Manager, Licensing

Major League Soccer•New York, NY

5d•$75,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Licensing will work closely with the Director of Licensing, Consumer Products in the highly collaborative role including strategic planning, business development and execution of the League’s licensees of consumer products strategy. As part of these responsibilities, the Manager will be responsible for the Day-2-Day management of the Fanatics licensees, Fanatics Brands, product approval and execution, and managing license deals that meet the strategic, commercial and fan engagement objectives. The Manager will be responsible for establishing best practices, onboarding licensees, supporting Clubs and Licensees developing product lines that increase sales, and building new partnerships to ensure MLS is ready to seize the opportunities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and beyond. The ideal candidate will have significant experience of the licensing landscape, ability to identify soft and hard goods licensees, understanding of deal terms, business acumen and analytic skill set, and managing partners post execution. This is an exciting opportunity to support one of MLS’s key business units and work with stakeholders, partners, and clubs across the league. The Manager is responsible for delivering sales and revenue updates including communicating consumer product forecast, seasonal product development process, and retail placement and promotions in conjunction with SUM Consumer Products Retail Development Team. The Manager will work closely with our Fanatics team, including sub-licensees and Fanatics Brands.

Requirements

5+ years of prior work experience, in licensing or a related sector
Strong professional network within the licensing, manufacturing, consumer products and retail
Strategic mindset to building business cases for taking calculated risks to grow consumer products, understanding of business dynamics, and analysis of competitive marketplace
Understanding of product trends and business drivers in licensing and sports culture, including key players, aspirational and accessible products, and retail landscape
Analytical skillset and data-driven approach to decision making
Sound understanding of retail systems and practices
Demonstrated understanding of the dynamics and needs of licensing
High-energy and ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Ability to operate and communicate effectively in a team-oriented and collaborative environment
Demonstrated ability to deliver aggressive KPIs in defined timeframes
Strong written and slide development presentation skills for clear communication
Strong communication and presentation skills to interact with both MLS partners and MLS senior leadership
Attention to detail, especially when multi-tasking across various projects in a fast-paced environment
Comfortable juggling multiple projects, prioritizing stakeholder needs, and working under tight deadlines
High-quality interpersonal and influencing skills to work cross-functionally in a complex organization
Comfortable in both large, matrixed organizations, and in lean, “start-up like” environments
High-level of commitment to a quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity, and compliance
Demonstrated decision making and problem-solving skills
Ability to travel (10-20%) and to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of the Spanish Language (business proficiency)
Knowledge of the sport of soccer

Responsibilities

Support development of consumer products aligned with league strategy. Focused deliverables on soft and hard goods across multiple product categories
Identify and execute business development opportunities across existing partners
Partner with licensees to develop and grow partnership with the goal of driving revenue increasing engagement across key fan segments (e.g., avid, casual, youth) and working across the organization to activate the league wide partnership deliverables
Work closely with licensees to develop and achieve financial plans and KPIs while driving growth strategies for the partnership
Support Club opportunities from product innovation to in retail in conjunction with licensees and retail development
Manage the relationship between key licensees and team management as applicable by property. Facilitating and monitoring all club requirements
Build strategic and tactical changes that drive business strategy and promote licensee efficiency
Demonstrate experience with direct licensee product development process
Manage and delivery financial targets to the agreed budget
Be a partner to Finance team to guarantee royalty reporting and financial payments are received in a timely manner
Additional responsibilities as assigned