Manager, Data Operations

UMG's Global Insights team is seeking a Manager, Data Operations to ensure the integrity, scalability, and efficiency of data systems. This role involves managing core data infrastructure for analytics, reporting, and fan intelligence initiatives, providing reliable and actionable data to drive strategic decisions. The ideal candidate will optimize back-end data infrastructure, maintain large-scale datasets, resolve data anomalies, and integrate third-party data tools, supporting the Artist Insights & Strategy team.

Must Have

• Manage and optimize back-end data infrastructure for analytics frameworks and dashboards.
• Maintain large-scale datasets, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and performance.
• Investigate and resolve data anomalies and pipeline issues efficiently.
• Build and maintain foundational datasets for fan segmentation and marketing insights.
• Interface with third-party partners to evaluate, integrate, and manage external data tools, APIs, and automation solutions.
• Identify and test new data sources and technologies, assessing business impact.
• 3-6 years of experience in data operations, analytics engineering, or similar.
• Advanced proficiency in SQL and strong understanding of data modeling principles.
• Experience maintaining or optimizing large-scale datasets and dashboards (BigQuery, Snowflake, or similar).
• Familiarity with ETL tools, APIs, and workflow orchestration (e.g., Airflow, dbt, or similar).
• Strong analytical mindset and comfort working with marketing, finance, or CRM data.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a focus on process improvement and automation.
• Clear communicator capable of translating technical details into actionable insights.

Good to Have

• Experience with web development for enhancing visualization and dashboard capabilities.

Perks & Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and FSA options.
• 100% coverage for out-patient mental health services.
• Wellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel (up to $720/year).
• Lifetime fertility support allowance of $30,000.
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement.
• 100% immediately vested 401(k) match on the first 5% of your contribution.
• 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.

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.

Universal Music Group is the world’s leading music company. We are committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship. We own and operate an array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. Our vast catalogue of recordings comprises the largest, most diverse and culturally rich collection of music ever assembled.

As digital technology refashions the world, our unmatched commitment to lead in developing new services, platforms and business models for music and related content delivery empowers innovators and allows new commercial and artistic opportunities to flourish.

How we LEAD:

UMG’s Global Insights team manages the most powerful and effective data sets and research capabilities in the music industry. As well as utilizing sales, streaming, and other commercial data, the Global Insights team manages extensive consumer survey data from around the world, delivering unique detail into evolving attitudes and behavior of today’s music consumers.

Global Insights is a 15+ person team, with presence in London, NY and LA. This role is based in NY and will require close integration with the data teams in NY and London, supporting the Artist Insights & Strategy team. The candidate will report directly to the Director, Artist Insights & Strategy.

The Artist Insights Team delivers in-depth artist brand analysis, campaign recommendations and cultural trend insights to marketing executives, informing artist brand development, media buying, campaign planning and product development. The team also develops cross-disciplinary marketing frameworks that guide how UMG adapts to new platforms, audiences, and marketing opportunities globally.

We are currently seeking a Manager, Data Operations to oversee the integrity, scalability, and efficiency of the data systems powering the team’s various workflows. This role will manage core data infrastructure that supports analytics, reporting, and fan intelligence initiatives, ensuring teams worldwide have reliable and actionable data to drive strategic decisions. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, curious, and passionate about using data to help shape the future of music.

How you will CREATE:

• Manage and optimize back-end data infrastructure that supports the team’s analytics frameworks and dashboards.
• Maintain large-scale datasets and ensure data accuracy, consistency, and performance across global analytics initiatives.
• Investigate and resolve data anomalies and pipeline issues efficiently and systematically.
• Build and maintain foundational datasets for fan segmentation, marketing insights, and campaign analytics.
• Interface with third-party partners to evaluate, integrate, and manage external data tools, APIs, and automation solutions.
• Identify and test new data sources and technologies, assessing their potential business impact and integration feasibility.
• Experience with web development is a plus, especially for enhancing visualization and dashboard capabilities.

Bring your VIBE:

• 3-6 years of experience in data operations, analytics engineering, or similar.
• Advanced proficiency in SQL and strong understanding of data modeling principles.
• Experience maintaining or optimizing large-scale datasets and dashboards (BigQuery, Snowflake, or similar).
• Familiarity with ETL tools, APIs, and workflow orchestration (e.g., Airflow, dbt, or similar).
• Strong analytical mindset and comfort working with marketing, finance, or CRM data.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a focus on process improvement and automation.
• Clear communicator capable of translating technical details into actionable insights for business partners.
• Proactive, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, global environment.
• Passion for music, technology, and the evolving intersection of data and creativity.

Perks Playlist:

• Be part of an entrepreneurial, global organization that values authenticity, drive, creativity, relationships, and a competitive spirit
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and FSA options, as well as:
• 100% coverage for out-patient mental health services
• Wellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel, and so much more (up to $720/year)
• A lifetime fertility support allowance of $30,000 to plan participants
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement
• 100% immediately vested 401(k) match on the first 5% of your contribution on eligible compensation
• 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

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