Licensing Operations Manager
About The Position
The Licensing Operations Manager is a key member of the licensing team, responsible for driving operational excellence and supporting the execution of licensed product initiatives. This role partners closely with internal cross-functional teams and external licensed 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 our licensing business.
Requirements
- 3+ years of experience in operations, project coordination, or licensing; experience in product-driven or consumer goods 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.
- Self-starter with a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with regulatory bodies or government agencies is a plus.
- Merchandising experience or a strong understanding of product assortment planning, line architecture, and retail or DTC merchandising workflows is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Managing day-to-day operations for licensing initiatives, including timelines, deliverables, approvals, and documentation.
- Owning project tracking across two existing 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
- Partnering closely with Legal, Product, Merchandising, Compliance, Marketing, DTC, and Business Development teams to ensure seamless execution of licensing workflows
- Acting as a liaison between licensors, licensees, and third-party partners to support alignment and issue resolution
- Supporting DTC teams with licensed third-party product coordination, timelines, and launch readiness
- Maintaining accurate data within licensing databases and systems; 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, improving operational efficiency, and reducing risk
- Supporting the creation and maintenance of SOPs, checklists, templates, and best practices for licensing operations
- Supporting vendor and third-party relationships related to licensing, including regulatory consultants, application portals, and agencies
- Ensuring consistent application of internal policies and regulatory requirements across all licensing projects
- Supporting special projects and process improvement initiatives within the licensing department
- Providing general operational and administrative support as the licensing business continues to grow
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options
- Expanded wellness and mental health benefits
- Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and paid volunteer days
- 401(k) with company match
- Bonus incentive plans
- Team member discount on Ariat merchandise
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
501-1,000 employees
