Manager, Strategic Licensing Partnerships

Ford Motor Company • Dearborn, MI

43d

About The Position

The ambition of the Global Licensing & Merchandising Team is to strengthen Ford's position as a lifestyle brand by delivering engaging, quality, and relevant consumer products & experiences our customers love. As our business grows, we are seeking talented, passionate individuals who wish to accelerate brand impact through these offerings. The Strategic Licensed Partnership Manager is a pivotal new role dedicated to expanding Ford's presence as a lifestyle brand through high-visibility, cross-category partnerships. Working with the Senior Global Licensing Manager and an extensive network of internal stakeholders, this position will be instrumental in bringing to life our global brand strategy, focusing on executions resonating with our "Build, Thrill, and Adventure" lifestyle audiences. This role is critical for capitalizing on the growing market opportunities for strategic collaborations, leveraging licensing to forge unique and resonant positive brand momentum and deliver on the idea that 1+1 can equal 3 when done right. By leading the charge on complex, high-profile projects, this role will creatively drive significant strategic royalty revenue growth and enhance Ford's brand equity across Apparel, Hardlines, and Interactive categories. This role will manage the intricate coordination and extensive resources required for collaborations, ensuring Ford can proactively pursue and expertly execute multiple such collaborations annually, solidifying its position at the forefront of innovative brand engagement. You may not meet every requirement, but if you are a highly motivated, positive leader with a passion for Ford IP and it's power to surprise and delight people through awesome brand moments, we'd love to talk to you. We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we're all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

Responsibilities

• Strategic Partnership Development: Lead the identification, negotiation, and execution of strategic brand collaborations, serving as the primary liaison with external agencies and key licensees to forge impactful alliances that resonate with target audiences. Deliver 4-6 annually and maintain calendar for current and future years.
• Brand Strategy Alignment: Collaborate closely with Ford's internal brand teams to identify key objectives, such as improving consideration and awareness with growth audiences, ensuring an authentic connection to the nameplate and brand values, owning the POV to strategically approve or decline potential opportunities based on brand fit. Land clear persisting collab strategy with Build, Thrill, and Adventure brand audiences.
• Cross-Functional Project Leadership: Develop and manage comprehensive project plans for high-impact partnerships, coordinating cross-functional internal teams (Brand, Communications, Social, Design, Product Development, Legal) to ensure seamless execution from concept through launch and activation. Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Ford side.
• Partner Management: Work with Agency to prospect best-in-class licensees, optimize existing partnerships, deliver strategic brand collaborations, support key brand moments, launch programs at retail, and represent Ford by attending industry events, partner meetings, and tradeshows.
• Outbound licensing guidance: Oversee brand collaboration extensions linked to core vehicle workstreams when applicable.
• Contract Management: Manage negotiation and contract flow of complex licensing agreements, ensuring terms are favorable and compliant with Ford's legal and business requirements.
• Performance Tracking & Reporting: Monitor, analyze, and report on the performance and impact of collaborative partnerships, including revenue generation, brand impressions, and market feedback, to inform future strategy and demonstrate ROI. Will create and own clear "Post Mortem" process to accelerate learnings and ensure continuous improvement mentality to future collaborations.
• Complex Collaboration Management: Manage multiple complex, high-profile collaborations concurrently each year within core brand categories of Build Thrill and Adventure, ensuring all deliverables are met on time, within budget, and to the highest brand standards.
• Financial Budget Management: Identify and manage a collaboration budget to tactically amplify authentic storytelling to ensure maximum impact of partnerships.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Industry: Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees