UK Music Diversity Taskforce, Chair

Diversity is not an option for music. It is a necessity.

UK Music is the collective voice of the UK’s world-leading music industry and is committed to helping music companies diversify and adopt fair and inclusive employment practices. The UK Music Diversity Taskforce’s mission is to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion across the music industry workforce for everyone.

Established in 2015, under the chairmanship of Keith Harris OBE, the Diversity Taskforce works to inform UK Music’s work and make recommendations to the UK Music Board. The Diversity Taskforce comprises representatives from the core industry sectors, including major and independent record labels, music publishers, trade organisations, collection societies, and the live music industry.

The Diversity Taskforce achieves this by driving change through an evidence-based and lived-experience approach, which includes producing reports on diversity in the music industry and working with trade bodies, the Government, and the broader sector to highlight the benefits of inclusivity in supporting the growth of the UK music industry.

The current Chair, Ammo Talwar MBE, was appointed in 2020. Paulette Long OBE serves as Vice-Chair.

UK Music is inviting applications for the position of Chair of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce for an initial three-year term, commencing in early 2026.

Chair Role Purpose

The Chair provides independent leadership to the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, ensuring it fulfils its mission. Working closely with the Diversity Taskforce Vice-Chair, relevant members of the UK Music Executive Team, including the Head of Diversity, the Chair provides strategic guidance that drives change and enhances equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the UK music workforce. The Chair to ensure UK Music and its members promote equity and diversity through their own actions and behaviours, and advises the UK Music Board accordingly.

Responsibilities

• Uphold the role and responsibilities for the Diversity Taskforce as set out in the Terms of Reference. Lead the review of the Terms of Reference where necessary.
• Provide strategic leadership, setting the tone and direction of the Diversity Taskforce in line with its mission.
• Ensure the Diversity Taskforce meetings and activities function effectively, with members engaged, contributing, and upholding the Code of Conduct.
• Ensure the Diversity Taskforce recommends evidence-based strategies in consultation with UK Music members, trade bodies and wider stakeholders.
• Lead on crisis management when urgent matters, relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion, arise, liaising with the UK Music CEO and Chair.
• Promote the work of the Diversity Taskforce to the wider music and creative industries, government, and external stakeholders
• Report on the work of the Diversity Taskforce at relevant UK Music Board meetings.
• Provide assurance to the UK Music Board that the strategic guidance to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion across the UK music workforce is being embedded across UK Music and its ten members.

Person Specification

• Demonstrable commitment to and subject matter knowledge of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrable leadership and experience chairing high-level meetings, preferably within music, creative or related industries.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, facilitation and influencing skills with the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong ability to build consensus, manage conflict and act decisively in urgent situations
• Ability to rapidly skill up and advise on a range of highly complex and evolving issues.
• Experience of working with government, policymakers, and trade bodies (desirable).
• Personal lived experience of inequality or underrepresentation in music or creative industries (desirable).
• Established profile as a respected leader, advocate, or change-maker (desirable).

Term

The Chair of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce is appointed by the UK Music Board for an initial term of 3 (three) years, renewable once by the UK Music Board (maximum six years).

Time Commitment

The Chair is expected to devote the necessary time to fulfil the required duties, including preparing and chairing the Diversity Taskforce – 6 (six) meetings per year, attending the relevant UK Music Board meetings and engaging with UK Music leadership, Diversity Taskforce members and external stakeholders as required.

Renumeration

This is an independent role. Remuneration and expenses will be agreed upon with the UK Music and outlined in the recruitment process.

How to apply

Please email a copy of your CV and a cover letter (not more than two pages) that outlines how you meet the person specifications within the role profile, focusing on three key criteria areas.

1. Demonstrating strong knowledge and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
2. Demonstrable leadership and experience chairing high-level meetings
3. Ability to engage with diverse stakeholders

and a completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring form (optional) to Recruitment@ukmusic.org.

Download the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form here.

The recruitment process for this position will consist of a two-stage interview. The first interview will be conducted virtually with a three-person panel. The second interview is anticipated to be in person at a Central London location with a 2^nd panel.

Any Questions

If you would like an informal discussion about any aspect of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce Chair position or the application process, or require reasonable adjustments, please get in touch with Stephanie Haughton-Campbell, COO, at stephanie.haughton-campbell@ukmusic.org.

Closing date: 12:00 pm Monday, 24th November 2025

First online interviews: Late-November 2025

Second in-person interviews: Early December 2025

UK Music is working to build a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical and mental disability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law, and wish to particularly encourage applications from women, Black, Asian, ethnically diverse and disadvantaged communities, who are underrepresented at this level.