Licensing Sales Manager - Arts & Crafts

About The Role & Team

As Licensing Sales Manager for Arts & Crafts, you’ll lead this category by developing long-term strategies, managing key accounts, and expanding our licensee base to maximise growth. Your role will focus on building strong relationships, negotiating regional contracts, and collaborating internally and externally to deliver results across the EMEA region. By leveraging your expertise in product development, consumer trends, and marketing, you’ll identify new opportunities and partners to elevate the Arts & Crafts category within Disney’s creative landscape.

This is a permanent role based in London or Munich, with 4 days in the office.

What You Will Do

• Partner with the Senior Licensing Sales Manager and Licensing Sales Director to implement long-term strategies for the Arts & Crafts category, collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Analyse key trends and commercial and consumer insights within the Arts & Crafts category to develop and advance clear, inclusive strategies across company and departments, remaining agile to identify new opportunities and partners.
• Oversee the annual operating plan and quarterly forecasting process, setting equitable objectives and strategies for licensee partners by working with colleagues from markets, consumer demographic groups, category teams, franchise, marketing, product development, and finance, all with a focus on driving growth within the Arts & Crafts category.
• Cultivate strong, respectful, and collaborative relationships with EMEA partners, promoting active engagement, partnership, and joint business planning to ensure mutual success and open communication.
• Participate in contract negotiations for designated accounts, ensuring transparency and inclusion by keeping all relevant stakeholders (global, EMEA, and local) informed.
• Collaborate with creative teams, and when required Global Interactive Experiences, on product development, and support marketing teams and our licensee/retailer partners to bring new products to market.
• Communicate the International Labour Standards (ILS) process, acting as a supportive liaison between suppliers and The Walt Disney Company’s ILS team to uphold fair and ethical standards.
• Lead new business development pitches and research projects focused on identifying scalable opportunities, with an emphasis on equity, creativity, and representation.
• Coordinate and actively contribute to market meetings, ensuring all voices are heard and respected, particularly regarding category initiatives and strategies.
• Build positive relationships with Disney market teams by sharing information, strategy updates, and franchise insights, and by understanding and meeting the unique needs of local markets. Use these relationships to share best practices and foster a culture of learning and inclusion.
• Collaborate with international DCP teams to exchange knowledge and best practices, supporting a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can thrive, with a special emphasis on championing the Arts & Crafts category.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Manager-level experience in a commercial function within the Arts & Crafts category, with a degree-level education in a related field or equivalent work experience, preferably within the consumer products business.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships and collaborate across departments to achieve financial targets and shared goals, along with strong influencing skills and the ability to achieve buy-in at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and developing high-performing teams, driving change, and fostering collaboration toward joint objectives.
• Exceptional financial acumen: skilled at analyzing data, drawing practical conclusions, translating numbers into actionable business plans, and implementing recommendations to achieve business targets.
• Agile and resilient in a dynamic landscape: able to capitalize on opportunities, identify and target new partners, and remain nimble amidst change.
• Computer literate, proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Keynote.
• Fluent written and spoken English for business use is essential; proficiency in other European languages is beneficial.
• Keen understanding of digital, social, and brick-and-mortar marketing, and forward-thinking in applying industry trends to drive growth for TWDC.
• Exceptional planning and organizational skills, with excellent commercial and strategic approaches to problem-solving and innovation.
• Cultural sensitivity and a deep understanding of local markets across EMEA.

The Perks

• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical insurance & dental care
• Free Park Entry: the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free
• Disney Discounts: entitled to discounts on designated Disney products, resort F&B and ticketing
• Excellent parental and guardian leave
• Employee Resource Groups – WOMEN @ Disney, Disney DIVERSITY, Disney PRIDE, our new disability & neurodiversity focused group - ENABLED, and our Mental Health & Wellbeing Group, TRUST.

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