Commercial Manager

This role will sit within the consumer products commercial team and work with key partners to drive the consumer products business across both mass market and specialty retail.

The Commercial Manager will be responsible for maximising the assigned sub-categories within a specific line of business that they manage and deliver AOP (budget). The role will work closely with internal stakeholders, develop plans to support category growth and build strong relationship with licensees and retailers to deliver meaningful programmes to consumers.
- This is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract

Key responsibilities:
**Partner Management**
- Manage key licensee accounts across sub-categories
- Manage key retail stakeholders across specialty, grocery and mass market
- Drive performance of partners via:

- Building relationships - with all stakeholders within licensees and in relevant buyerships at retail
- Joint planning - including sharing of key Disney priorities, global best practice, creative inspiration, benchmarking and insights
- Business reviews - regular deep dives into sales results vs. budget, prior year and benchmarks with clear actions for improvement to ensure financial targets are met or exceeded
- Strategic planning - determining overall sub-category direction and identifying key opportunities within this as well as developing plans with licensees to maximise these
- Joint pitching - closely aligning on key opportunities and selling them in alongside licensees
- Representation - operating on the licensee’s behalf within Disney to ensure inclusion in multi-partner and XLOB opportunities and campaigns
- Ad-hoc requests - responding quickly to licensee and retailer queries and concerns, working closely with stakeholders across the business as needed to ensure a coordinated response
- Work closely with wider CPGP teams to coordinate and drive opportunities by brand and retailer
- ** Contract/Finance**
- Responsible for achieving AOP (budget) target for all managed partners
- INvision data entry for all managed licensees
- Analysis of licensee performance
- Accountable for managed licensees and explanation of performance in quarterly finance meetings
- Manage the contracts for licensees including amendments and renewals
- Manage on-boarding process for new partners across Disney systems as required
- Work closely with ILS, finance, product development and contract admin teams to ensure licensee adherence to Disney contractual requirements
- ** Category Expertise**
- Develop understanding of key trends locally and globally in both license and generic
- Develop understanding of retail needs and environment, including overall company performance and strategic direction with particular focus on retailers and channels which align with licensee core competencies
- Develop understanding of competitive landscape and retail activity
- ** Brand Champion**
- Represent and drive the priorities across the Disney portfolio, ensuring these are positioned to partners in relevant ways for their business

Key Experience:

- A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a sales or marketing environment
- Tertiary qualifications in Business/Marketing would be an advantage
- Licensing experience would be an advantage
- Financial experience with relation to forecasting and budgeting
- Good understanding of retail environment
- Strong communication & presentation skills
- Demonstrated ability to work to financial targets
- Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint
- Ability to build good relationships both internally and externally
- Highly motivated and able to work autonomously as required
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Willingness to travel

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. We are committed to building a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.