Head of Strategic Partnerships – Musical Instruments (MI)
The Head of Strategic Partnerships Musical Instruments (MI) leads the global strategy, governance, and execution of Muse Group and Hal Leonard’s MI brand partnerships. This role is responsible for evolving the organization from a traditional distributor model into a modern, integrated aggregator ecosystem through combining products and education platforms to drive scalable growth.
Operating at the intersection of commercial strategy, portfolio management, and execution discipline, this role partners closely with Sales, Inventory & Demand Planning, Technology, Finance, and Global Leadership to unlock revenue, improve margin performance, and reduce execution risk across a complex, multi-brand portfolio.
Key responsibilities
Strategic Partnership & Portfolio Leadership
- Own global MI partner strategy across a diverse portfolio of premium, growth, and emerging brands (hardware, software, and hybrid ecosystems).
- Define partner tiering frameworks to guide investment, resource allocation, and execution expectations.
- Lead commercial negotiations, including distribution agreements, royalty structures, portfolio scope, and channel strategy.
- Serve as executive sponsor for priority partners, ensuring alignment on planning horizons, inventory access, go-to-market strategy, and system integration.
Aggregator Model & Ecosystem Development
- Drive Muse’s transition from a transactional distributor to an aggregated platform model, integrating:
- Identify and activate cross-portfolio synergies
Commercial Execution & Governance
- Establish governance frameworks to move partner relationships from reactive sales to proactive, system-aligned execution.
- Translate strategies into actionable governance tools, highlighting:
- Apply pressure where needed to enforce accountability, timelines, and execution standards.
Revenue, Margin & Inventory Alignment
- Partner with Inventory, Purchasing, and Finance teams to improve:
- Diagnose margin compression caused by category aggregation, closeouts, and clearance activity; recommend structural fixes to restore transparency and profitability.
- Support annual and quarterly planning cycles with data-driven portfolio insights.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Act as a connective leader across all levels and functions to deliver Music Instruments Growth.
- Coach regional and functional leaders on partner strategy, execution sequencing, and prioritization.
- Serve as a trusted thought partner to senior executives during periods of organizational and operating-model change.
Key Outcomes & Impact
- Improved partner execution discipline through structured governance and clearer accountability.
- Reduced execution risk by shifting partners to 9–12 month planning horizons.
- Increased visibility into inventory, margin drivers, and true brand-level performance.
- Strengthened Muse / Hal Leonard’s position as a strategic, value-added partner rather than a transactional distributor.
- Built scalable foundations for long-term growth across MI, digital content, and education-driven ecosystems.
Required experience
- Senior leadership experience in musical instruments, pro audio, creator technology, or adjacent consumer hardware/software sectors.
- Deep expertise in strategic partnerships, portfolio management, and go-to-market execution.
- Strong financial and analytical acumen, including margin analysis, demand planning, and revenue modeling.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in complex, matrixed organizations.
- Executive-level communicator with a bias toward clarity, structure, and action.
Benefits
Muse Group empowers music makers
We create the worldʼs most popular apps for playing, recording and composing music. Through our innovative learning tools, expansive music catalogs and free open-source software, we make it easier for millions — from beginners to experienced musicians — to be creative every day. Our talented team of music lovers collaborates all over the globe, from Limassol to Seoul and Boston to Berlin.
We’re an ambitious company with the drive and culture of a startup — with many more exciting Muse Group developments to come. Hal Leonard, which joined Muse Group in 2023, is the world leader in sheet music publishing and music education. The company has a storied history of providing music learners with the very best methods and arrangements of popular music for over 70 years. Hal Leonard is also a major distributor of popular brands of instruments, gear, and software to the music trade worldwide.
