Director of Licensing

Pets + People•New York, NY

12d•$145,000 - $165,000

About The Position

Reporting to the VP of Sales & Licensing, the Director of Licensing will help shape portfolio strategy and lead the execution of licensing initiatives across our brands. This role blends strategic planning, analytics, business development, negotiation, partner management, and cross-functional leadership. The successful candidate will bring a data-informed perspective to where we invest, how we structure partnerships, and how we improve performance across the licensing portfolio.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in licensing and brand partnerships, particularly within consumer products.
Strong strategic and analytical orientation, with demonstrated ability to connect performance metrics, budgets, and market opportunities to business decisions.
Proven negotiation and contract management skills, with a track record of driving results while maintaining productive partner relationships.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, including the ability to influence and align cross-functional stakeholders.
Experience analyzing partnership and product performance, identifying actionable insights, and translating data into clear recommendations.
Leadership experience with a focus on coaching and team development.
Working knowledge of intellectual property regulations, brand standards, and compliance requirements.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically while maintaining strong executional discipline.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive licensing strategy aligned with brand priorities and long-term portfolio growth.
Assess whitespace, category expansion, and partnership opportunities to identify where new or expanded licensing relationships can create the greatest brand and business impact.
Translate strategic priorities into actionable partnership roadmaps, balancing near-term opportunities with longer-term brand development.
Establish a disciplined view of partnership performance using relevant metrics and track results against sales budgets, goals, and established targets.
Analyze performance trends to identify growth drivers, underperformance, risks, and opportunities for corrective action or incremental investment.
Use forecasting, product lifecycle insights, and partner performance data to inform recommendations, prioritize resources, and strengthen decision-making.
Translate analysis into clear insights and recommendations for the VP of Licensing and cross-functional stakeholders.
Support the development of deal strategies and lead negotiations with licensing partners to secure strong business terms while protecting brand standards and strategic objectives.
Evaluate partnership structures and trade-offs to support sound, commercially grounded decisions.
Oversee contract execution and ongoing compliance.
Build, deepen, and expand relationships with existing and prospective licensors and brand partners that align with strategic priorities.
Create compelling, insight-led presentations and business cases to support new business development, partnership expansion, and strategic discussions.
Identify opportunities to strengthen existing partnerships, unlock new categories, and increase the value and reach of the brand portfolio.
Partner with Sales and internal teams to develop and execute go-to-market strategies and secure new business opportunities.
Create alignment across key stakeholders by clearly communicating priorities, performance, risks, decisions, and next steps.
Help drive strategic and tactical improvements that increase executional efficiency and strengthen the connection between licensing strategy and commercial outcomes.
Proactively identify brand, licensor, performance, or execution issues and drive timely resolution with appropriate internal and external stakeholders.
Maintain a strong focus on brand integrity, intellectual property requirements, and partner compliance while navigating competing priorities.
Lead and mentor the licensing team, building stronger capabilities in brand management, commercial thinking, analytics, and partnership management.
Provide guidance across partner relations, product lifecycle management, forecasting, and day-to-day business decision-making.