Assistant Licensing Manager

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. 

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com.

Get to know the role

• Job Title: Assistant Licensing Manager
• Job Summary: The Licensing & Promotions Team is responsible for creating and executing a range of activities, including (but not limited to) Product Licensing, Promotions and Retail/Trade Marketing for Licensed Products to increase the visibility of the Pokémon brand across the globe.
  Within this team, this role will be responsible for developing Pokémon licensed products to ensure a strong presence at retail across US & Canada  – working alongside the Brand Services and Retail Marketing Team.
  In conjunction with growing and managing the Pokémon licensing program, the role is responsible for supporting the Softlines business, specifically Accessories and Footwear, and is responsible for assisting the Senior Manager, Licensing with day-to-day business for designated domestic partnerships. 
• FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt
• People Manager: No

What you’ll do

• Licensee Management: Operate as key contact for designated Accessory licensees (such as Bioworld, Ground Up, and Loungefly) as related to day-to-day business. Assist licensees with business needs including brand onboarding and continued education, database training and implementation, forms processing, data gathering and reporting, marketing, etc. 

• New Business: Identify and engage with prospective licensees who support strategic initiatives identified by Senior Manager, Licensing – Softlines.

• Creative Direction: Building on industry expertise and ongoing trend evaluation, partner with Senior Manager, Softlines to develop a POV on the creative direction for Accessories and Footwear. Collaborate with TCPi’s Brand Services team to identify the creative solutions necessary to bring innovative, trend-right products to market.

• Product Development: Partner with Softlines Coordinator to review the product approvals system daily for product and marketing submissions needing review. Return comments/approvals as appropriate.

• Project Management: Manage project planning, scheduling, and inter-department communication, to ensure projects are completed and deadlines are met to brand standards and expectations.

•  Legal: Partner with Softlines Coordinator to manage contract processing and tracking through entire pipeline. Supervise generation, processing, and delivery of required legal forms including manufacturer’s agreements and customs letters.
• Financial Planning: Assist with annual budgeting, financial planning and development, and implementation of strategic licensing plans to hit revenue targets, grow the licensing business and generate incremental revenue. Ongoing evaluation of royalty reporting to assess partner performance, confirm compliance with contractual terms and identify new opportunities.
• Event Planning & Tradeshows: Participate and assist with the planning and attendance of annual Licensing Summits, Licensing Show, Toy Fair and other trade shows and events to ensure all events are turn-key.        

What you’ll bring

• Education: BS or BA Degree and/or equivalent working experience.
• Experience: 3-5 years minimum related experience, with previous experience in softlines licensing, manufacturing or related field a plus.
• Communication Skills: Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to interact well with workgroups and various personalities; leadership, strategic, and creative thinking skills; and have an entrepreneurial spirit, with positive, can-do attitude; and the ability to manage multiple tasks and tight deadlines with little supervision.
• Project Management Skills: Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and presentation skills. Must possess a proven ability to multi-task various projects in a fast-paced environment with maximum efficiency. Must be comfortable taking direction, then completing tasks independently and under own initiative by assigned deadline.
• Computer skills: Strong MS Office including excel spreadsheets, and experience with PowerPoint presentations. Must be comfortable with databases, creating and implementing tracking systems and reports, and training licensees as needed.

Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between $95,000.00 – $127,000.00 per year. The full range is $95,000.00 – $172,000.00 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-AD1

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.  
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve. 
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.  
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

• An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at accommodationrequest_ta@pokemon.com.