Featured

Job of the Month #23: Community & Projects Manager

by IDOL

New episode of our Job of the Month series to discover the many facets of the music industry. This month, Nerea Serrano, Community & Projects Manager at WIN.

Each month, IDOL presents a job in the music industry. Or more than a job, a person! Because behind the same job title, there are significant differences from one structure to another. Each person can define the scope of his or her job according to his or her career path, qualities and skills! Meet Nerea Serrano, who tells us about her multifaceted role supporting WIN’s global network of independent music trade associations and building meaningful partnerships to strengthen the independent sector worldwide.

First and foremost, can you present WIN?

WIN (Worldwide Independent Network) is a global organization that connects and develops independent music trade associations. We bring together the global independent music community and support trade associations representing thousands of independent music businesses worldwide. We promote a fair, transparent and diverse music ecosystem with full market access and opportunities for all.

What does a Community & Projects Manager do?

At the core of my role, I serve as the main point of contact for our network of 37 trade associations, representing over 8,000 music businesses across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. I support them by sharing updates on our work, promoting member achievements, and facilitating access to necessary resources and opportunities. This includes everything from regular email updates and our monthly newsletter to personalized support whenever they need information or assistance.

We offer benefits like discounted access to major international conferences – such as Music Biz, A2IM Indie Week, Reeperbahn, ADE, and The Great Escape – to help our community stay connected and visible on the global stage. Supporting our network in as many ways as possible is a key part of our mission.

I also manage the WIN Supporters program, which we launched for companies that want to champion the global independent music sector and actively engage with our network of trade associations. I work closely with prospective supporters to introduce them to WIN’s mission and values, and once they join, I help them share their services with our associations and, by extension, their members – ensuring their contributions bring real value to the community.

Beyond community engagement, I also oversee communications and PR to make sure our messaging is consistent and aligned with our mission. On the projects side, I manage two key initiatives. First is WINHUB, our international networking program, designed to foster global connections and business opportunities through both online and in-person events. Second, WINCON, our annual conference, where I handle everything from logistics and production to programming—bringing together our trade associations and board members for an impactful and collaborative gathering.

Altogether, my role is about building community, creating value for our members, and making sure the independent music sector stays connected, informed, and supported.

What are the qualities required for your position?

For me, it’s less about being hyper-organized and more about knowing how to prioritize. Multitasking is essential—being able to juggle different areas of work while clearly identifying what needs to happen first in order to unblock other tasks. It’s about staying focused, flexible, and strategic.

Strong communication skills are also key. In this role, I interact with a wide range of stakeholders—from our member associations to companies interested in joining the WIN Supporters program, as well as other partners involved in our various projects. It’s important to make space for everyone’s voice, especially in a global network that spans North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. Understanding cultural differences, ensuring quieter voices and smaller markets are also heard—this kind of sensitivity is vital to keeping the network inclusive and collaborative.

Attention to detail is another critical skill, especially when it comes to event planning. Working on international events, often without being on-site until the very last minute, requires a lot of resourcefulness. You have to anticipate issues and find solutions remotely, often with limited time or context.

Ultimately, what ties it all together is a genuine passion for community-building and for supporting the global independent music sector. That’s what drives my work and gives meaning to the challenges.

Can you tell us a little about your career path?

I grew up in Valencia, Spain, and attended an American school where I completed the International Baccalaureate. That’s where I first fell in love with literature—especially North American literature—which led me to pursue a degree in English Studies at university, with the initial goal of becoming a higher education teacher.

At the same time, music was already a big part of my life. Since I was about 14, I’d been playing in bands, organizing gigs in my hometown, writing in national Spanish music magazine Mondo Sonoro, and coming up with creative ways to tour with artists I admired. Over time, I realized music wasn’t just a passion—it was something I wanted to pursue professionally.

That shift led me to Madrid, where I earned a Master’s in Cultural Management (graduating with honors). While studying, I worked for a local record label, Acuarela, and toured with international bands like Julie Doiron and Early Day Miners. I also interned with the Spanish trade association UFi, helping organize the Spanish Independent Music Awards (Premios MIN), which I eventually went on to coordinate for three years—including the 2020 COVID edition, which we adapted into a televised event with Movistar.

By 2021, I was working simultaneously for both UFi and WIN. Eventually, in early 2023, I made the decision to focus fully on WIN—and I’ve been happily dedicated to that role ever since.

What motivated you to work in the music industry supporting independent artists, and what led you to WIN?

