Artist Development Manager, East

Sofar Sounds

Sofar Sounds

New York, NY, USA
Posted on Saturday, August 26, 2023
About Us
Sofar is creating space where music matters. We bring artists and audiences together through live experiences and artist services that inspire creativity, community and joy.
Our unique live experiences provide a place for artist discovery, local community and connection in non-traditional, unexpected places across 78 countries and growing. Through our artist services, we provide tools and services for artists to directly connect with fans and build sustainable, creative lives on their own terms.
THE ROLE
As an Artist Development Manager for our East region at Sofar, you’ll build upon a large, vibrant and diverse artist community spanning across 9 cities at Sofar, and will create opportunities for artists at every stage of their career. This role is close to the heart of Sofar as artists are at the center of all we do - we exist for them above anything else.

What you'll do:

  • You’ll discover unique artists, develop strong trusted relationships and lead your team to book amazing, diverse lineups for thousands of shows each year, overseeing show curation and show quality within your region.
  • Familiar with the local music scene across multiple genres and able to develop relationships in each city to ensure Sofar’s artist bookings are genuinely connected to, and representative of that city
  • Manage scouting across your markets, proactively sourcing established and emerging talent, both local and touring
  • Work with our artist community team to cultivate and support the artists community within your region
  • Manage and develop team members, as relevant
  • Manage and develop new relationships with like-minded artist-centric organizations across the broader music industry
  • Identify and ensure artist diversity for the region, forming partnerships where appropriate
  • Develop and oversee programming to support the growth of artists in your region e.g., mentoring, artist residencies, workshops, new show formats, etc.
  • Work with our Artist Services (Seated) and Commercial Partnerships teams to support bespoke experiences e.g., VIP events, fan retreats, private shows
  • Collaborate with Sofar’s Marketing and Creative teams to promote regional artists across Sofar’s digital channels

Who you are:

  • You have 6-8 years of experience in talent booking/buying, artist development, artist management and/or A&R in a fast-paced environment.
  • You have a comprehensive knowledge of live music curation and ability to analyze data to make informed booking decisions
  • You have a driving passion to support local musicians and to bring people together, evidenced by a deep network of close artist relationships
  • You have strong relationships with the broader music industry
  • You have a proven track record managing a team of 2-3 people to deliver results
  • You’re comfortable working autonomously, making your own decisions while also collaborating and communicating with a diverse, distributed cross-functional team.
  • You have a sincere and empathetic approach to leadership and develop a self-motivated culture of honesty, inclusivity and accountability
  • You are organized, detail oriented & work well with deadlines
  • You are able to work flexible working hours and willing to attend concerts as requested
  • Eligible for employment in the US; NYC-based is preferred
At Sofar, our global team is deeply passionate about music and the work we do. If our mission and job opening resonates, you're encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. We are committed to creating a culture of belonging and building a diverse team that reflects a variety of lived experiences, perspectives, and skills.