Licensing & Business Development Manager

Sesame Workshop is looking for a Licensing & Business Development Manager. The right candidate will be a highly motivated, business development professional with strong presentation skills and experience in Consumer products/licensing and Themed Entertainment. The Licensing & Business Development Manager GSA is responsible for the effective management and growth of Sesame´s business in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

The Manager will negotiate deals, perform due diligence, develop strong relationships with retail and licensees of all categories and manage the business for long-term success. Will be responsible for the day-to-day management of our permanent attractions (Museums, Theme Parks, EPC, etc) as well as supporting the team to grow the Live Events business and support other lines of business. The right candidate will work closely with internal departments, such as legal, finance, international and global licensing, creative services, marketing, and PR. This role is hands-on and requires consistent delivery against measurable defined goals and metrics as well as growing the company’s CP revenue in GSA.

This licensing role will report to the Director, Consumer Products - Europe.

Please note: This position is located in Munich, Germany.

Responsibilities:

• Working closely with the Director Consumer Products Europe
• Manage the licensing business for Germany, Austria and Switzerland across all categories
• Manage the day-to-day business of licensees and partnerships
• Responsible for analyzing the business, staying apprised of competitive and marketplace trends
• Conduct gap analysis and drive growth strategy for categories of business
• Drive new business by identifying new licensing and themed opportunities and prospecting, pitching and negotiating with potential partners
• Negotiate and draft deal memos for renewals, new deals and modifications and work with the Legal department on contract development, process organization and execution
• Cross-department collaboration and liaising with Legal, Creative, Marketing, Sponsorship, Social Impact, PR and Finance departments
• Ideate, develop and present decks, brand materials and pitches to internal and external teams
• Regularly communicate pertinent information to management and internal team members to keep them apprised of category performance
• Responsible for overseeing the development and marketing of quality product
• Coordinate and attend business reviews, line reviews and product development meetings with licensees and creative resources on a regular basis.
• Coordinate and gather quarterly forecasts from licensees and assist in analyzing them to help effectively manage the budget
• Assists in preparing and presenting decks and pitches at various internal and external meetings, trade shows, advertising, events and line reviews.
• Create and maintain product bibles for all licensees including line lists, product photos and catalogs
• Supports Director CP Europe by providing creative management tasks for additional key licensees

Qualifications:

• B.A/B.S College Degree or equivalent experience
• 3-5 years of sales and consumer products experience in Germany
• Strong background in entertainment or brand franchising, TV/entertainment, media, CP agency or kids’ IP entertainment organization(s), and/or related agency experience.
• Solid knowledge of industry, licensee and retail landscape in GSA
• Understanding of the components of commodity business based on sales and gross margin profitability as well as manufacturing process and development
• Proven ability to excel in an account management role
• Excellent writing and communication skills (verbal, written and presentation)
• Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel
• Prepared to travel and participate in relevant licensing shows
• Solid knowledge in forecasting, budgeting and licensing finance
• Experienced with licensing contracts and legal wording/ contract management.
• English and German are required for this role.

About Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop is the non-profit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We are educators, creators, researchers, moms, dads, caregivers, and friends. We are a community of 400+ people with an amazing network of global partners who are passionate about one thing: helping children. We’re present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of non-profit and commercial businesses across media, formal education, consumer products, themed entertainment, and philanthropically funded social impact programs. Through our globally beloved characters, we provide almost two hundred million children with access to life-changing early education, critical health lessons, and helpful tools for tough situations. Sesame Workshop - Mission driven. Kids Focused. Helping Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder. Sesame Workshop is headquartered in New York City with offices worldwide. Visit https://sesameworkshop.org/ to learn more!

Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity