Senior Licensing Sales Manager

About The Role & Team

This role manages a key commercial licensing partnership with a few UK grocers.  Responsibilities include implementing long-term and fiscal strategies to maximise sales and revenue and drive growth.

Building strong relationships, both internally and externally, is crucial. You will actively manage partnerships, negotiate contracts, and drive strategic growth in licensing sales for the UK business.

Apply creativity and expertise in product development, digital, social, and in-store marketing. Use consumer insights to develop strategies that span across departments. Be agile to identify and act on new opportunities quickly.

This is a fixed-term contract position, running until January 2027, located in the London office in Hammersmith, with a requirement to be in the office four days out of the week.

What You Will Do

• Develop, set, and execute strategies for the relevant category in alignment with the regional strategy, working collaboratively with stakeholders. This includes plans for white space for each sub-category and franchise.
• Manage the annual operating plan and quarterly forecasting process, developing licensee objectives and initiatives to drive growth, in partnership with franchise, marketing, retail, product development, and finance teams.
• Foster and cultivate relationship engagement, partnerships, and joint business planning.
• Conduct or participate in contract negotiations with licensees to maximize Disney royalty revenue, ensuring all key stakeholders are informed with the relevant
• Collaborate closely with regional creative teams, product approvers, franchise, and marketing teams to support product sales as needed by licensees/retailers.
• Communicate the International Labour Standards (ILS) process and act as the liaison between the supplier and The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) ILS team.
• Identify, pitch, and secure new business opportunities that significantly enhance category growth.
• Work closely with other managers within the regional licensing sales team to coordinate ranges and launches with licensees across categories.
• Address any legal matters affecting the country/region in collaboration with the legal team.
• Responsible for leading, managing, and developing a team to deliver high quality results and achieve departmental objectives

Required Qualifications & Skills

• A background in buying, product development, merchandising, or commercial sales is required.
• Comprehensive understanding of the fashion industry and retail landscape, along with established connections within the market.
• Degree-level education in a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Experience in consumer products management.
• Demonstrated ability to foster effective relationships, lead and manage change, and collaborate across departments to meet financial goals and shared objectives.
• Ability to analyse data, draw practical conclusions, and implement recommendations to achieve business targets.
• Skill in being adaptable, identifying new opportunities, and targeting partners.
• Proficiency in using MS Word, Excel, and Keynote.
• Strong written and spoken English for professional use
• Knowledge of digital, social, and brick-and-mortar marketing.
• Robust commercial and strategic approaches to problem-solving and innovation.
• Excellent planning and organization abilities.
• Effective influencing skills with the capacity to gain buy-in at all levels.
• Confidence in presenting to diverse audiences across various stakeholder levels both internally and externally.
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity.

The Perks

• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical insurance & dental care
• Free Park Entry: the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free
• Disney Discounts: entitled to discounts on designated Disney products, resort F&B and ticketing
• Excellent parental and guardian leave
• Employee Resource Groups – WOMEN @ Disney, Disney DIVERSITY, Disney PRIDE, our new disability & neurodiversity focused group - ENABLED, and our Mental Health & Wellbeing Group, TRUST.

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. Disney is committed to forming a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.