About Us
CD Baby is an independent artist-services platform that makes it easy for independent musicians to distribute, promote, and monetize their music so they can thrive outside the major label system. Built on the belief that every artist should be able to pursue their creative vision without compromise and have an equal opportunity to be heard, CD Baby’s distribution services, self-promotion tools, and artist-education resources are designed to increase artist autonomy and empower independent artists so they can achieve success on their terms.
CD Baby is seeking a strategic Associate Director of Communications to lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive communication plan for CD Baby and its sister brands, Soundrop, HearNow, Show.co, and CD Baby Pro. This position will work closely with CD Baby’s Branding and Marketing leads on the development of audience-specific messaging and oversee the tactical delivery of messaging to both internal and external audiences.
What You’ll Be Doing
Strategic Planning
- Create strategic communication plans for CD Baby, Soundrop, and ancillary brands for both internal and external audiences
- Collaborate with senior leadership to develop a plan for demonstrating thought leadership to help strengthen and maintain CD Baby’s industry-leader position
- Coordinate with parent company’s (Downtown Music Holdings) communications team to ensure that CD Baby/Soundrop messaging and communication plans align with DMH’s higher-level communications strategy
Communications Development
- Work with Branding-Marketing leads, senior leadership, and relevant stakeholders to tune overarching brand narrative/messaging framework, develop audience-appropriate copy from key messages, and articulate relevant proof points for diverse target audiences
- Collaborate with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Brand-Marketing leads, executives, etc.) to craft compelling, on-message communications for external audiences, including: press releases, editorial pitches, fact sheets, talking points, and presentations
- Collaborate with relevant stakeholders (e.g., People Team and Operations leads, executives, etc.) to develop compelling, on-message communications for internal audiences, including: brand guidelines, quarterly presentations, company culture and onboarding materials, weekly announcements, etc
- Help craft and maintain brand books for CD Baby, Soundrop, and ancillary brands
- Manage brand-appropriate presentation materials and archive past presentations for future use
Media Outreach
- Identify traditional and digital-media opportunities to amplify CD Baby’s story and highlight key areas of differentiation to help strengthen brand perceptions among key target audiences
- Manage relationship with CD Baby’s PR firm and ensure that all press releases are compelling, on-message, and on-brand
- Monitor industry news, trends, data, and current events to identify opportunities for media outreach and the need for periodic messaging updates
- Identify and coordinate sponsorship opportunities that will raise brand awareness and strengthen CD Baby’s position as an artist-centric industry leader
- Manage submissions for industry awards
- Work in partnership with Downtown Music Holdings to support a cohesive stance for key media-outreach and high-level messaging initiatives
What We Are Looking for In You
Minimum Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Excellent writing, message-development, editing, and proofreading skills, with ability to craft audience- and channel-appropriate copy for both internal and external audiences
- 5–7 years of experience working in PR, media relations, marketing/brand communications preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or commensurate experience preferred
- Ideal candidate will have both B2B and B2C communications experience. Experience in communications strategy and management highly preferred
- Existing media relationships with music and/or technology beats a plus
- Start-up or agency experience a plus
- Self-motivated, expert multi-tasker with superior organizational and project-management skills
About CD Baby
CD Baby is the largest distributor and rights administrator of independent music on the planet. Home to over 1,000,000 artists and more than 10 million tracks, CD Baby delivers independent music to more than 150 digital services and platforms around the globe, allowing independent artists to monetize their presence on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and more. Artists using the CD Baby platform have earned more than $800 million since CD Baby’s founding in 1998, and its Publishing Administration service also allows over 250,000 songwriters/artists to collect all of their publishing royalties. CD Baby is a Downtown Music Holdings brand.