I’m genuinely passionate about the work being done by independent record labels. While I do listen to music released by majors, many of my favorite artists are championed by people I now have the privilege to know and collaborate with—whether they’re on WIN’s board of directors, or professionals I meet and build relationships with at industry events.

Being part of an organization that connects this global community and works to level the playing field for independents feels deeply meaningful to me. It’s about opening up access to markets, advocating for fairer opportunities, and ensuring that artists have real choices about how—and with whom—they release their music. Having a wide range of independent record labels means more choice for artists. And when these labels come together through trade associations, they collectively define what we believe are fair and equitable rules for the entire industry.

These labels are also true investors in new talent. Unlike majors, which often rely heavily on data to back safer bets, independents take creative risks and nurture emerging voices. As a football fan, I often think of indie labels like youth academies: they’re not only discovering tomorrow’s stars, but also developing them. Some artists later move to major labels, but many choose to stay independent where they enjoy greater artistic freedom.

I love that this ecosystem exists. When I look at the nominees and winners of the Libera Awards or other independent music awards, I’m happy to see my favorite albums, my favorite artists.

How is your daily work organized?

We’re a small team of three, so while I have core responsibilities, I also pitch in across many areas. To understand what my day-to-day looks like, it’s actually more helpful to look at how we start the week.

We kick off each week with a team meeting to review completed tasks and set priorities before even opening my inbox. After that, I go through emails, triage them by area of work, identify urgent or time-sensitive issues and organize my tasks accordingly. While I aim to work through topics one at a time, with such a dynamic workload, there’s always a bit of jumping around. I stay particularly attentive to anything that might be holding up my colleagues or board members, prioritizing those tasks to keep things moving smoothly.

That’s a bit of a snapshot of what a day at my desk looks like. A lot of my time is spent on Zoom, as our members are spread across the globe. I don’t have a fixed schedule—calls with Asia happen in the morning, and meetings with the US often take place in the afternoon or evening. Our board meetings, at certain times of the year, can even be at 10 p.m.

Travel is another important part of my role. We’re mindful about sustainability and make sure each trip is purposeful, both in terms of environmental impact and our time. Being a small team, we have to balance presence with availability. Still, I usually attend Indie Week in New York, Reeperbahn in Germany, and depending on the year’s priorities, other events—we’ve recently been to Mexico, Zagreb, and Belgrade, where we held our annual conference. This fall looks particularly travel-heavy, which is exciting, as it means more face-to-face connection with our global network.

What do you like about your job?

Travel is definitely one of the highlights of my job—something I genuinely enjoy. I’ve always loved discovering new places and meeting new people. I’m very much a people person, and it makes me happy to build friendships and connections all over the world.

But what I value most isn’t the travel itself—it’s the people I meet through it. The relationships I’ve built with our members and with others in the independent music community are what make this work truly special. It’s such a privilege to get to know the people behind the music I love—the ones releasing my favorite records and working with real passion and purpose.

There are also fun little perks, like being invited to shows or getting to hear new music before it’s released. And when you travel somewhere for vacation and already know someone who can show you around—that’s a joy in itself. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a global, passionate, and connected community.

What is your connection with IDOL?

IDOL is connected to WIN through its active involvement in several of our member trade associations. Pascal Bittard, IDOL’s founder, sits on the board of UPFI, and the company is also an associate member of A2IM in the US and AIM in the UK, FELIN in France. So while IDOL isn’t a direct member of WIN, it’s very much part of the network through its engagement in these national associations.

We are also very happy to have welcomed Labelcamp into our WIN Supporters program designed for businesses that want to demonstrate their support for the independent community, as well as showing their commitment to work hand-in-hand with it as drivers of change.

What’s the strangest task you’ve done in your career?

One of the most memorable moments was during our WINHUB boat party in New York a few summers ago. You wouldn’t expect organizing a boat event in June in New York to be particularly challenging – but that year, the Canadian wildfires had just hit, and the city was covered in smoke. Things got even more unpredictable: during soundcheck, a storm was rolling in and the waters on the Hudson were incredibly choppy. Angelica García, who was performing for Partisan Records, started feeling seasick – and she wasn’t the only one.

Luckily we were able to get seasickness medicine for everyone. Our CEO made a joke during her speech, saying, “Nerea has pills for everyone!” – which got a good laugh. So yes, handing out dramamine on a rocking boat in the middle of the Hudson River definitely ranks as one of the most unexpected work moments!

Nerea's playlist

Going further

See all