Licensing & Collaborations Manager

Ariat International•San Leandro, CA

17h•$85,000 - $95,000

About The Position

The Licensing & Collaborations Manager is a key member of the licensing team, responsible for driving operational excellence and supporting the execution of licensed product and collaboration initiatives. This role partners closely with internal cross-functional teams and external partners to ensure projects move forward efficiently, accurately, and on time. This position is ideal for someone with strong project management instincts, operational discipline, and a working knowledge of product or merchandising workflows. The work performed in this role directly supports the success and scalability of the licensing and collaborations business.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in operations, project coordination, licensing, partnerships, or related roles; consumer goods or product-driven environments preferred
Background or working knowledge of product development, merchandising, or retail workflows strongly preferred
Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Comfortable working cross-functionally and managing external partners
Experience working with regulatory bodies or government agencies is a plus
Self-starter with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset
Merchandising experience or a strong understanding of product assortment planning, line architecture, and retail or DTC workflows is a plus

Responsibilities

Licensing Operations & Project Management Managing day-to-day operations for licensing initiatives, including timelines, deliverables, approvals, and documentation
Owning project tracking across licensed partners, ensuring milestones, calendars, and deliverables are met
Serving as the central point of coordination for licensing activities, partner communications, and internal approvals
Maintaining licensing calendars, trackers, and dashboards to provide visibility and accountability across projects
Collaborations Management Coordinating and managing collaborations with external partners and brands
Working closely with collaboration partners to align on timelines, deliverables, approvals, and product requirements
Managing the end-to-end collaboration process between external partners and internal product teams
Acting as the primary liaison to ensure clear communication, workflow alignment, and issue resolution across stakeholders
Supporting successful collaboration launches by driving accountability and cross-functional coordination
Cross-Functional Collaboration Partnering closely with Legal, Product, Merchandising, Compliance, Marketing, DTC, and Business Development teams to ensure seamless execution of licensing and collaboration workflows
Acting as a liaison between licensors, licensees, collaboration partners, and third-party stakeholders to support alignment and resolve issues
Supporting DTC teams with licensed and collaboration product coordination, timelines, and launch readiness
Data, Systems & Process Optimization Maintaining accurate data within licensing systems and databases; ensuring data integrity and version control
Generating regular reports and analytics related to license status, compliance, KPIs, and partner performance
Assisting in audits, reviews, and compliance checks as needed
Identifying opportunities to streamline workflows, improve operational efficiency, and reduce risk
Supporting the creation and maintenance of SOPs, checklists, templates, and best practices
Vendor & Partner Support Supporting vendor and third-party relationships related to licensing and collaborations, including regulatory consultants, application portals, and agencies
Ensuring consistent application of internal policies, operational standards, and regulatory requirements
Additional Responsibilities Supporting special projects and process improvement initiatives within the licensing and collaborations function
Assisting with other responsibilities based on business needs