LEAD ARTIST MARKETING MANAGER

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (“FMIC”) is located in Hollywood, CA. Our brand mission is to serve players at every stage with products and brand experiences that fuel the pursuit of musical expression.

An American icon, Fender was born in Southern California and has built a worldwide influence extending beyond the studio and the stage. A Fender is more than an instrument, it’s a cultural symbol that resonates globally.

We are looking for a talented Lead Artist Marketing Manager to join our global marketing team. Artists are the foundation for everything we create, and our goal is to become a best-in-class marketing partner to new and existing artists who are driving guitar forward in music and culture. Based in Hollywood, CA, the ideal candidate will play an integral role in Fender’s ongoing commitment to elevating multicultural diversity in our artist marketing and overall marketing initiatives. They will lead Fender’s strategy across R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Gospel, and genre-bending music segments with their proven ability to: identify and build highly effective relationships with artists, music industry personnel and influencers; expand on-stage & in-studio artist adoption through product seeding and sales; and support the development of integrated marketing initiatives (product launches, content/social media, digital and artist-driven concepts) and programs that elevate the artist, build the brand and create demand.

ABOUT THE JOB:

• Develop and lead the artist marketing strategy in your area of focus while expanding Fender’s presence in R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Gospel and genre-bending music segments to elevate guitar and bass in music & culture
• Identify and nurture effective relationships with emerging and established artists, based on the highest levels of integrity and collaboration, to support them in their musical journey
• Provide best-in-class support and service to Fender artists at every stage, through sales and seeding, to ensure the right product is with the right artists, in the right place, at the right time
• Partner with global & regional marketing teammates and product teams to introduce artists to the brand, provide strategic insights, guidance and align the right artists with key Fender product launches, product lines and marketing initiatives
• Work closely with artists’ management teams and marketing partners to drive strategic planning and identify opportunities to grow the visibility and co-marketing potential of Fender artists and properties (Fender.com, social media, content, etc.)
• Work closely with Fender marketing teammates to elevate Fender’s artists with consumers, media and influencers, via artist- and brand-right marketing strategies spanning product, content, PR, social, grassroots, events, album/song launches, collaborations and giving
• Drive growth and engagement of both Fender’s and the artists’ social channels via brand-right marketing strategies that elevate the artist and inspire / engage players and fans
• Support the planning & development of artist-driven concepts & initiatives through continual internal & external communication with artists, their management teams, industry contacts and Fender marketing staff
• Generate content and business relationships that contribute to other areas of company growth (media exposure, web traffic, digital subscriptions, etc.)
• Travel, as needed, to key cities to support the development of an effective network of trusted influencers and advisors and to support critical artist programs
• Partner with category and cross-functional teammates to build a pipeline of Signature artist projects with the ability to sell-in ideas, communicate KPI’s, and develop/hit milestones while effectivity managing the relationship with the artist and their team
• Contribute to the global, multi-cultural expansion and authenticity of the brand

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Minimum 5-7 years of music, recording and entertainment industry experience in the R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, and Gospel space and/or 5-7 years working directly with R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Gospel, and genre-bending artists at a brand or agency with a direct focus on identifying and supporting artists to build marketing and/or grassroots programs
• Proven track record of successfully collaborating with multiple emerging and high-profile music artists, songwriters, entertainers, celebrities and influencers
• Ability to synthesize overall strategy for R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Gospel and genre-bending music segments 6/12 months in advance while communicating the plan to the organization and the ability to see said strategy through to completion.
• Track record of upstream planning resulting in business growth (i.e. category/share growth, impressions/engagements, etc.)
• Proven ability to build/manage cross-functional processes and communication in order to ensure operational excellence, elevate product, expand the reach of our channels, and grow the business.
• Active and willing network of managers, agents and influencers in music & recording
• Musical instruments background, with some level of proficiency on guitar or bass
• Service mindset — willing to champion & grow your evolving roster of artists internally at Fender and to support them with service (gear, repairs, exposure, networking, etc.) that goes above & beyond industry standards
• Demonstrated capability to develop, implement, and execute strategies that align with company marketing efforts and other marketing disciplines including PR, Social Media, Content and Retail/Events
• Current with digital marketing best-practices across content, social/shared and owned
• Demonstrated experience utilizing digital communications & social media tools to build relationships and identify and support emerging online artists
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills
• Self-starter, able to build a plan, communicate a plan, execute and evaluate/report
• Team-player and collaborator, motivated to create wins for the artist and the team
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Business preferred, but not required
• Appreciation for, and working knowledge of, Fender’s unique position in music & culture
• Experience working in multi-cultural environments and with multi-cultural brands

ABOUT FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: