Jobs

Licensing Manager

Reporting to: Marketing, Brand & Licensing Director - Walker Books (3 days pw) Joint Managing Directors - Rocket Licensing (2 days pw)

Walker Books & Rocket Licensing

Walker is the world's leading independent publisher of children's books. Working with the best authors and illustrators, Walker Books is renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality.  Walker's licensing division manages licensing activity across several Walker brands including Maisy and all other Lucy Cousins properties as well as Guess How Much I Love You.  Walker is part of a vibrant international group that includes Candlewick Press in America and Walker Australia. Walker is home to many award-winning authors and illustrators including Anthony Horowitz, Michael Morpurgo, Lucy Cousins and Michael Rosen.

Rocket Licensing, launched in January 2007 is an independent licensing and brand development company.  Rocket only ever manages a select and balanced portfolio of brands, which are given real focus and support including The Dangerous Book for Boys, Airfix, Corgi, Hornby, Scalextric, Fame, Rocky, St Trinian’s, True Blood and The Wire.

Overview

The Licensing Manager will be responsible for licensing sales, across certain categories and brands, for Rocket and Walker brands. This will include developing (together with the appropriate senior executive) licensing sales strategies and responsibility for delivering the goals identified as part of these strategies.
Sales responsibility will include the entire sales process from initial brand strategy to identifying and pitching potential clients, making the sale, negotiating the best possible commercial terms for each licence and finalising each licence agreement.

Duties

1. Work with the Marketing, Brand & Licensing Director, Brand Compliance Director, Walker Sales Director and the relevant Rocket MD to create brand licensing sales strategies
2. Forecasting, researching and reporting on licensing and trends to aid decision making for the company’s creative direction
3. Work closely with marketing, designers, publishers and illustrators to identify possible brand licensing opportunities
4. Organise Walker stand and other arrangements for Brand Licensing Europe
5. Develop sales materials and brand plans for licensing sales
6. Research and identify prospective licensees appropriate for each brand
7. Meet with and present to prospective licensees
8. Negotiate license terms with prospective licensees
9. Develop license agreements in collaboration with the Business Affairs team
10. Collaborate with the licensee and in house Creative/Approvals team on product development
11. Use the strengths of our brands to make headway in directions that are completely new and thrive on pushing boundaries
12. Monitor follow-through to ensure success and subsequent new lead generation
13. There will be an administrative element to this role.

Skills & Competencies

• B2B sales  and presentation skills at a high level
• Broad experience of the brand licensing industry with own contacts in UK and Europe
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience of negotiating the commercial terms of licensing agreements
• Demonstrable organisational skills and self-discipline
• Willing to travel within the UK