Brand Licensing (Non-technology products)

At Weight Watchers, we inspire healthy habits for real life. We meet our members where they are and leverage the latest nutritional and behavioral science to help them eat healthier, move more, and shift their mindset. We are a purpose-driven organization and we understand how to create community and deliver personalized services to help our members throughout every step of their journey.

We have more than 50 years of history and trust to build on, and we are leveraging technology, community, and behavior science to help more people around the world reach their goals. Our approach is science-based and evidence proven to help people lose weight and develop healthy habits to live life fully. If being part of a purpose-driven, member-focused, high-performing digital culture sounds exciting to you; we invite you to explore Weight Watchers and our open positions.

General Summary:

The WW Consumer Products team is focused on delivering the Weight Watchers experience to weight and health conscious consumers, as well as WW Members.

The Licensing Associate role will be focused on consumer products sold in the retail channel. We manage a portfolio of consumer products goods across the Grocery, Frozen and Non-Consumables areas of the store in multiple retail channels – such as mass merchants and grocery retailers. Our retail consumer products are primarily Weight Watchers branded or co-created with another brand.

We are seeking an energetic, creative and detail oriented Licensing Associateto join our team. This role will support our portfolio, working closely with internal and external partners to execute our multi-faceted marketing plans across channels, and assist in packaging and product development. Reporting to the Licensing Manager, this position will also support the P&L in budget tracking and ensuring licensees meet contractual requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Day to day contact with key licensing business contacts including sales and brand/marketing teams
• Assist in executing the marketing plan for the Licensed & Endorsed portfolio of products aligned with the strategic direction
• Develop marketing collateral working with Licensees, Agency partners and internal WW teams to execute timely delivery of artwork including Email, Social, Shopper Marketing, Recipe Development and other vehicles
• Develop and deliver staff communications to our national field organization
• Review partner materials to ensure Weight Watchers brand is correctly represented by outside partners and clearly communicates the benefits of our products as a tool to Weight Watchers members. This includes reviewing comments with WW Legal & Science/Nutrition teams
• Coordination of monthly licensing partner calls, and delivery of annual contract compliance requirements
• Contribute to analytics efforts of marketing vehicles including coupon redemption tracking, collection of sales and partner agency reporting, etc.
• Gather quarterly sales forecasts from licensees and assist in analyzing them to help effectively manage the P&L
• Maintain the department budget tracker with invoice management and set up PO’s for all projects.
• Assist in business development by coordinating calls with identified vendors and setting up samplings/tastings

Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration or related field required.
• Must have 2-3 years of work experience
• Experience developing and executing marketing plans for non-consumable and consumable products preferred
• Requires strong attention to detail, ability to multi-task regularly and problem-solve
• Self-motivated; Ability to independently manage projects from brief to execution and reporting
• Very strong oral and written communication skills
  • Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills
  • Proficiency in written communications and ability to adapt language for different audiences
• Eager to learn and develop with an interest in licensing and consumer packaged goods

We hire only the best people. Here are the benefits to being top-notch:

• The opportunity to work with some of the best innovators in the industry
• Generous healthcare coverage
• 401(K) with company match
• Paid Time Off
• Paid parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• Wellness allowance
• Profit Sharing
• Plus, the resources to locate services including child care, legal services, pet care and more

Weight Watchers is an equal opportunity employer. Weight Watchers does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin, marital status, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or disability.

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the satisfactory results of reference and background checks.

Lead business development initiatives to identify new licensing partners and product categories, including researching, pitching, negotiating and executing contracts. Use licensing opportunities to help build global brand franchises that generate revenue streams across multiple categories.

Job Functions:

• Identify new opportunities in accordance with the global licensing strategy, liaising with senior management and label partners on researching, pitching, negotiating and fully executing licensing contracts.
• Maintain existing licensee relationships across all product categories and optimize commercial terms of these partnerships for Bravado
• Develop and execute merchandising strategies that maximize revenue across multiple categories and distribution channels
• Interact with artists, managers and UMG record labels to educate on potential licensing opportunities
• Manage relationships for all partnership agreements for which Bravado is a licensee
• Develop brand management plan of each property. Work closely with the senior marketing team to provide input for trade and consumer advertising, PR and research. Set and manage budgets and maximize value for licensees and retailers.
• Forge close relationships with strategic partners in appropriate products categories including apparel, gifts, games, online, accessories, home furnishings as well as food and beverage companies etc.
• Work with Business Affairs to develop anti-piracy strategies
• Take a leadership position with the brand management and creative groups to set product development plans, product positioning, and key selling benefits.
• Develop retail relationships with key mass market and specialty retailers, identifying strategic relationships and selling in merchandise promotions.
• Develop broader strategic licensing programs for Bravado and its artists working closely with the retail and brand management teams
• Maintain and update sales forecasts at the licensee and artist level
• Ensure that any brand extensions will make a meaningful contribution to preserving and furthering the overall life of the underlying property.
• Work closely with Product Managers to streamline licensee creative requests and approvals process
• Liaise with internal Artist Service Managers to ensure program creative needs and approvals are streamlined.
• Work with legal to ensure proper registration and protection of the company’s IP. Manage licensing contract process and counterfeiting issues.
• Direct Licensees on royalty statements, budgeting and projections and monitor partner payment compliance
• Work closely with Finance department to ensure proper royalty collection and payment
• Work with UMG label divisions to stay abreast of new and developing artist suitable for licensing opportunities
• Understand relevant marketplace dynamics and other key issues leading to appropriate recommendations for the licensing mix (e.g. quality, pricing, promotions and distribution).

Job Requirements:

Skills/Abilities:

• An accomplished Licensing and Merchandising executive who also has expertise in Sales and Business Development.
• The ability to see over the horizon to where the next Licensing opportunities are because of a wide knowledge of the industry, with a very high level of commercial awareness.
• Good relationships and good ‘street cred’ in the Industry.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and a consensus builder who can direct staff across diverse lines of businesses.
• Love of music and understanding of ‘fan mentality’ are key for success

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience securing, negotiating and managing licensing deals across a variety of product categories and managing them.
• An accomplished product strategy executive who possesses strong understanding of brands who balances creative marketing judgment/vision with analytical data as it relates to creating value-added merchandise against core market segments.
• Proven track in Fashion/Luxury/CPG and global brand Licensing experience a plus.

Education:

• Bachelors Degree

Universal Music Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Disclaimer

This job description only provides an overview of job responsibilities that are subject to change.