Category Manager, Licensing

Hasbro•Boston, MA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Hasbro, our mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. We’re looking for adventurous and curious people who want to explore, experiment, and innovate to come up with the best ideas. Our culture has inspired our diverse team of highly skilled, highly creative, and highly committed individuals for 100 years and we believe the best is yet to come. The North America Licensed Consumer Products (LCP) team is seeking a strategic and results-driven Category Manager to lead and grow key Hardlines/Toy categories across the Hasbro portfolio. This role is responsible for developing and executing category strategies, managing fully out-licensed partnerships, and delivering financial targets aligned to brand and business objectives. The Category Manager owns the day-to-day management of assigned categories and licensees while partnering cross-functionally to bring innovative, trend-right products to market and maximize long-term brand value. Effective from the date that Hasbro opens its new Boston location, this position will be onsite Tuesday – Thursday at Hasbro’s new HQ location in Boston, MA. In the interim, this position will be onsite Tuesday –Thursday at Hasbro’s HQ in Pawtucket, RI or at Hasbro’s temporary location in Boston, MA.

Requirements

5 years’ experience in merchandise licensing, consumer products, or category management; Hardlines/Toy experience preferred.
Strong business and financial acumen, with experience supporting budgets, forecasts, and performance analysis.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple licensees and priorities in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
Strong communication, organization, and relationship-management skills.
Collaborative, inclusive team player with a proactive and solutions-oriented mindset.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute category strategies for assigned Hardlines categories across the Hasbro brand portfolio.
Identify whitespace opportunities, emerging trends, and credible partners to drive category growth and expansion.
Maintain a strong understanding of the North American merchandise licensing landscape, including retail dynamics, consumer insights, and competitive trends.
Own day-to-day relationships with licensees, serving as the primary point of contact across line planning, product development, approvals, and go-to-market execution.
Review, analyze, and support negotiation of business terms and contracts in partnership with Legal and Finance.
Proactively identify risks, challenges, and performance gaps, and work with partners to implement solutions.
Support annual budgeting, long-range planning, and quarterly forecasting for assigned categories.
Deliver financial targets aligned to brand and category objectives, with accountability for revenue and royalty performance.
Track and analyze category and licensee performance to inform business decisions and optimize the portfolio.
Partner closely with Brand, Creative, Retail, Sales, Legal, and Operations teams to ensure cohesive execution of category strategies
Support creative direction and product innovation, leveraging manufacturing knowledge and trend insights to elevate product quality and relevance.
Collaborate with Sales and Retail teams on promotional programs, retail marketing initiatives, and key customer moments.