The Licensing Manager is responsible for the planning and execution of a licensed product portfolio and creating a strategy based on the iconic, award-winning products. The role focuses on business development and strategic planning, day-to-day partner management, contract negotiation, brand alignment, and coordination with cross-functional teams. This is an individual contributor role. This role is in office only. Candidates must currently live in the Atlanta metro area.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Drive book category growth in terms of revenue, market share, and global expansion
- Develop 3 – 5 years in licensing strategy
- Identify and pursue new licensing business partnerships
- Broaden scope of current programs and provide front-line account management of licensees
- Liaise directly with licensees’ business and creative teams to negotiate contracts, develop publishing plans, and drive new opportunities
- Manage day-to-day business of licensee submissions, approvals, and queries to ensure all products correspond to up-to-date brand, contractual, and creative needs
- Manage successful relationships with both licensees and internal cross-functional team
- Monitor financial performance of publishing program by tracking revenue, examining royalty reports, and conducting ROI analysis when appropriate
- Solicit and manage quarterly forecasts from licensees and guide and correct strategies to ensure smooth flowing sales
- Develop strategies with licensees to build and expand distribution for products and partner with the organization cross-merchandising statements
- Proactively conduct trend, market research, and competitive analysis
- Initiate new asset development and extraction requests to grow partner art pool
- Ensure licensees submit quality and vendor compliance documentation in a timely manner
- Lead internal product approval meetings on a title-title-basis to ensure brand integrity
- Host quarterly updates on programs with the senior leaders
- Maintain, update, and distribute portfolio catalog to key stakeholders
- Sales call, trade show, and global support
- New hire training/onboarding to educate relevant team members on business
QUALIFICATIONS:
- 2-3 years of experience in Marketing, Licensing or related field, with knowledge of current digital trends
- Must have experience working with consumer goods
- Prior experience managing budgets and forecasting recommended
- Familiarity with the online and brick & mortar retail landscape is strongly preferred
- Knowledge of additional consumer product categories a plus
EDUCATION & SKILLS:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience is required
- Ability to self-start, execute, and excel in fast-paced, ever-evolving organization
- Ability to deliver on tight timelines with multiple, competing priorities
- Outstanding written, oral, and presentation-based communication skills
SOTFTWARE:
- Must be proficient in PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Word
- Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite a plus
