Licensing Sales Manager - Toys (Star Wars & Marvel) (EMEA)
Posted 3 days 15 hours ago by The Walt Disney Company
Step into the world of Disney and play a leading role in shaping the future of iconic franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel in our Hardlines Toys category. As our Licensing Sales Manager for Toys EMEA, you'll be at the forefront of driving both long-term vision and annual growth, steering commercial success across a portfolio of dynamic accounts.
Collaboration and relationship-building are at the heart of this role, both within Disney and across the industry. You'll actively cultivate and nurture strategic alliances with new and existing partners, leading joint business planning and regional contract negotiations to fuel licensing sales growth throughout EMEA.
What You Will Do
- Partner with the Senior Licensing Sales Manager and Licensing Sales Director to help shape the future of Disney's Hardlines Toys category and contribute to the department's long-term vision.
- Utilise market trends, commercial expertise, and consumer insights to create and implement effective strategies across departments, focusing on Hardlines Toys.
- Take responsibility for the annual operating plan and quarterly forecasts for Hardlines Toys, setting clear objectives for valued licensees and collaborating with market leads, category specialists, franchise, marketing, product development, and finance teams to drive meaningful growth.
- Develop and nurture positive relationships with EMEA partners, both established and new, leading engagement, strategic planning, and joint business initiatives to advance Disney's Hardlines Toys portfolio.
- Lead contract negotiations for designated Hardlines Toys accounts, ensuring all key decision-makers, from global to local teams, are well informed at every step.
- Work closely with creative teams and, where appropriate, the Global Interactive Experiences team to guide product development for Hardlines Toys.
- Support marketing campaigns that enable partners and retailers to bring Disney magic to fans through memorable toys and collectibles.
- Champion the International Labour Standards (ILS) process, acting as the vital link between Hardlines Toys suppliers and Disney's ILS team to uphold the company's integrity and values.
- Generate innovative ideas by proposing new business solutions and leading research projects focused on uncovering scalable, high-impact opportunities in Hardlines Toys.
Required Qualifications & Skills
- Degree level education in a related field or equivalent work experience
- Experience within consumer products business
- Proven experience of building effective relationships, leading and managing change and collaboration across departments to achieve financial targets and joint goals
- Proven experience of developing the performance of a team
- Financial acumen - an ability to translate numbers into a working plan
- Ability to analyse data, construct practical conclusions and implement recommendations to achieve business targets
- An ability to be agile to capitalise on the moment and identify new opportunities and target partners
- Resilient and nimble in an ever-changing landscape
- Computer literate including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Keynote
- Written and spoken English for business use, essential; other European languages, beneficial
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.