Licensing Director

About This Opportunity

We are representing a confidential sports commerce organization in their search for a Licensing Director based in Paris. This is a hybrid role requiring 3 days per week in the office.

Our client operates an in-house licensing agency managing a diverse portfolio of rights holders across global football, multi-sport properties, entertainment, and lifestyle brands. As Licensing Director, you will own and grow a portfolio of client licensing programmes from strategy to execution, operating as the senior point of accountability across commercial, creative, and operational dimensions.

Responsibilities

Strategic Portfolio Management:

• Own the licensing strategy and P&L across your assigned client portfolio, defining category architecture, market positioning, and revenue roadmaps tailored to each property's commercial opportunity
• Serve as the primary strategic advisor to senior rights holder executives, building long-term trusted partnerships and translating brand objectives into actionable licensing programmes with clear KPIs
• Lead annual business planning with clients across sports properties, federations, leagues, clubs, and entertainment brands
• Drive licensee recruitment across all categories including core product, digital goods, gaming, and experiential partnerships

Commercial Execution:

• Lead deal negotiations from term sheet to execution, working with Legal on contract structure, guarantees, royalty rates, and audit provisions
• Oversee royalty reporting cycles in partnership with Finance, flagging anomalies and ensuring accurate P&L tracking across your portfolio
• Maintain high-quality relationships with licensees, resolving issues proactively, ensuring contractual compliance, and conducting regular business reviews
• Partner with approvals teams to uphold brand standards across product development pipelines

Innovation & Market Leadership:

• Lead licensing strategy for digital and emerging categories including gaming integrations, licensed digital content, and social commerce
• Identify and pursue white-space opportunities within existing portfolios—new categories, geographies, and distribution channels
• Track market trends including DTC licensing, digital collectibles, and brand collaborations
• Collaborate with clients to build cohesive physical-to-digital licensing strategies that reinforce brand consistency and deepen fan engagement

Team Leadership:

• Line-manage and develop a team of licensing managers and executives, setting clear performance expectations and providing structured coaching and career development
• Partner with Finance, Legal, Marketing, and Operations to deliver seamless client service
• Represent the agency at major licensing trade shows including Licensing Expo, BLE, and LIMA events
• Contribute to the new business pipeline by providing market insight and supporting pitches for prospective rights holders

Digital & AI Capability:

• Apply AI and technology to improve efficiency, quality, and outcomes
• Use data and digital tools to inform decisions and enhance performance
• Demonstrate curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies and ways of working

What We're Looking For

Required Experience & Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in licensing, with at least 3 years in a senior client-facing or management role
• Demonstrated ownership of complex, multi-property licensing programmes
• Sharp commercial instinct with hands-on P&L ownership experience and a proven track record of driving revenue growth across diverse brand portfolios
• Experience across both sports and lifestyle or entertainment licensing, with deep understanding of global licensing markets, category dynamics, and retail distribution
• Confident negotiator comfortable with complex, multi-territory deal structures
• Experience working with Legal on guarantees, royalty rates, and audit provisions
• Proven people leader with a track record of developing talent and building high-performing teams
• Operating effectiveness across cross-functional stakeholder environments
• Familiarity with digital licensing, gaming, and emerging product categories, including DTC licensing, social commerce, and digital collectibles
• Willingness to travel internationally for client meetings, licensing trade shows, and licensee visits
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent preferred

How We Work With You

When you apply through Get A Job.ai, our talent team will review your qualifications and arrange an initial screening call. If there's a strong match, we will submit your profile to our client for consideration. Please do not contact the employer directly—all communication during the hiring process will be coordinated through our recruiting team to ensure the best possible experience.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process based on your experience and qualifications.

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