Build and manage a high-volume licensing portfolio to drive global growth

Senior Licensing Manager

The Senior Licensing Manager owns business development, category strategy, and portfolio growth across a broad, fast-moving, trend-led set of licensing categories — such as Brand & Lifestyle, Beauty, FMCG, and broader studio & entertainment partnerships — spanning both ZURU Toys and other ZURU Edge brands. Category scope is expected to evolve as the business scales. This role is focused on new business development, category strategy, and staying ahead of market trends.

You will focus on fast-moving, trend-based IP across a broad remit of lifestyle and culture — spotting what's next before it's obvious and turning it into commercial opportunity fast. Success looks like a constantly expanding pipeline and a portfolio that keeps evolving with the market.

Core Roles And Responsibilities

Category Strategy, Trends & Business Development

• Shape category strategy across categories such as Brand & Lifestyle, Beauty, FMCG, and broader studio & entertainment partnerships, driving domestic and global growth plans.

• Track and translate emerging trends across toys and other ZURU Edge brands into actionable category and licensing opportunities.

• Own new business development, building and managing a high-volume pipeline of prospective licensors and brand partners.

Licensor Relationship & Deal Management

• Own and grow relationships across a high volume of active licensor and brand partnerships, driving performance against royalty and revenue targets.

• Lead negotiation and execution of licensing agreements, renewals, and amendments.

• Implement new licensee onboarding, including deal memo set-up and the creative approval process.

Portfolio & Team Management

• Lead and develop your team, with category focus expected to evolve as the portfolio grows.

• Set priorities across a wide, high-volume portfolio and balance workload across the team.

• Run regular 1:1s and support career growth toward more senior scope.

Contract and Financial Management

• Review terms, minimum guarantees, and royalty structures in partnership with Legal and Finance.

• Track and report on royalty performance across the portfolio, flagging risk and opportunity early.

Special Projects & Emerging Categories

• Partner with the Head of Licensing & Partnerships on special projects and emerging category opportunities as they arise, from early scoping through to execution.

• Support the operational build-out of new initiatives as the portfolio evolves.

Reporting and Forecasting

• Own forecasting accuracy and pipeline reporting across the portfolio.

• Provide regular performance updates to the Head of Licensing & Partnerships.

What You Will Bring

• 6-8 years' experience in business development, account management, or licensing, ideally within consumer products, FMCG, or entertainment, with global exposure preferred.

• A demonstrated track record of building pipeline and closing new licensor or brand partnerships at pace.

• Experience managing a high volume of active licensing agreements and driving performance against royalty and revenue targets.

• Experience managing or mentoring a team, with the flexibility and readiness to take on more as it grows.

• Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and prioritisation skills across a broad and evolving portfolio.

• Strong awareness of market and category trends across consumer categories, with the ability to translate them into commercial opportunities.

Based in Auckland, New Zealand.

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