Job Description

About the Role & Team

Disney Consumer Products, Games, and Publishing is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company that extends the Brands, including Marvel, Lucas, Disney, and Pixar, to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home d\xc3\xa9cor and books to interactive games, food and beverages, stationery, electronics, and animation art. The North America Brand Commercialization is responsible for licensing characters and stories, liaising with the Walt Disney Company divisions, our retailer and licensing partners, and responsible for building marketing programs in order to grow licensed product sales and build Disney properties and brands.

What You Will Do

The Director, Licensing for Softlines is responsible for leading the category across a variety of product lines and licensees. They will provide leadership, set strategic direction and effectively manage the licensee base in effort to meet, or exceed, revenue targets and strategic growth initiatives established by senior management. The selected candidate must have the ability to approach the business with both a genuine entrepreneurial, creative and innovative spirit.

• Finance and Business Planning:

  • Build 5-year strategic plan for category, both qualitative and quantitative
  • Develop & implement build joint business planning with strategic and growth licensees.
  • Develop and present annual operating plans.
  • Build and maintain accurate quarterly category forecasts.
  • Set team objectives and priorities to ensure financial success.
  • Monitor category\xe2\x80\x99s financial progress and modify the team\xe2\x80\x99s tactical output, as necessary.

• Category Management:

  • Maintain full ownership of, and accountability for assigned categories earned revenue P&L
  • Act as brand ambassador across Disney, Marvel, Lucas Softlines
  • Identify and implement appropriate licensee support for select animated feature films.
  • Shepherd team through all financial and contractual negotiations with appointed licensees
  • Forge strong, influential relationships with key licensee\xe2\x80\x99s upper management.
  • Continually analyze licensee performance and course-correct, as necessary
  • Collaborate with other category team leads to ensure DMCE franchises are represented appropriately.

• Business Development

  • Identify and pursue \xe2\x80\x9cwhite space\xe2\x80\x9d opportunities within across categories/demos and distribution channels.
  • Develop strategic partnerships with both traditional and non-traditional industry leaders in order to drive incremental revenue and innovation.
  • Continually evaluate emerging trends in order enhance Disney\xe2\x80\x99s position within the competitive marketplace.
  • Identify and employ flexible business models, which make way for increased 1) cost efficiencies 2) revenue potential, and 3) consumer engagement.
  • Assure we remain on track to hit our LTP for key growth categories under Director\xe2\x80\x99s responsibility.

• Brand and Content Management

  • In conjunction with the franchise team:
    • Help set strategic direction for NAM Playbooks that will help us to achieve our LTP goals.
    • Execute quarterly marketing tactics designed to ensure financial success.

• Product Development

  • Prepare product presentations including but not limited to internal line reviews, roadshows, executive sales meetings and property roll outs.
  • Ensure licensee product lines reflect Disney quality and brands/property objectives.

• Retail, Sales and Marketing

  • Liaise with Retail Marketing team to define brand-specific promotional and marketing plans and ensure licensee participation of key licensees.
  • Maintain general knowledge of the retail landscape, sell-in and monitor retails sales performance of key licensees and programs.
  • Work with sales team to expand distribution into white space channels to broaden Disney\xe2\x80\x99s footprint.

• Management

  • Perform management functions such as hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management and operating expense control for Categories within the Softlines team.
  • Ensure optimal output from, and development of, all team members.

• Leadership

  • Build a strong Softlines Team culture that aligns with the broader team vision.
  • Build strong team-oriented relationships with other key business units and regional partners that result in new business and/or cross-promotional opportunities.
  • Ensures coordination with other categories, lines of business and departments.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor\'s degree in a related discipline +10 yrs. of related experience or master\xe2\x80\x99s +7 yrs. experience.
• At least 6 yrs. experience at the category manager level within Disney or 8 yrs. combined mgmt. experience (internal/external)
• Comprehensive knowledge of and experience with key Softlines (apparel, accessories, footwear, home, etc.)
• Excellent sales/negotiation skills
• Creative/out of the box thinking.
• Entrepreneurial
• Proven team management and leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage large budgets.
• Relationship builder
• Excellent communication & presentation skills
• Multi-task oriented
• Ability to drive a vision with commercial results.
• Ability to lead change and adaptable.

The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $197,640 to $241,560 per year; in Florida $168,190 to $230,010 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate\xe2\x80\x99s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.