Licensing Manager (Bilingual French & English)

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children's entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at Pokemon.com and on Facebook (facebook.com/pokemon), YouTube (youtube.com/pokemon), Twitter (twitter.com/pokemon), and Instagram (instagram.com/pokemon).

Get to know the role

• Job Title: Licensing Manager
• Job Summary: The Licensing Team is responsible for creating and executing a range of activities, including (but not limited to) Product Licensing, Retail/Trade Marketing for Licensed Products, and Brand Partnership Promotions to increase the visibility of the Pokémon brand across the globe. Within this team, this role will be responsible for developing Pokémon licensed products to ensure a strong presence at retail across several markets - working alongside the Brand Services and Retail Marketing Team. In conjunction with growing and managing the Pokémon licensing program in the region, the role will also be responsible for initiating relevant retail marketing programs and brand partnerships that support the full range of Pokémon products.
• People Manager: No

The Licensing Manager is responsible for supporting the Senior Licensing Manager France and Benelux to manage a variety of product categories in France and the Benelux. This includes identifying the best licensees to partner with for pre-defined product categories, negotiating agreements, and developing Pokémon licensed products by working alongside the Brand Services team. The Licensing Manager ensures a strong presence of the Pokémon consumer products at retail and works closely with the TPCi Retail Marketing, and Trading Card Game (TCG) Teams in Europe.

What you'll do

Category Management:

• Develop and maintaining strong business relationships with new and existing licensees across a variety of product categories (Hardlines and Softlines) in the region.
• Work on the creation of targeted presentations to pitch and support licensing programmes for specific category areas (incl. Promotions).
• Attend and present the Pokémon brand to existing and new partners at trade shows where applicable (Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Day, Nuremberg Toy Fair, etc.).

Licensee Management:

• Accountable for day-to-day management of allocated accounts. Negotiate business terms and contracts with relevant licensees.
• Ensure timely product approvals in line with licensee needs, anticipate roadblocks, and proactively take measures to address them by working closely with line manager and Brand Services teams.
• Build strong relationships with the Pokémon Master Toy local teams across the region to support the Master Toy programme.
• Day-to-day collaboration with licensees and internal cross-functional departments, including marketing, PR, legal and financial teams, to ensure execution of projects and initiatives. Documentation of project status and follow-up of next steps.
• Maintaining records and library of Marketing and licensing library. in-store visuals, Trade advertising, products visuals
• Coordinate and schedule meetings and help with meeting preparation as required.

Retail Development:

• Identify the key retail partners for specific categories, pitch relevant buyers, and support licensees to secure shelves space for the Pokémon consumer products in the region.
• Be the key point of contact to the relevant Retail buyers and Merchandise Retail teams. Work alongside the TPCi Retail Marketing and TCG Teams to ensure timely delivery and successful implementation of retail activations.
• Compile data for internal reporting on unit sales, product development information and licensing updates monthly.

Strategy:

• Research products, brands, and companies for new business opportunities and preparation of strategic plans based on research.

Financial:

• Provide quarterly business forecasts for allocated accounts.

Marketing and PR:

• Event Planning/Trade shows - Participate and assist with the planning and attendance of annual trade shows and events as necessary. Ensure visibility of our licensed products during trade shows and Pokémon events (Licensing Day).

What you'll bring

• Five (5) to seven (7) years of related professional experience.
• Bachelor's degree or demonstrated equivalent level of applicable experience.
• Proven track record of success.
• Extensive knowledge of the relevant licensed apparel/toys and retail landscapes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to interact well with a variety of work groups.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with a positive, can-do attitude.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and tight deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent negotiation, deal structuring and analytical skills.
• Proven experience with revenue/profit modelling and sound business judgment.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and presentation skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Fluent French and English language skills are required.

How you'll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a "team first" mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An employee first culture
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs
• Base salary range: For this role, new hires generally start between £58,000.00 - £68,400.00. The full range is £58,000.00 - £86,000.00. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. Final base salary is directly related to each candidates' qualifications and professional experience uniquely.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you
• Generous paid family leave
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching
• UK/IRE Employees: Pension Employer Contributions
• Fitness reimbursement
• Commuter benefit
• LinkedIn learning
• Comprehensive relocation package
• Hybrid work environment

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

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