Description

Location: UK or France based

Authority: This position will report to the VP Licensing & Partnerships EMEA and APAC.

Company Summary: MGA Entertainment, a consumer entertainment Products Company headquartered in Chatsworth, California, manufactures innovative lines of proprietary products for the toy and consumer electronics market. The company also licenses its IP in such areas as apparel, home décor, stationery, and sporting goods. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!, Little Tikes®, Bratz, Rainbow High, Project MC2, and Zapf Creation®. For more information, please visit www.mgae.com.

Mission:  Lead, build and manage an aspirational multi-brands portfolio with focus on L.O.L. Surprise, Rainbow High, Little Tikes and Bratz, with aim to achieve highly profitable best in class licensing programs. He/She provides business vision and leadership and works collaboratively with agents, distributors and various MGA teams and other divisions within the MGA organization to deliver common franchise and financial goals. He/She will be given predefined goal of meeting or exceeding redetermined revenue targets and growth objectives per region and country.

Time Utilization:

Agent / direct licensees Management 30%
Business Planning/Forecasting 10%
Sales 55%
Email Communication/Other 5%

Responsibilities:

Person Specification/Experience:

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Set mid to long term sales and marketing strategy, per IP, with corresponding forecast and budget deliverables to the categories and markets.
  Interact, set strategy and take a lead to initiate programs per category with representing country agents, retailers, promotional and manufacturing partners, distributors to build and achieve critical mass at retail, both by increasing the current business base and seeking new partners. Build meaningful relationship across key market movers to establish MGA as an innovative, quality and result-driven licensor.
• Manage MGA as a top-tier Licensor in respective categories and regions, including as day-to-day inspiring counterpart to local business communities, building PR to elevate brand positioning and relevant age groups.
• Take a lead on FMCG, HBA, BTS and Stationary category deals, initiation, pitching, managing, for EMEA, working closely with agents, design, approval and licensing heads in cross- categories.
• Launch new brands and maximize existing brand exposure against program milestones.
• Annual strategy set up and evaluation with quarterly performance and progress check-ins.
• Seek brand collaborations to leverage the positioning of MGA IPs against key target age group.
• Collaborate with LA office with regards to brand marketing, financial and legal reporting. Coordinate product approvals for represented category.
• Collaborate with MGA local EMEA offices as well as distributor market representative heads to align retail initiatives and brand launches.
• Synergize with toy sales team manager on larger activations with focus on retail executions and cross-promotions.
• Proven ability to sell in various countries, ideally with a good track record in the licensing industry.
• Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Oral Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions.
• Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.
• Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; inspires and motivates others to perform well; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; accepts feedback from others.
• Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; displays orientation to profitability; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; develops realistic action plans.

Requirements

Education/ Experience:

• Good spoken and written English is essential. Additional European language knowledge is a plus
• Bachelor's degree, 10+ years licensing sales, retail sales, experience in brand/consumer packaged goods

Requirements/ Qualifications:

• Proven track record for building and maintaining sales and business relationships .
• Proven ability to pitch, negotiate and close sales contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to grow business revenue.
• Understanding of European toy/ FMCG/ licensing markets.
• Well organized, self - starter and self-reliant.
• Rigorously controls and evaluates cost-effectiveness of travel and keeps within budget.
• Someone who is good at communicating, cooperates willingly and effectively with colleagues, and seeks out information without expecting to be fed it.
• Proven ability to work in an exposed position where the effort invested and the results therefrom are clearly seen.
• A person who has the capability to develop a strategy and implement it.
• A person who relishes a challenge. Someone who is highly motivated and energetic to achieve challenging goals and lead change.