Licensing Manager

The Licensing Manager is responsible for managing key product categories and licensee relationships while driving the growth and visibility of the club's licensed products across retail channels. Working closely with licensees, retailers and internal stakeholders, the role combines category management, business development and retail expansion to ensure that licensed products are successfully developed, distributed and delivered to market. Sitting within the Global Licensing department, the role plays a key part in strengthening the club's licensing programme by improving partner performance, with a strong focus on expanding presence across the UK retail landscape and supporting international opportunities.

• Manage assigned product categories and associated licensees, ensuring strong commercial performance, delivery of revenue targets and alignment with the club's brand strategy.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with licensees as a key day-to-day contact, and lead regular business reviews to assess performance, identify opportunities and drive growth.
• Identify gaps and opportunities within categories, proactively driving new licensee acquisition and product extensions to deliver incremental growth.
• Support product development direction to ensure ranges are commercially viable, retail-ready and aligned to consumer demand.
• Identify and secure new licensing opportunities within assigned categories, including new licensees, product extensions and retail-led partnerships, and build a pipeline of prospective partners.
• Support outreach, pitching and negotiation of new deals alongside the Head of Licensing, Senior Business Development Manager and other key stakeholders, and support the onboarding of new licensees into the licensing programme.
• Develop and manage relationships with key retail partners across the UK and priority international markets, working with licensees to expand distribution and improve visibility of licensed products.
• Collaborate with licensees and retailers to develop exclusive retail programmes, launches and promotional activations, and support retail presentations, range reviews and buyer meetings.
• Monitor licensee and retail performance to optimise distribution and sell-through, gathering retail insights, market intelligence, retail trends and competitor activity to inform category strategy.
• Work closely with internal teams including Merchandising, Retail, Marketing, Creative and Product to align product development and retail initiatives, sharing retail insights to support category strategy.

• Experience within licensing, consumer products, retail or brand partnerships.
• Strong understanding of both licensing and retail environments.
• Experience managing partners, accounts or product categories.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to identify opportunities and drive growth.
• Good understanding of how products are developed, ranged and sold at retail.
• Excellent relationship management, negotiation and presentation skills.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Commercially driven with a proactive approach to opportunity development.
• A strong relationship builder with the ability to influence stakeholders.
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Embody the club's BLUE behaviours (Brave, Lead, Unity, Edge) in the approach to work and interaction with others.
• Adhere to the club's policies and procedures, including Health & Safety, Financial Authorisation, Confidentiality and GDPR.
• Act as an ambassador for diversity, equality and inclusion, treating others fairly in line with the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and reporting any acts of discrimination through appropriate channels.
• Create a safe environment and act to protect all young people and vulnerable adults in your care or attending club premises, reporting any concerns to the Safeguarding Lead.