Director, Product Sustainability

Universal Music Group•New York, NY

3d•$99,000 - $217,690

About The Position

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. Famehouse, a division of UMG, is the preeminent leader in D2C solutions in music, defining & delivering the industry’s best-in-class service to connect artists with their fans. Established & headquartered in Philly, Famehouse powers D2C for UMG’s labels, artists, and Bravado, along with a select roster of 3rd party clients. Our success & culture is fueled by collaboration—both within FH and with our partners. We are passionate about the impact of D2C & merchandise for artists, providing a full-service solution to grow an artist’s owned business including strategy, creative, storefront merchandising, fulfillment, customer service, technology, and more. How we LEAD: We are seeking a strategic and execution-driven Director of Sustainability to lead the integration of responsible sourcing, material innovation, and environmental initiatives across our global merchandise business. This role sits within the Product Development organization and partners cross-functionally with Creative, Production, Sourcing, Planning, and Executive Leadership to embed sustainability into the core of how we build artist merchandise — across touring, eCommerce drops, retail campaigns, and long-term brand programs. The Director will define our sustainability roadmap, drive measurable progress, and ensure initiatives are commercially viable within a fast-paced, activation-driven music environment.

Requirements

7-10 years of experience in sustainability, responsible sourcing, or sustainable product development within apparel, accessories, or consumer goods.
Deep understanding of textile manufacturing, materials, and global supply chains.
Knowledge of certifications (GOTS, GRS, FSC, OEKO-TEX, etc.).
Experience building and implementing sustainability roadmaps.
Strong commercial acumen and ability to balance impact with profitability.
Proven cross-functional leadership experience.
Strong analytical and reporting capabilities.
A pragmatic sustainability leader who understands both impact and margin.
A builder — someone who can create structure where none exists.
A strategic thinker who can influence executive leadership.
A collaborator who thrives in fast-paced, high-visibility launch environments.
Someone who believes merch can evolve — without losing cultural relevance.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in fast-turn or drop-driven businesses preferred.

Responsibilities

Sustainability Strategy & Roadmap Define and lead a multi-year sustainability strategy aligned to company growth goals.
Establish measurable targets across materials, packaging, carbon impact, waste reduction, and vendor compliance.
Build a phased roadmap that balances innovation with margin and speed-to-market realities.
Present sustainability progress and initiatives to leadership.
Sustainable Materials & Product Innovation Identify and implement preferred fiber and material strategies (organic, recycled, regenerative, lower-impact alternatives).
Drive development of sustainable blanks and custom cut-and-sew programs.
Partner with PD and Creative to introduce lower-impact print techniques, trims, and packaging solutions.
Evaluate material innovation partners and pilot new solutions across artist programs.
Vendor Engagement & Responsible Sourcing Develop and enforce vendor sustainability standards and compliance frameworks.
Partner with sourcing to prioritize mills and factories with verified certifications.
Lead supplier audits, transparency initiatives, and traceability programs.
Support vendor education and capability building around sustainable practices.
Packaging & Waste Reduction Establish sustainable packaging guidelines for tour and eCommerce.
Reduce single-use plastics and excess packaging.
Implement solutions to minimize tour overproduction and product waste.
Collaborate with Planning to align demand forecasting with waste reduction goals.
Carbon & Impact Measurement Track and report on sustainability KPIs (material usage, recycled content, packaging reduction, etc.).
Evaluate carbon impact across product lifecycle stages.
Partner with external consultants or platforms for impact measurement and reporting.
Develop clear reporting dashboards for internal stakeholders.
Cross-Functional Leadership Act as the sustainability voice within Product Development.
Partner with Creative to integrate responsible storytelling into artist programs.
Align with Legal, Compliance, and Operations on regulatory requirements.
Support Sales and Marketing with sustainability claims and messaging guardrails.
Education & Cultural Integration Develop sustainability training resources for PD and cross-functional teams.
Create internal best practice playbooks and material libraries.
Ensure sustainability becomes embedded in the development process — not an afterthought.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Including 100% coverage for out-patient in-network mental health services
Fertility coverage for eligible medical plan participants
Wellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel, and so much more (up to $720/year)
Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement
401(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 employees
3-weeks PTO for non-exempt employees
2-weeks paid Winter Break
10 Company Holidays (including Juneteenth and Wellbeing Day)
Summer Fridays (between Memorial Day and Labor Day)
Generous paid parental leave for every type of parent