Associate Director, Product Innovation

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.

How we LEAD:

We're looking for a Associate Director, Product Innovation to lead the end-to-end creation of new physical and digital-physical products-from early concept through Development. This role sits at the intersection of design, culture, engineering, and supply chain, translating creative ideas into commercially viable, scalable products.

You'll work closely with creative, brand and operations teams to expand into new product categories, elevate design quality, and build repeatable development systems that move fast without sacrificing craft.

This is a hands-on role for someone who is equally comfortable sketching ideas, developing technical design documents, managing factories, and building launch-ready assortments.

How you'll CREATE:

Product Innovation & Strategy
• Identify and develop new product categories, formats, and experiences aligned with brand, artist, or consumer insights
• Translate cultural trends, fan behavior, and market data into actionable product concepts
• Build innovation pipelines that balance hero concepts, scalable core products, and limited drops

Design & Development
• Lead product development for the innovation team from concept → design → prototyping.
• Partner with internal and external designers on industrial design, materials, color, graphics, and finishes
• Review and approve CAD files, technical drawings, samples, and pre-production builds before hand off to factory.
• Ensure products meet design intent, quality standards, safety requirements, and cost targets

Technical & Production Management
• Create and maintain tech packs, BOMs, costing models, and timelines
• Source, onboard, and manage domestic and international manufacturing partners (ODM/OEM)
• Oversee sampling rounds and smooth hand off for commercially viable product to PD team.
• Collaborate with PD team to help optimize cost, margin, and lead times

Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with Account Management, brand, creative and Artist's Rights teams to ensure product-market fit
• Support planning with clear product narratives, specifications, and use cases
• Partner with legal and licensing teams to ensure compliance with IP, safety, and category-specific regulations

Process & Scale
• Build and refine repeatable development frameworks that support speed, innovation, scale and cross functional collaboration and production and manufacturing teams.
• Document best practices across design, development, and production
• Help evolve long-term product roadmaps and category strategies

Bring Your VIBE:

• 6-10+ years of experience in product design, development, or innovation
• Proven track record bringing consumer products to market (e.g. apparel, footwear, accessories, electronics, home goods, collectibles, toys, or similar)
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, tooling, and costing
• Experience working with overseas factories and managing production timelines
• Ability to balance creative vision with commercial and operational realities
• Background in music, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, or cultural brands
• Experience launching limited editions, drops, or fan-driven products
• Familiarity with digital-physical integrations (NFC, connected products, experiential packaging)
• Experience managing external design studios or freelance designers
• Strong product taste and design sensibility
• Systems thinker who thrives in ambiguity
• Detail-oriented but comfortable moving fast
• Clear communicator across creative and technical teams
• Entrepreneurial mindset with high ownership and accountability

What success looks like:

• New product categories launched that drive incremental revenue and cultural relevance
• On-time, on-budget product launches with elevated quality
• Strong factory partnerships and efficient development workflows
• Products that fans/customers feel emotionally connected to-not just merch

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 coverageIncluding 100% coverage for out-patient in-network mental health servicesFertility coverage for eligible medical plan participantsWellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel, and so much more (up to $720/year)Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement401(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 employees3-weeks PTO for non-exempt employees2-weeks paid Winter Break10 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.

Please note, UMG is not enrolled in E-Verify in California and New York, and cannot support employment of candidates whose employer must enroll in E-Verify, for example candidates on STEM-OPT.

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