Product Development & Licensing Executive

An opportunity for a trend-loving Product Development Executive to join a company with an expanding licensing programme across a portfolio of publishing and entertainment brands. Known for their quirky imaginative style, there are new creative assets in the pipeline that will expand on their international reach. This person will work across new products for animation, film and classic IP.

The last few years have been a period of rapid growth with recent successes including licensing collaborations, West End musicals, plus a slate of new movies. Over the coming months there will be a new animated series, immersive experience, new publishing, more West End & Broadway hits, and a global brand presence in licensing and partnerships.

As a Product Development & Licensing Executive your primary focus will be to support the PD Manager in various product development and licensing initiatives, product approvals, account management, and maintaining strong relationships with licensees and partners. The role also includes managing internal systems, archiving, and ensuring the successful commercialisation and creation of new consumer products across their portfolio of IP.

So, what will you be doing?

• Review and manage the product approval process across a range of consumer products.
• Support creative direction for range plans across the current softlines licensee base.
• Support the Product Development Manager with style guide development, incorporating trends and assisting with ad-hoc areas as needed.
• Present range plans and trends during product development sessions, ensuring alignment across teams.
• Manage Photo Shelter access and maintain understanding of asset bank usage.
• Take a trend-led approach to product development, gathering competitor insights and attending trade shows to inspire ideation (e.g. Stationery Show).
• Lead the development of new products for their online store, ensuring all timelines and milestones are met.
• Provide regular product development reports, highlighting key progress, trends, and insights, with recommendations of new ranges and products to trial.
• Facilitate sessions with the department team to strategise improvements and future directions for product development.
• Foster strong relationships with licensees and partners, ensuring positive and productive collaborations.
• Develop promotional campaigns and competitions with the Digital Manager, working on social media calendars for key holidays (e.g., Christmas, Easter, Back to School) to boost sales.

What would we like you to bring?

• Qualifications or relevant work experience in product development, licensing, or a related field.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with multiple teams and external partners.
• Interest in trend forecasting and product commercialisation.
• Proficiency in managing digital asset banks and internal systems.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work in a fast-paced environment.

If this sounds like a great opportunity for you to build your career in product development and you have relevant experience to bring to the role, we’d love to hear from you. We're passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. Please get in touch with Rachel Steele at Huddle through the link below.