Senior Category Manager (Maternity Leave Cover)
Paramount · London
Storytelling is, and will always be, the heart of what we do at Skydance.
Our vision is to build a thriving entertainment ecosystem where stories and worlds are imagined, brought to life and experienced. We create for every age and audience, anchored by the strength of our content and experiences and the depth of our connection with fans. We are creator-first, audience-focused, tech-forward, globally scaled.
Here, you’ll work with talented teams that move fast, think boldly and collaborate with purpose to deliver results. We aim high, champion the best ideas and win together, earning the trust of our employees, creators, partners and audiences every day.
If you’re energized by the opportunity to help build the next-generation global media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology, we’d be thrilled to welcome you aboard. LET’S GO!
Is this role for you?
- Grow our existing licensee business profitably
- Drive new business
- Be the voice of Paramount CP&E with our external partners
What you will be doing?
Deliver the Softlines UK Consumer Products Strategy
- Achieve or exceed the revenue targets for your categories: apparel & accessories and home
- Lead local fashion collaborations and support global ones at a local level
- Own budget planning and delivery
- Build and implement a 2-year strategic Softlines plan by franchise and licensee, in line with commercial and franchise priorities and working alongside the Snr Category Manager and Director, to deliver revenue growth
- Partner with retail and marketing teams to achieve revenue goals
- Identify white space in category/licensee portfolios and target new partners to fill it, in line with wider EMEA/Global strategy
- Actively cultivate engagement, partnership and joint planning with each partner
- Create new and innovative products by building market-leading partnerships
Financial Management
- Deliver the annual sales target by managing the forecasting process with licensees and tracking actual reported sales against forecast
- Review forecast submissions with licensees and set clear financial targets, including stretch targets by partner
- Drive licensees to submit forecasts, royalty reports and payments on time
Legal & Contract Management
- Lead negotiations for all local deals and contribute a UK perspective to Global/Regional deals. Make sure all rights are cleared before the deal closes
- Drive timely negotiation and execution of all contracts (within 100 days), ensuring deals are closed and fully executed ahead of contract start date
Creative and Product Development
- Work collaboratively with creative and PD teams so licensees have the right assets at the right time
- Work collaboratively with creative teams and licensees on new product development and style guide interpretation
- Identify creative licensee immersion/creative best-practice sessions as needed
- Brief the creative team on bespoke creative material for key retail meetings and trade events
Account Management
- Build strong relationships and play an active part in the day-to-day management of our licensee base
- Share brand decks, updates and one sheets with licensees so every sales opportunity is maximised
- Identify priority licensees and align with Category, Retail and Marketing teams to grow and maximise the business
- Keep in regular contact with licensees and set up business reviews based on each partner’s priority status
- Drive regular strategic meetings to identify retail listings, gaps, opportunities and risks. Ask questions to understand licensees’ wider business
- Agree joint objectives with your top 5 licensees for the year ahead and drive financial planning, with regular check-ins to keep each licensee on track
- Lead annual reviews and planning sessions and agree strategy with top 5 partners
- Review business models with licensees in renewals and/or new partner negotiations and run financial modelling
- Provide regular updates on the state of the business
- Run regular competitor analysis to understand competitors’ business size, product category and retailer
Team & Culture
- Bring an inclusive and collaborative mind-set to all stakeholders
- Champion the needs of licensees within the broader Paramount organisation (UK and Global)
- Share learnings and creative work with the broader UK Consumer Products team and relevant international and global teams
What are we looking for?
- You’re an insightful and persuasive seller who can identify commercial opportunities and align our brands to them
- You’re a strong negotiator who optimises the success and profitability of deals
- You’re a straight-talker and clear communicator, both internally and externally, in writing and verbally
- You’re decisive and creative, solving problems and reaching solutions fast
- You’re financially literate and enjoy digging into numbers from the ground up, with a clear understanding of licensee financials, forecasts, range selections and delivery of budget numbers
- You’re an ideas person who builds relevant, actionable plans that excite and inspire licensees and drive revenues
- You’re a relationship builder and a reliable, responsive business partner known for delivering what’s needed on time and to the highest standard
- You have strong time management and organisation skills, prioritising your workload and boosting productivity
LI#RE
About Skydance
Skydance is a next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. Skydance's portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount, Warner Bros., HBO and HBO Max, Paramount+, Pluto TV, CBS, CNN, CBS Sports, TNT Sports, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, MTV, Food Network, BET, HGTV, and Comedy Central.
What We Offer:
- Attractive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages. Check out our full list of benefits here.
- Generous paid time off.
- Complimentary subscriptions to HBO Max, Paramount+, and other Skydance streaming services and digital news products.
- Robust employee engagement opportunities, including access to exclusive screenings and events, speaker series, volunteer activities and more.
Skydance is an equal opportunity employer (EOE)
We embrace the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit. In line with the laws of the country or region in which the role is based, this includes consideration without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion or belief, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or protected veteran status, union status or any other category protected by applicable law.
If you have any difficulties in applying or require access needs arising from a mobility or any other impairment please let us know by emailing uk.recruitment@vimn.com or calling 0207 555 1234. We can then ensure your experience and visit is as smooth and enjoyable as possible.