Director, Licensing – Brand & Product Management

About The Role

Earthbound Brands is a brand licensing agency that builds and manages licensing programs on behalf of a diverse portfolio of clients spanning all industries including Food & Beverage, Home, Fashion, Celebrity, Lifestyle, Automotive, and Character. Our Licensing team is organized into two groups: Sales (licensee business development) and Brand/Product (program and product management). This role leads on the Brand/Product side and reports to the VP of Brand & Product.

The Director, Licensing – Brand & Product Management is the senior face of the brand team to our clients, leading a team of Brand Managers, Product Managers, and Product Associates. The Director owns brand and program strategy for a portfolio of clients: guiding how each brand expands into new categories and products, stewarding the client relationship, and ensuring licensee product and growth efforts deliver on the brand's vision. While the Licensing Business Development team secures licensee deals, this role ensures those programs are strategically sound, on-brand, and growing.

What you'll do

Client relationship & brand strategy

• Serve as the senior relationship holder for clients, in partnership with the VP and with support from your team
• Co-develop the licensing strategy for each client — phase 1 category priorities, stretch categories, program roadmap — in partnership with your Business Development counterpart, leading on brand fit, category architecture, and product direction, and present jointly to the VPs for approval
• Oversee onboarding of new clients, developing a deep understanding of their brand, needs, and objectives
• Ensure Brand Managers execute against each client's strategy, setting quarterly goals for product pitches and licensee growth efforts
• Establish and run a QBR cadence for each brand with internal leadership and clients
  
  

Program strategy & cross-team partnership

• Identify program challenges and proactively bring innovative solutions to the VP of Brand & Product
• Partner with the Licensing & Earthbound Business Development team on new business proposals, budget planning, and financial forecasting
• Support trade show strategy and attend key meetings with senior client and licensee partners
  
  

Team leadership

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of Brand Managers, Product Managers, and Product Associates, including onboarding and ongoing feedback
• Model cross-functional collaboration, communication, empowerment, and inclusion across the team and with leadership
  
  

Process & operations

• Identify opportunities for process improvements within the team
• Develop solutions that enhance team productivity and program effectiveness
  
  

What you'll bring

• 10+ years of experience in brand management and client services, ideally within brand licensing (agency, licensor, or licensee side)
• 3+ years of team management experience
• Strong understanding of client and licensee relationships, licensing program dynamics, and product development processes
• A relationship-first approach paired with creative problem solving
• Demonstrated strategic and creative thinking
• Excellent presentation, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to develop and execute effective brand strategies
• Bachelor's degree
  
  

Location, schedule & travel

Our office is in the Flatiron District of NYC; the team is in office Mondays–Wednesdays. The role includes domestic travel to clients and key industry events, including Licensing Expo.

Compensation: $125,000–$150,000 base salary, plus eligibility for a performance-based bonus tied to portfolio results.