Director, CPG Licensing

Job Summary

The Director of CPG Licensing and New Platforms is responsible for generating and managing FOCUS Brands' licensing partnerships and the launching of New CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) Platforms (e.g., in-store bakeries, branded grocery platforms) to drive the Global Channel Group's overall objectives and profitability goals. The position creates and executes the business model, strategy and plans to actively build a portfolio of licensing partnerships and product platforms that optimizes the Brands' penetration and value while delivering on profitability goals. The Director is responsible for cultivating and maintaining strategic relationships with existing partners (e.g., Rich’s, Golden West Food Group, Danone, J&J Snack Foods, and General Mills).and potential licensing partnerships with additional partners.

Essential Functions

• Strategic Planning and Alignment
• Works with leadership to create a strategy, financial models and go-to-market plans for new CPG Platforms (e.g., in-store bakeries, branded grocery platforms) to meet defined growth and profitability goals.
• Leads and manages new and existing license partner relationships
• Develops team’s annual objectives, sales plans and targets to secure value enhancing licensing and new CPG platform partnerships that align and drive the overall value of FOCUS Brands’ portfolio of businesses.
• Identifies and incorporates relevant trends and partner feedback/input to inform the strategic plan and capture profitable emerging business opportunities.
• Ability to articulately understand IRI/Nielson data to identify opportunities and risks to the business
• Captures sales, manufacturing and logistics success metrics to inform approach, identify future opportunities, and enhance current effectiveness and profitability.
• Champions FOCUS Brands with internal and external stakeholders (Franchisees, Investors, Partners, Distributors, Brokers and FOCUS team), builds trust and advances understanding and support for the added value created by strategically licensing and CPG partnering across multiple marketing channels.
• Strategic Relationship Management and Solution Selling
• Develops detailed, account-specific plans that lead to securing profitable licensing and CPG partnership and sales opportunities.
• Partners with our current and potential CPG Partners (e.g. Nestle, Rich’s, Kellogg’s) on identifying their overall goals/objectives and what their growth strategies are to accomplish those goals and how does our value bundle of goods and services link to those to drive value capture for both parties.
• Targets and generates leads and performs research to prepare and deliver specific, value based presentation on potential partnerships.
• Builds trusted relationships at all levels of targeted accounts to identify viable opportunities and to penetrate appropriate buyer offices to develop mutually beneficial licensing and product solutions.
• Works with Finance, Legal, Supply Chain and other FOCUS team members to document and negotiate required agreements, contracts and pricing that drive overall profitability and growth of licensing and CPG platforms.
• Tracks sales activity in the Sales system (Customer Relationship Management – CRM) to create continuity and effective reporting.
• Participates in Channel’s on-going sales funnel and assessment of opportunities to align efforts, priorities and resources across the Channel’s organization.
• Promotes FOCUS Brands and the value of its products at relevant trade associations and events.
• Licensing and New CPG Platform Management
• Serves as a champion and expert on optimizing licensing and CPG Platform solutions to best enhance FOCUS Brands market penetration and value.
• Evaluates and prioritizes licensing and new CPG platform opportunities to define resources, sourcing partners and planning needed to best drive overall brand value, penetration and profitability.
• Works with cross-functional teams such as R&D, marketing, supply chain, brand management and training to ensure licenses agreements are adhered to and that products and related platforms are approved, tested and launched effectively in the marketplace.
• Provides on-going account management and strategic partnering with new and existing Licensing and CPG partners to resolve issues, enhance supplier/manufacturer/logistics effectiveness, minimize costs and identify potential future partnerships opportunities.
• Provides regular budget analysis and reporting against on-going Profit and Loss (P&L) activity to identify issues and opportunity to enhance effectiveness.
• Collaborates with Legal and other FOCUS teams to quickly assess and mitigate risks and maximize return of investment to the organization.
• Establishes external relationships and maintains memberships in professional organizations associated with relevant industry organizations to gather competitive intelligence on CPG platforms and effectively licensing products.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree, Related field , Req
  
  

Work Experience

• 10 years of combined sales and management experience in Brand Licensing and CPG sales, food products experience
• Experience in creating, managing, and executing successful sales and capture plans
• Track record of building business plans and strategic plans that exceed business development, and profitability objectives
  
  

Skills

• Communication skills that create positive impact and engagement (written, verbal and presentations).
• Ability to establish, implement, and communicate strategies that align with business needs and objectives and gain buy-in from stakeholders.
• Ability to quickly build trust and effective working relationships across various stakeholder groups (i.e, potential Clients, Corporate, Filed and Franchisees).
• Negotiation skills with ability influence others to identify and create “win-win” partnerships.
• Ability to quickly identify and articulate a brand’s architecture and value
• Ability to effectively balance strategic focus and tactical operations.
• Planning, organization and follow up skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks with sensitive deadlines and changing environment.
• Strategic decision making with strong business and financial acumen and analysis.
• Possesses a high degree of drive and tenacity with a proven track record of achieving results.
• Ability to manage and develop others to enhance their effectiveness.
• Proficiency in Microsoft computer skills (i.e. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).
• Ability to travel as needed, approximately 20% of the time
  
  

CertificationsTravel Requirement

• May be required to travel up to 25% of the time