Director, New Digital Business & Innovation - Santa Monica, 90404

Director, New Digital Business & Innovation - Santa Monica, 90404, United States of America

How we LEAD:

The Director, Digital Innovation & New Business Development will collaborate with Digital Strategy team leadership to lead strategic digital growth initiatives at the intersection of emerging technology, responsible AI empowerment, and creative partnerships. This role is focused on startup and venture relationships, starting with identification and prioritization of opportunities, educating companies on industry needs, shepherding start-ups through the deal process, and socializing opportunities internally at UMG as well as with the creative community. A second focus is coordinating communication related to internal projects and partner products to the creative community in partnership with UMG’s labels and studio teams.

Sitting at the convergence of business strategy and creative advocacy, this leader will identify and execute high-impact digital opportunities while serving as a trusted liaison between the creative community, product partnerships and executive stakeholders. The Director will balance commercial rigor with cultural credibility, translating technological innovation into scalable business outcomes.

This role requires entrepreneurial thinking, analytical discipline, strong cross-functional leadership, and deep knowledge of the music and digital media landscape.

How you’ll CREATE:

• Identify, evaluate, and execute new digital business, licensing, and partnership opportunities across AI and emerging technologies in coordination with other UMG teams.

• Develop robust business cases using internal data, market research, and quantitative and qualitative modeling.

• Design go-to-market strategies and implementation plans for new digital initiatives.

• Distill complex market and technology trends into clear strategic narratives that support executive decision-making.

• Build and manage relationships across startup, accelerator, and venture capital communities.

• Source and evaluate early-stage companies for partnerships, pilots, licensing, or strategic collaboration.

• Maintain forward-looking insight into developments in AI, creative tooling, and digital distribution models.

• Serve as the primary point of coordination between the creative community and AI product, engineering, and leadership teams.

• Act as the central point of coordination for creatives regarding AI tools, platforms, and partnerships.

• Translate creative needs and feedback into actionable guidance for internal and external technology stakeholders.

• Champion artist-first principles and responsible innovation across all AI initiatives.

Education, Enablement & Program Management:

• Project manage UMG’s AI incubator project in alignment with key stakeholders (artists, labels, senior management, partners etc.) Clearly define project goals and evolve the program over time in line with technological developments and industry opportunities.

• Work with other UMG teams to design and deliver AI education and enablement programs, including workshops, demos, playbooks, and executive briefings.

• Uphold ethical AI standards, including transparency, consent, attribution, and protection of creator rights.

• Communicate AI capabilities and limitations in clear, accessible language.

• Support the rollout and integration of AI tools into creative workflows.

• Identify adoption barriers and implement structured change management strategies.

• Share best practices and internal case studies to build digital fluency and confidence.

• Establish structured feedback loops to inform product development and digital strategy.

• Foster transparent communication across labels and corporate functions.

• Cultivate a network of internal champions to accelerate responsible experimentation and adoption.

Bring your VIBE:

• Bachelor’s degree required

• 8–10+ years of experience in music, media, entertainment technology, or related creative industries.

• Demonstrated success in digital business development, innovation strategy, venture engagement, or startup ecosystem roles.

• Proven experience leading cross-functional initiatives in complex, matrixed organizations.

• Track record driving technology adoption or digital transformation, ideally involving AI or advanced creative tools.

• Familiarity with startup finance and early-stage company evaluation.

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with experience briefing senior leadership and governance bodies.

• Credibility within creative environments and the ability to bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Entrepreneurial mindset, intellectual curiosity, and deep commitment to artist-centered innovation.

What Success Looks Like:

• High-impact digital and AI partnerships that unlock new revenue streams and creative capabilities.

• Strong organizational alignment around responsible AI adoption and digital strategy.

• Increased trust, fluency, and engagement with AI-enabled tools across creative teams.

• A sustained innovation pipeline supported by ecosystem engagement and structured feedback.