Executive Director, Global Licensing

Executive Director, Global Licensing

Acamar Films is an award-winning independent film & television production company. Founded in 2005, Acamar is the creator of the global hit pre-school series 'Bing'. Acamar has built a reputation for creating high-quality children's content that supports the healthy development and wellbeing of young audiences worldwide.

Since its debut on the BBC in 2014, Bing has won multiple accolades including the International Emmy for Best Children's Programme, a Writers Guild Award and a BAFTA nomination. Bing is a top title on BBC iPlayer with over 1.4 billion streams in the UK alone. The programme has also gained over 13 billion lifetime views on YouTube and is now available in over 165 territories.

This is a hugely exciting time to join Acamar, with active plans to accelerate the company's global reach. Launches are planned in North America & Canada, Latin America, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East and North Africa by 2028.

There are now more than 4,000 SKUs of licensed Bing products including toys, games, books, clothing, theme parks, cinema, theatre, live events and digital products. This will sit alongside our expansion into digital apps and YouTube gaming.

About the Role:

Reporting directly to Mikael Shields, Acamar's Co Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and joining a motivated Senior Leadership Team with a significant track-record, Acamar is looking for a passionate, commercially astute leader to become our Executive Director, Global Licensing. The successful candidate will have a proven and entrepreneurial mindset, drive, and appetite to lead a successful international licensing team. The delivery of an ambitious but achievable targeted performance across a multi-territory sales pipeline will be one of the key drivers of the role from day one.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the global management and sales development of the licensing and product development teams, as well as for the locally appointed agents, who represent Acamar in key markets.

The Executive Director, Global Licensing will need to be fully motivated to inspire people internally and externally as they will lead on Acamar's global and regional licensing strategy, maximise licensing revenues whilst sustaining and building continued brand presence and, most importantly, continue to protect Bing's longevity as a successful IP in existing and new territories.

What You'll Do:

• Develop and execute a long-term business strategy that optimises the global licensing division. This will include revenues from Licensing, Experiential, Promotions and Publishing.
• Work closely with a wide range of colleagues to agree the overall brand strategy and plans.
• Work alongside the Media Sales, Marketing and Digital teams to ensure delivery of results in line with the planned strategy, adjusting where necessary and prioritising activity.
• Responsible for identifying, appointing, supporting and managing a network of agents globally (including the UK market), monitoring their performance and taking corrective action where appropriate.
• In partnership with the CEO and COO set the divisional budget, deliver agreed revenues and manage quarterly forecasting processes to ensure that performance is in line with expectations.
• Oversee all significant global and regional third-party partnerships and lead negotiations and discussions with senior contacts on a global or multi-territory basis.
• Proactively explore and exploit new opportunities for growth, both with existing and new partners in established and developing markets.
• Management of master toy partners including range development in conjunction with the Product Development team.
• Conduct business with integrity, dignity and openness and with cross-cultural awareness.

Your Skills:

The ideal candidate will be an exemplary and highly regarded professional. Ideally, they will have a successful track-record in the pre-school sector. They will be a highly driven individual, and a strong leader who is organised, entrepreneurial, collegiate and strategic. More specifically the successful candidate will bring:

• Significant and demonstrable international and multi territory licensing experience at senior/executive level in a similar environment with a proven record of success.
• Experience in managing both hard and soft lines within the licensing business, with in-depth knowledge and experience in toys and publishing.
• Financial acumen and a deep understanding of the global licensing industry including agents, manufacturers and retailers.
• Proven track record of developing and growing properties internationally and delivering significant revenue generation and growth through established IP properties in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Possess an established international reputation and strong professional network of contacts across the industry and around the world from agents, licensees, manufacturers to retailers.
• Experience of creating, developing and leading high-performing teams through periods of pressured transformation and rapid growth.
• An entrepreneurial mind-set, backed by a thorough understanding of the legal and financial aspects of the business.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Strong communicator and influencer.
• Ability to sensitively manage and develop a team and be able to work with all levels within the company in a collaborative way.
• Desire and ability to travel when required.

About You:

• Strong experience of the licensing industry with an international focus.
• Ability to handle complex issues, multiple targets and meet deadlines.
• Ability to identify and develop strong working relationships with international clients and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical skills combined with a pragmatic and hands on approach.
• Management, coaching and leading a team; energetic, driven, inspiring and convincing personality, interested in people.
• Take an active role in maintaining a culture of excellence and performance with all stakeholders.
• Languages would be a bonus (but are not essential).
• Most importantly, the best qualified candidate will be strongly aligned with Acamar's Core values, which includes: collaboration, creativity, honesty, diversity, inclusion and kindness.