Senior Director, Retail Business Development - Entertainment in Whitehall

Who We Are

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand and entertainment platform that owns and invests in iconic intellectual property and cultural assets. It accelerates brands through a set of specialized businesses that combine powerful storytelling, premium content, unforgettable live experiences and global commerce. Through a network of more than 1,700 best-in-class licensees and strategic partners across 150 countries and expansive distribution, Authentic’s brands drive more than $38 billion in annual systemwide retail sales worldwide. Authentic’s diversified portfolio spans more than 50 brands and reaches nearly one billion social media followers.

Why Authentic

You’ll be able to access the resources and scale, while leveraging innovative technology and nimble environment. Our team is rapidly innovating to evolve and define the future of our brands. With the help of some of the brightest minds in retail, marketing, licensing, legal and more, we are building the intersection of digital and experiential marketing to help achieve that mission. We reimagine, evolve and transform brands! At Authentic, we foster an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought and expertise drive competitive advantage.

What You’ll Do

The Senior Director, Retail Business Development will act as a business development and relationship manager with retailers in the EMEAI region, working across the Entertainment portfolio. You will be responsible for developing and maintaining business initiatives with key retailers with and on behalf of our licensing partners; working closely with our Brand Management team to ensure retail development efforts align to the overall strategy of each brand. You will support the day-to-day needs of existing licensee partnerships, onboard new retailer partners, manage relationships and create business opportunities, including DTR or Direct-to-Retail licensing opportunities.

What You’ll Be Working On

• Establish retail relationships to assist our wholesale licensee partners to facilitate the growth, introduction, development and advancement of Authentic’s brand portfolio.
• Directly engage with retailers to develop and negotiate DTR licensing opportunities to expand our brand, category and territory growth including organic growth initiatives.
• Increase growth across all relevant retail functional areas (customer experience, loyalty, product, merchandising, etc.).
• Partner with licensees to unlock new retail opportunities, ensuring expansion of existing distribution avenues and retail portfolio.
• Compile, analyse, and present data to assigned retailers.
• Monthly and quarterly sales performance reviews including retail analytics (sell-through, on-order position, best-sellers, advertising, etc.).
• Partner with the Marketplaces team to align and create retail and marketplace development strategy across brands.

Must have:

• Experience in business development in an innovative, fast-growth organisation.
• Proven relationship with key retail accounts.
• Extensive background working independently with decision-makers to close complex deals of significance.
• Proven track record of managing complex negotiations with potential business partners.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and organisation.
• Passionate on consumer-focused thinking and imagination; skilled at developing creative business ideas.
• Action and results-oriented.
• Ability to target expected performance metrics, personal results.
• Ability to clearly and concisely outline protocols for sales cycle management, tactics for handling objections, and approach to finding qualified partners.
• Experience negotiating, structuring, and closing complex multi-year partnership agreements.
• Demonstrated success in delivering against sales or business development goals.
• Ability to ideate detailed business development strategy, maintain own work-flow and meet deadlines.
• Experience in account management and creating client presentations.

Authentic is an equal-opportunity employer and we value and embrace the diversity and inclusion of all Team Members. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, national origin, disability, age, marital status, protected veteran status, or other legally protected status.