holiday per year in addition to statutory bank and public holidays. 5 of these days are to be taken during the office closure period in December.
- Company Pension Scheme.
- Annual ticket allowance for HarrisonParrott artist events.
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Plus Somerset House residents benefits:
I love Covent Garden Card
Northbank Privilege Card
Corporate rate at Waldorf Fitness First
Community membership rates at King’s College Gyms
Covent Garden Physio – Introductory rate. 10% off
Additional Information
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
To apply for this role, please fill out an application form by Sunday 29th January at 11.59pm; unfortunately, we don't accept CV's. An application form can be found on our HarrisonParrott /job page, https://www.harrisonparrott.com/jobs.
For more information about the role or to apply for the position, please email hr@harrisonparrott.co.uk.
Person Specification
This is a management role, and you will have extensive proven comprehensive experience in a management role in the music business across various areas (Artist and Title management, recording labels and contracting, Touring, Booking, Agency and Production) is crucial to the success of this role. A love and passion for good music making and exciting standout live events would help enormously, and we are looking for someone social and excited by big business.
To be successful in this role, you must demonstrate a proven track record budgeting and delivering successful commercial live vents and projects and possibly even bring some projects/ artists to the roster with you. You will be an ambitious, proactive and driven negotiator with a thorough knowledge of commercial music and a sound understanding of the music business. Knowledge of and/or connections with Global level performers, orchestras, venues, festivals and recording companies is a must. Key markets: US/UK and European markets
Along with extensive hands-on experience in a senior artist or arts management role, we are looking for a highly commercial thinking, talented deal maker and resilient team player who is adaptable to change and able to prioritise competing demands in a positively?challenging and dynamic environment.
You should have excellent interpersonal skills, able to manage up, down and across organisations and be comfortable speaking and negotiating with partners, artists, promoters and venue teams at all levels.
Impeccable professional and presentation skills as an ambassador for our business and artists.
Potential for growth within the company into a Senior management role for the right candidate.
Evaluation
The role will be reviewed with commercial targets and KPIs annually set at the start of the employment period. Salary and potential bonus linked to performance.
Skills and Experience
Essential
- Proven experience and competency in and direct responsibility for the front line management of a portfolio of world class musical artists including strategic career planning, sales and marketing, and contract negotiation, including commercial projects.
- Demonstrable experience in budgeting successful commercial live events and projects
- Excellent relationships with Global orchestras, venues, promoters in commercial space and traditional space
- Proven ability with Sales: Symphonic Booking or Production in US, Europe a plus/ work within a commercial booking Agency a plus
- Proven experience budgeting and developing large production projects from scratch to successful implementation and sales/ touring
- Proven ability to independently identify, sign and develop your own list of directly signed artists and projects
- Proven ability to handle independently and manage a team overseeing Production, Financial aspects and 360 aspects of Attraction projects from Development to Sale and to contribute to, and show deep understanding of, the development and growth of wider business and commercial strategies.
- Entrepreneurial attitude, internationally respected, confident in presentation with an ability to “think outside the box”.
- Deep and constantly evolving knowledge of and active interest in commercial music as well as some understanding of orchestral projects
- Experience of managing teams
- High level of accuracy, attention to detail.
- Excellent organisation skills.
- Ability to manage and prioritise a large number of varied tasks with multiple deadlines.
Desirable:
- Educated to at least undergraduate degree level.
- Competence in at least one other language
- Possibly bring artists/projects on to the roster with you
- Experience with Gaming or Film Music Symphonic projects or industry
