Product Development Manager, Licensing

Overview

We’re looking for a Manager, Product Development who will support the creative execution, product development flow, and approvals process for a major consumer products licensing portfolio across gaming, entertainment, and culturally relevant brands. This role is a key product development and creative liaison between licensees, internal teams, and client stakeholders. The Manager will guide licensed products from concept through approval platform routing, creative review, samples, and final approval to market launch, ensuring they are brand‑appropriate, commercially viable, and delivered on time. The ideal candidate has strong creative judgment, a solid understanding of consumer product development, and the ability to manage multiple licensee submissions across categories in a fast‑paced, client‑facing environment.
Product Development Responsibilities

Lead the end‑to‑end product development and approvals process across assigned licensees, ensuring submissions move efficiently from concept through final approval and market launch.
Serve as a senior day‑to‑day partner to the client product development team, supporting key submissions, approval workflows, creative feedback, and platform‑related process needs.
Review product concepts, artwork, packaging, samples, and related creative assets to ensure they are brand‑appropriate, commercially viable, and aligned with client guidelines.
Ensure product development remains on track against key launch dates, retail timelines, and client priorities by proactively managing routing, feedback, revisions, and approvals.
Stay current on gaming IP updates, style guides, franchise moments, character priorities, visual identity, and product design needs to support high‑quality products for fans.
Creative Support Responsibilities

Develop creative support materials, including collaboration booklets, inspiration decks, benchmark presentations, product guidance, and look books to improve licensee execution.
Manage and guide licensed consumer product designs in line with client brand guidelines, ensuring feedback is clear, actionable, and aligned with the product development process.
Provide creative direction and product development feedback that improves design quality, strengthens brand consistency, and supports innovation across licensed product submissions.
Identify style guide gaps, asset needs, and recurring licensee challenges in partnership with the client business and product development teams.
Translate client creative expectations into practical product guidance that licensees can apply across concepts, artwork, packaging, samples, and marketing assets.
Client / Licensee Support Responsibilities

Manage and support key relationships with licensee creative and product development teams, serving as a trusted partner across submissions, feedback, revisions, and approvals.
Provide structured onboarding for new licensees, including approval process guidance, platform training, brand materials, creative expectations, and submission best practices.
Lead product brainstorming and ideation with licensees to drive stronger concepts, better execution, and clear points of difference in the marketplace.
Proactively identify submission issues, approval delays, or creative concerns, and recommend practical solutions that keep product development moving efficiently.
Partner closely with internal licensing, creative, marketing, and client teams to ensure product development priorities are aligned, visible, and moving forward.

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