Director, Global Licensed Merchandise

sonyinteractiveentertainmentglobal; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Working

Private Medical Insurance

Dental Scheme

25 days holiday per year

On Site Gym

Subsidised Café

Free soft drinks

On site bar

Cycle garage and showers

Job summary

Sony Interactive Entertainment is seeking an experienced licensing expert with deep Europe/ Asia (ex China) retailer and licensee networks to grow PlayStation brand merchandise.

You will partner with senior leadership to shape strategy, appoint licensees, negotiate contracts, and drive revenue across multiple channels including brick-and-mortar and online retailers. This hybrid role offers exposure to global programs and a chance to influence consumer products across key markets.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in driving multi-million revenue through licensed programs.
• Experience across Europe, Asia (ex China), with focus on EU markets.
• Strong executive-level relationships with retailers and licensees.
• Ability to strategize, forecast, and manage budgets.

Responsibilities

• P&L responsibility for the Europe/Asia licensed merchandise business.
• Appoint licensees and retailers to grow PlayStation brand presence.
• Develop strategies for cross-category product portfolios with key partners.
• Negotiate contracts in partnership with legal and cross-functional teams.
• Identify high-value brand collaborations to elevate market perception.
• Grow accounts in EU priority markets with the sales team.
• Manage relationships with studios to align merchandise plans with marketing priorities.
• Lead and develop licensing team to achieve long-term career goals.
• Deliver revenue growth and provide forecasts and performance updates.

Skills

P&L ownership

Retail licensing

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Leadership/people management

Job description

Why Sony Interactive Entertainment?

Sony Interactive Entertainment isn't just the Best Place to Play - it's also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we're part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting-edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.

Role overview

We are looking for an experienced licensing expert with strong European and Asia (ex China) retailer and licensee experience. A depth of industry connections is required for EMEA (all G5 key markets with focus on France and Germany with emerging markets a plus) with Asia market experience and relationships a plus. You have a proven track record for growing multi-millions in revenue and culturally relevant programs with partners. Having deep executive retailer and licensee relationships is crucial, with solid understanding of our partners strategies and examples of how you have developed these relationships to build meaningful licensed programs that grow the PlayStation brand and our software IP titles.

You will partner with the Sr. Director to bring the global vision, strategy, and operational plan to life, and own the strategy for the Europe/Asia and global partners assigned to you. You will drive a robust consumer products business across various channels, including but not limited to brick-and-mortar retailers, online retailers, and experiential venues.

This role will work with executives and stakeholders, internally and externally, to deliver business results. We are seeking an analytically minded, out-of-the-box thinker, who can operate proactively in a fast-paced environment and is able to wear many hats.

What you'll be doing

• P&L responsibility for the Europe/Asia licensed merchandise business.
• Appoint best-in-class licensees and identify strategic retail partners to grow the presence of the PlayStation brand and 1st party game IP/franchises licensed merchandise.
• Own, manage and develop key strategic and master licensees and retailers, with a view to developing cross category product portfolios to support PlayStation brand and 1st party game IP/franchises.
• Strategize, negotiate, and manage contracts, in partnership with legal.
• Identify and implement high value, newsworthy brand collaborations for PlayStation brand and 1st party game IP to help elevate brand perception within the market.
• Partner with PS Sales Team to grow key accounts in EU priority markets.
• Handle agents for Middle East, India and Japan.
• Manage assigned relationships with studios to develop merchandise plans in line with overarching games marketing priorities.
• Develop a strong network across the wider SIE business (PS Sales, Global Games Marketing, Brand Partnerships etc.) working in collaboration with key teams and stakeholders to achieve and deliver optimum results.
• Manage and develop direct reports within the licensing function, setting the agenda and priorities to enable us to achieve our goals. Enable group and manage individual group members to develop skills and experience, with a view to achievement of long-term career goals.
• Deliver revenue growth consistent with our short, medium, and long-term plans.
• Develop 3-5-year mid-range plans; Provide forecasts, performance reports and financial business updates.

What we're looking for

• Track record of building robust business strategies while being nimble to a constantly evolving environment
• Business planning expertise, including forecasting, portfolio planning, investment decision-making and trend analysis
• Demonstrates a strong commercial acumen and can demonstrate extensive revenue growth
• Strong experience in team leadership and people management
• Have strong relationships from buyer to executive level at key retailers
• A leader, able to motivate & direct whilst fostering teamwork and collaboration
• Possesses strong interpersonal skills and gravitas to maintain relationships and influence and persuade others
• Analytical with a strong ROI mindset
• Tenacious and focused on outcomes and deliverables
• A creative problem solver that enjoys thinking about new ways of working

Benefits

• Discretionary bonus opportunity
• Hybrid Working
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental Scheme
• 25 days holiday per year
• On Site Gym
• Subsidised Café
• Free soft drinks
• On site bar
• Access to cycle garage and showers

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.