Associate, Commercial Development & Strategy

Department: Commercial Development & Strategy

Reporting To: Head of Commercial Development & Strategy

Location: Los Angeles

Office Working: 5 days per week

The Role

The Associate, Commercial Development & Strategy will serve as a key analytical and execution partner to the Head of Commercial Development & Strategy, supporting Kobalt's commercial, strategic and executive initiatives.

The role combines commercial research, financial and operational analysis, project coordination and executive support. You'll help evaluate business information, identify risks and opportunities, develop insights and recommendations, and ensure that key initiatives translate into clear actions and deliverables.

Working closely with senior executives and functional leaders, you'll gain broad exposure to commercial development, corporate strategy, executive governance and major cross-functional initiatives.

This is not a traditional administrative support role, nor is it a purely strategic role removed from day-to-day execution. It's an opportunity for someone early in their career who is highly organised, analytically capable and eager to learn, take ownership of assigned workstreams and develop through exposure to senior leaders and important company priorities.

What You'll Do

Strategic Execution & Project Coordination

• Support the execution of strategic and commercial initiatives across multiple functions, exercising judgement and providing recommendations to drive outcomes.
• Translate decisions and discussions into clear workplans, owners, timelines and deliverables.
• Support high-priority initiatives sponsored by the CEO, C-suite or Head of Commercial Development & Strategy.
• Monitor progress against key priorities, proactively identifying risks, dependencies and actions needed to address execution challenges.

Executive & Governance Support

• Support C-suite meetings, executive leadership meetings, KPI reviews and other governance forums.
• Review and synthesise business updates, KPI reporting and management information to identify key takeaways, emerging issues and matters requiring leadership attention.
• Support the quarterly Board meeting process, gathering and analysing functional inputs and assisting with the preparation of Board materials.
• Coordinate executive meeting preparation, including stakeholder inputs, agendas, pre-reads, briefing materials and follow-up actions.

Commercial Development & Deal Support

• Support the evaluation and execution of commercial opportunities, partnerships and strategic initiatives.
• Conduct independent market research, company analysis, historical data and contract reviews to support decision-making.
• Analyse commercial and financial information, identify key findings and develop preliminary assessments and recommendations for management review.
• Prepare supporting analyses and materials for commercial opportunities, external meetings, pitches and negotiations.
• Develop familiarity with music publishing economics, deal structures and the broader music industry.

Presentations, Analysis & Communications

• Prepare and refine presentations for executive, Board and external audiences, using sound judgement and effective storytelling.
• Develop slides, analyses and supporting materials, structuring information and highlighting key findings.
• Work with financial, operational and commercial data to produce clear analyses and supporting exhibits.
• Draft executive summaries, internal communications and other written materials on behalf of the Head of Commercial Development & Strategy.
• Incorporate feedback quickly and accurately, ensuring materials are concise, well organised and tailored to the audience.

Technology & Continuous Improvement

• Use AI and emerging productivity tools to accelerate research, analysis, synthesis, drafting and execution.
• Identify opportunities to streamline recurring workflows and recommend practical improvements.
• Apply appropriate judgement when using AI or external tools, particularly when handling confidential or commercially sensitive information.
• Continuously look for ways to improve the speed, accuracy and quality of work.

What You'll Bring

Preferred

• Relevant professional experience, potentially gained in management consulting, professional services, corporate finance, corporate strategy, business operations, Big Four advisory or another analytically rigorous environment.
• Strong analytical capability, with confidence using Excel and Google Sheets to organise data, build analyses and identify meaningful insights.
• Excellent presentation skills, including experience using Google Slides to create clear, structured and polished materials.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to synthesise research, discussions and data into concise materials.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders and deadlines.
• High attention to detail, producing accurate, polished work and taking responsibility for checking outputs before circulation.
• Strong ownership and follow-through, proactively tracking outstanding actions and ensuring commitments are delivered.
• Sound judgement and discretion when handling confidential commercial, strategic and Board-related information.
• Intellectual curiosity, learning agility and a proactive approach to solving problems.
• Adaptability and comfort operating in a demanding, fast-paced environment where priorities may change.
• A low-ego, collaborative approach and willingness to take on both high-profile projects and detailed execution work.

Additional Skills That Could Add Value

• Experience using AI and productivity tools to improve research, analysis and workflows.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or similar commercial systems.
• An interest in music publishing, media, technology and the evolving commercial landscape.
• An understanding of commercial development and financial & contractual analyses.

What Success Looks Like

By Month 3: You'll have developed an understanding of Kobalt's commercial priorities, executive processes and key stakeholders. You'll be supporting research, analysis, presentations and project coordination, producing accurate work and reliably following through on assigned actions.

By Month 6: You'll be confidently managing recurring responsibilities with increasing independence, producing high-quality executive materials and analyses, identifying key findings and recommendations, and ensuring priorities and deliverables remain on track.

By Year 1: You'll be a trusted analytical and execution partner to the Head of Commercial Development & Strategy, independently supporting commercial opportunities and strategic initiatives. Your work will contribute to stronger executive processes, better-informed decisions and greater capacity for senior leaders to focus on strategic priorities.

Key Behaviours for Success

Ownership & Follow-Through - Takes responsibility for delivering work to a high standard, proactively tracks outstanding actions and ensures commitments are followed through without constant direction.

Analytical Thinking & Judgement - Analyses information, identifies risks and opportunities, and develops clear insights and recommendations to support decision-making.

Organisation & Attention to Detail - Manages multiple priorities, stakeholders and deadlines while consistently producing accurate, well-organised and polished work.

Intellectual Curiosity & Learning Agility - Asks thoughtful questions, quickly develops an understanding of unfamiliar topics and demonstrates a genuine interest in Kobalt's business and the wider music industry.

Low Ego, High Standards - Willingly takes on both high-profile strategic projects and detailed day-to-day tasks, maintaining the same level of care, effort and professionalism.

Proactivity & Adaptability - Anticipates next steps, identifies missing information and moves work forward, remaining flexible when priorities change or assignments are ambiguous.

Integrity & Discretion - Exercises sound judgement and handles confidential commercial, strategic and Board-related information appropriately.

Interview Process

• Introductory call with our Recruitment Team
• Hiring manager interview
• Onsite case study
• Stakeholder interview
• Feedback at each stage

We aim to complete the full interview process from initial application to offer within three to four working weeks. While we do our best to meet this timeline, there may be occasional delays. If that happens, our Recruitment Team will keep you updated every step of the way.

Why Choose Us

At Kobalt, we've championed creators since 2000. Our technology and music services are built to make the industry more transparent, fair and rewarding for artists, songwriters and rights holders. We're proud to work with some of the world's most influential talents including Phoebe Bridgers, Sam Fender, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, Karol G, Young Thug, Kali Uchis and Andrew Watt, as well as acclaimed writers like Simon Aldred (Rag'n'Bone Man, Liam Gallagher, Celeste) and Clarence Coffee Jr. (Dua Lipa, Lizzo, The Snuts).

We're a company that thrives on creativity, collaboration and progress. Our values - Music First, Transparent, Tech Powered and Transformative - shape how we work, build and grow together. We are a community of people who care deeply about making a meaningful impact in music and technology.

Kobalt is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in equitable access to opportunities and are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and supportive workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and identities. If you need any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know - we're happy to help.

If this sounds like you, then please share your story by filling out the application below.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. Kobalt is an equal opportunity employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

The range provided is for Los Angeles-based hires only and will be commensurate with candidate experience. Pay ranges for candidates in other locations other than Los Angeles may differ based on the cost of labor in that location. Pay range: $70,000 - $75,000