SVP/EVP Brand Partnerships in San Francisco, California at EMPIRE

EMPIRE is a premier and dynamic music company that prides itself on the development and support of independent artists. We are a rapidly growing firm that has been making waves in the music industry, with an extensive portfolio that spans multiple genres and reaches audiences worldwide. We have become the largest independent record label in the U.S., with a significant global presence covering Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and North and South America. We keep ourselves busy with a large range of music-related services from original content and marketing to distribution and recordings.

Our commitment to artistic creativity, innovation, and progressive business solutions forms the foundation of our corporate culture. We believe in fostering talent, not just in our artists but also within our professional teams. As we continue to expand, we invite you to join us on this exciting journey.

About the Role

As EMPIRE continues to scale, we are seeking a senior, commercially driven leader to evolve and lead our Brand Partnerships function. This is a high-impact, builder-operator role with enterprise visibility.

As SVP/EVP, Brand Partnerships, you will serve as the primary architect of EMPIRE's brand monetization strategy — building a best-in-class partnerships business that drives meaningful revenue for our artists and expands the company's commercial footprint globally. This role sits at the intersection of music, culture, and brand marketing, requiring both strategic vision and hands-on execution.

You will operate as a key member of the senior leadership team, with responsibility for building, scaling, and institutionalizing a best-in-class partnerships organization that unlocks meaningful revenue across artists, content, and owned IP.

You will operate as both a strategic leader and hands-on dealmaker, driving key partnerships directly while laying the groundwork for a high-performing, scalable organization over time.

Core Responsibilities

Partnership Development & Revenue Generation

• Own and grow a robust portfolio of brand relationships spanning agencies, Fortune 500 companies, emerging brands, and cultural institutions.
• Lead the full deal lifecycle — from prospecting and pitch through negotiation, contracting, and activation — with a focus on maximizing commercial value for artists and the label.
• Build scalable systems for pipeline tracking, deal structuring, and partnership reporting.
• Identify and unlock new monetization opportunities across artists, catalog, content, events, and emerging platforms.

Artist & Campaign Alignment

• Develop and oversee brand strategies tailored to individual artists' identities, audiences, and career trajectories — ensuring every partnership is authentic and additive to the artist's brand.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to artist management teams on brand partnership strategy, opportunity evaluation, and deal positioning.
• Collaborate with the marketing team on inbound brand inquiries, providing strategic guidance on fit, structure, and execution.

Tentpole & Event Sponsorship

• Source, negotiate, and manage monetary and in-kind brand partnerships to support EMPIRE's slate of high-profile international events, including Grammy Week, BET Awards activations, and other cultural tentpoles.
• Partner cross-functionally with events, marketing, and operations teams to ensure seamless sponsor integration and activation execution.

Cross-Functional Executive Leadership

• Partner with internal stakeholders across legal, finance, marketing, and artist management to drive deals from concept to close.
• Act as a senior point of contact for external partners, agency relationships, and talent representatives throughout deal execution.

Strategic Positioning & Sales Materials

• Develop and maintain world-class partnership materials including pitch decks, the artist roster, sponsorship packages, and artist case studies — ensuring they reflect EMPIRE's brand positioning and commercial strength.
• Contribute to broader business development strategy at the direction of senior leadership.

Key Notes for Success:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in brand partnerships, sponsorships, or talent marketing — ideally within music, entertainment, or a major agency.
• Proven track record of personally closing significant, high-value brand deals and managing complex, multi-stakeholder relationships.
• Deep existing relationships with brand marketers and agency decision-makers.
• Deep understanding of the music industry, media landscape, and cultural marketing trends.
• Ability to operate as both a strategic leader and hands-on executor.
• Experience scaling or evolving a function, team, or business line (builder-operator experience strongly preferred).
• Exceptional communicator and negotiator with executive presence.
• Highly organized, entrepreneurial, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment.
• Based in San Francisco, CA, or willing to relocate.

Pay Range: $175,000 - $250,000/annual salary + benefits + discretionary bonus + profit sharing program

The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

At EMPIRE, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

If you are passionate about the music industry, and looking for a challenging role in a fast-paced, innovative environment, apply today. We look forward to hearing from you.

Perks Playlist:

• Competitive Compensation Package
• Competitive Benefits Package
• Company Paid Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Company Paid Health Savings Account (HSA) Contribution
• Healthcare Spending Account (FSA)
• Paid Time Off (Holidays, Vacation, and Sick)
• Company 401(k) Plan
• Wellness Resources
• Commuter Allowance
• Cell Phone Allowance

About EMPIRE: Founded in 2010 by Bay Area native Ghazi, EMPIRE is currently leading through its innovative and progressive approach to the digital music era across its label, distribution and publishing arms.

With its focus on early stage artist development, the San Francisco based company has been instrumental in identifying future icons and launching the careers of both Multi-platinum and Grammy Award winning artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Fireboy DML, Yung Bleu, Migos, Asake, XXXtentacion, and Anderson .Paak to name a few. After this early success, EMPIRE was quickly regarded as a tastemaker in the industry and premier independent record label.

More than a decade in, EMPIRE continues to grow – expanding the Publishing division with a partnership with superproducer Hit-Boy and his Surf Club collective and acquiring Dirtybird Records in 2022 to amplify the Dance arm. EMPIRE has expanded the team throughout the globe on the African continent, Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. With the company and roster excelling at a breakneck pace, EMPIRE has effectively disrupted a stale business model by bringing its energy, expertise, and acumen to its artists and labels.

Through crafting bespoke deals that are always in favor of the artist, EMPIRE is able to form a true partnership with each artist and label on its roster. Coupled with their unique software for analytics, recoupment, and royalties, which is available to every partner, the company offers a level of transparency unprecedented in the music industry.

We use E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.