At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive Disney's licensing magic by managing partnerships and executing growth strategies.
- Company: Join Disney, a global leader in family entertainment and storytelling.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, private medical insurance, and free park entry for friends and family.
- Why this job: Be part of a creative team that shapes beloved brands and makes a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in fashion sales or product development, with strong relationship-building skills required.
- Other info: This is a full-time, fixed-term contract based in London, covering parental leave.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Job ID: 10124167
Location: London, United Kingdom
Business: Disney Experiences
Date posted: June 18, 2025
Job Summary:
About The Role & Team
Are you ready to bring Disney magic to life through strategic partnerships and innovative licensing? As a Licensing Sales Manager, you'll shape the future of our beloved brands across the EMEA region. You'll plan and execute long-term strategies, manage existing accounts, and streamline our licensee base for strategic growth. Your role will involve identifying and securing new licensees to enhance category growth. Building and nurturing relationships is key. You'll manage engagement and joint business planning with accounts, negotiate regional contracts, and drive licensing sales growth. Your creativity and commercial acumen will shine as you develop impactful strategies using digital, social, and traditional marketing insights. You'll stay agile, seizing new opportunities to keep Disney at the forefront of the industry. This role is a full-time, fixed-term contract, covering parental leave, working from the London office in Hammersmith, four out of five days a week.
What You Will Do:
- Collaborate with the Senior Licensing Sales Manager/Licensing Sales Director to implement long-term strategies, working closely with relevant stakeholders.
- Utilize key trends, commercial insights, and consumer insights to develop and drive effective strategies across the company and departments, remaining agile to capitalize on new opportunities and target partners.
- Manage the annual operating plan and quarterly forecasting process, developing objectives and strategies for licensees.
- Work with markets, consumer demographic groups, category teams, franchise, marketing, product development, and finance to drive growth.
- Actively manage and nurture relationships, partnerships, and joint business planning with each EMEA account, both new and existing, within the Girls & Dress Up domain.
- Execute contract negotiations for certain accounts and keep all key stakeholders (global, EMEA, and local) informed.
- Collaborate closely with creative teams and, when necessary, Global Interactive Experiences on product development.
- Work with marketing teams to support product sales as required by licensees/retailers.
- Communicate the International Labour Standards (ILS) process and act as a liaison between suppliers and The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) ILS team as directed.
- Execute new business development pitches and develop research projects focused on identifying scalable opportunities in the Girls & Dress Up category.
- Coordinate and actively contribute to market meetings.
- Collaborate and build strong relationships with Disney market teams, providing regular strategy and franchise updates, and understanding and addressing local market needs and differences.
- Share best practices through these relationships.
- Build relationships with international DCP teams to share knowledge and best practices.
Required Qualifications & Skills:
- Experience in fashion buying, product development, merchandising, or commercial fashion sales, specifically in girls' dress-up and softlines.
- Degree in a related field or equivalent work experience, with experience in the consumer products industry.
- Proven ability to build effective relationships, lead and manage change, and collaborate across departments to achieve financial targets and joint goals, along with experience in developing team performance.
- Financial acumen to translate numbers into actionable plans, and the ability to analyze data, draw practical conclusions, and implement recommendations to achieve business targets.
- Agility to capitalize on opportunities and identify new partners, with resilience and adaptability in a constantly changing environment.
- Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Keynote, with proficiency in written and spoken English for business use; other European languages are beneficial.
- Strong understanding of digital, social, and brick-and-mortar marketing, with excellent commercial and strategic problem-solving and innovation skills.
- Exceptional planning and organizational skills, with strong influencing skills to gain buy-in at all levels.
- Forward-thinking with the ability to translate industry trends into growth opportunities for TWDC, and cultural sensitivity with an understanding of local markets across EMEA.
The Perks:
- 25 days annual leave
- Private medical insurance & dental care
- Free Park Entry: the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free
- Disney Discounts: entitled to discounts on designated Disney products, resort F&B and ticketing
- Excellent parental and guardian leave
- Employee Resource Groups – WOMEN @ Disney, Disney DIVERSITY, Disney PRIDE, ENABLED, and TRUST.
The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. Disney is committed to forming a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
About Disney Experiences: Disney Experiences brings the magic of Disney stories and franchises to life through theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, unique vacation experiences, products and more around the world.
About The Walt Disney Company: The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise.
Licensing Sales Manager - Softlines (Fixed-term contract) employer: The Walt Disney Company
Contact Detail:
The Walt Disney Company Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Licensing Sales Manager - Softlines (Fixed-term contract)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Disney's brand values and current licensing strategies. Understanding how Disney operates in the EMEA region will help you tailor your approach during interviews and discussions, showcasing your alignment with their goals.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the licensing and fashion industries, especially those who have experience with Disney or similar brands. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to build connections that could provide insights or referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on market trends in the girls' dress-up and softlines categories. Being able to discuss recent developments or successful campaigns during your interview can demonstrate your proactive approach and industry knowledge.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully built relationships and driven sales growth in previous roles. Highlighting your achievements in a relatable way will help you stand out as a candidate who can deliver results for Disney.
We think you need these skills to ace Licensing Sales Manager - Softlines (Fixed-term contract)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in fashion buying, product development, and commercial sales, particularly in the softlines sector. Use keywords from the job description to demonstrate your fit for the role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for Disney and your understanding of the licensing industry. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully built relationships and driven growth in previous roles.
Showcase Your Skills: Emphasise your financial acumen and ability to analyse data in your application. Provide examples of how you've translated insights into actionable plans that have led to business success.
Highlight Cultural Sensitivity: Given the EMEA focus of the role, mention any experience you have working with diverse markets or teams. This will show your ability to adapt strategies to different cultural contexts, which is crucial for this position.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Walt Disney Company
✨Showcase Your Relationship-Building Skills
As a Licensing Sales Manager, building and nurturing relationships is crucial. Be prepared to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully managed partnerships in the past, particularly in the fashion or consumer products industry.
✨Demonstrate Your Commercial Acumen
Highlight your financial acumen by discussing how you've translated data into actionable plans. Prepare to share instances where your insights led to successful business outcomes, especially in licensing or sales.
✨Be Agile and Forward-Thinking
The role requires agility in identifying new opportunities. Come equipped with ideas on how you would approach potential partners and adapt strategies based on market trends, particularly in the Girls & Dress Up category.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Disney's Values
Understand Disney's commitment to diversity and inclusion. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to a culture that respects various voices and perspectives, aligning with Disney's mission and values.