Manager, Licensing

Overview /Objective

The Manager, Licensing role will play a crucial role helping to lead strategic initiatives for the NFL’s Consumer Products team. The NFL’s Consumer Product team manages the NFL’s portfolio of licensees (e.g., Nike, Panini, New Era) and is responsible for evaluating new business opportunities and leading strategic initiatives to support the business. Example initiatives might include executing category-wide marketing campaigns, negotiating licensing deals, monetizing new assets, or identifying growth opportunities for current partners. The Manager, Licensing will help lead these initiatives by facilitating flexible marketing strategies, identifying growth opportunities, and leading cross-departmental projects.

Responsibilities

• Oversee robust portfolio of licensees across hardlines product categories; facilitate all day-to-day
• communication, contract and quality control compliance and account management
• Communicate with licensees and finance to ensure timely reporting, payment, and forecasting
• Negotiate and execute licensing deals with current and new licensees
• Proactively generate new business ideas and opportunities to grow relationships with current partners
• Work cross-functionally with other NFL departments, Clubs, and Licensees on joint strategic initiatives
• Conduct category reviews and RFP distributions
• Facilitate QC approvals and licensee line reviews, ensuring compliance with Licensees’ contracts and
• maintenance of quality standards
• Proactively identify opportunities for improved revenues while anticipating potential challenges

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field, along with a proven track record of success
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in licensing and/or consumer products
• Strong understanding of sports licensing categories and business landscape
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally, possessing a solid understanding of contracts and licensing
• Ability to influence and drive alignment within the Consumer Products business, across the League and with external partners
• Strong analytical capabilities, Excel and PowerPoint proficiency
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects at once

Other Key Attributes / Characteristics

• Strong communication and presentation skills to interact with both NFL partners and NFL leadership
• Proactive, resourceful and a self-starter
• Quality control / data integrity
• Able to juggle multiple projects, prioritize stakeholder needs, meet tight deadlines

Physical Demands

• N/A

Travel

• Travel to tentpole events as assigned

Salary / Pay Range
This job posting contains a pay range, which represents the range of salaries or hourly rates that the NFL believes, in good faith, at the time of this posting that it might be willing to pay for the posted job in the location(s) specified. The NFL expects to hire for this position near the middle of the range. Only in truly rare and exceptional circumstances, where an external candidate has experience, credentials or expertise that far exceed those required or expected for the position, would the NFL consider paying a salary or rate near the higher end of the range. 

Terms / Expected Hours of Work

• NFL employees are required to work 40 hours per week.