The Orchard have an exciting opening for a Solutions Manager to join us in the Johannesburg offices.
The Solutions Manager is responsible for the end-to-end operational onboarding of clients , content management, and synthesizing all back-office inquiries to resolve administrative and operational issues efficiently and accurately.
You will serve as the primary client-facing representative for backend teams - including Legal, Finance, and Operations - this role ensures seamless account setups, catalog ingestions, and digital rights workflows.
You will work closely with the Relationship Management team and Operational Support. As Solutions Manager you will navigate complex technical platforms to advocate for client needs, maintain catalog integrity, and manage the full client lifecycle through offboarding.
The Orchard team meet in the office Monday- Thursday. Most teams usually work remotely on Fridays.
What you'll do:
Client Onboarding & Lifecycle Management
- Oversee end-to-end onboarding for new artists and labels, managing the path from contract signature and account setup to payment readiness, catalog ingestion, and distribution delivery.
- Collaborate closely with the Relationship Team and Contract Admin during contract cutovers to guarantee smooth operational transitions.
- Manage the complete client offboarding process when agreements expire or conclude, ensuring clean catalog handovers and system updates.
Administrative & Back-Office Representation
- Act as the primary, client-facing liaison for internal back-office teams (Legal, Finance, Operations), addressing client inquiries, gathering feedback, and advocating for client needs.
- Proactively lead client outreach regarding annual tax drills, royalty statement issues, and administrative legal/finance matters.
- Resolve financial and account readiness questions, including payment release criteria and royalty statement clarifications.
Release Operations & Content Management
- Advise clients on product logistics and oversee complex digital release setups tailored to specific label and campaign requirements.
- Open, own, and resolve Concierge support threads in close coordination with Operations and Relationship Support teams.
- Review, approve, and manage Tier 1 releases and resolve Content Review escalations across the assigned team roster.
- Partner with Operations to execute content deletions, takedowns, price tier changes, territory/DSP availability updates, and overall digital catalog maintenance.
- Manage video delivery workflows, including video release approvals, updates, copyright claims, and channel partnerships.
Technical Expertise & Compliance
- Complete and maintain required platform certifications (YouTube, Label Management, Metadata tests) and demonstrate expert navigation of internal systems and DSP tools (Zendesk, Spotify Catalog Manager, Apple Music / iTunes Connect).
- Work directly with the Claims team to engage clients on flagged content issues and resolve rights disputes.
Who you are:
- Strong understanding of digital music distribution and the end-to-end release lifecycle, from contract onboarding and catalogue ingestion through delivery, maintenance and offboarding.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex client onboarding and account setup processes, including coordinating multiple internal stakeholders and ensuring payment and distribution readiness.
- Strong understanding of music metadata, digital rights, ownership, territories, DSP availability and content delivery requirements, with a high level of attention to catalogue integrity.
- Proven ability to manage back-office and operational workflows, including Legal, Finance, Operations, Claims and Contract Administration.
- Strong technical aptitude and confidence navigating multiple platforms, systems and digital tools; experience with Zendesk, Spotify for Artists/Catalog Manager, Apple Music/iTunes Connect, YouTube CMS and similar platforms is advantageous.
- Ability to troubleshoot complex operational, technical and rights-related issues, identify root causes and drive solutions through to resolution.
- Experience managing catalogue maintenance and digital rights workflows, including takedowns, deletions, territory restrictions, DSP availability and price-tier changes.
- Strong understanding of content review, release approvals and quality-control processes, with the ability to make sound decisions while protecting catalogue and client interests.
- Excellent client service and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex operational or technical issues into clear, practical guidance for clients.
- Proven ability to act as a strong client advocate, balancing client needs with internal policies, contractual requirements and operational best practice.
What we give you:
- You join a vibrant global community with the opportunity to channel your passion every day
- A modern office environment designed for you, empowering you to bring your best
- Investment in your professional growth and development enabling you to thrive in our vibrant community
- The space to accelerate progress, positively disrupt and create what happens next
- We give you the platform to champion positive change, with the opportunity to contribute to our social impact, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
- We provide an excellent range of benefits like private medical cover, a generous pension scheme, life assurance, income protection, plus loads of music industry perks. There’s also time off over winter break
Equal Opportunities
As an active part of a culturally and socially diverse society, Sony Music’s aim is that our workforce is diverse and inclusive. Sony Music is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity.
We employ, retain, promote and otherwise treat all employees and job applicants according to their merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We apply this policy without regard to any individual’s sex, race, religion, origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition or disability.
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