Major League Soccer · 1 day ago
Manager, Licensing
New York, NY
Full-time
Hybrid
Mid, Senior Level
$75K/yr - $85K/yr
5+ years expMajor League Soccer is seeking a Manager, Licensing to work closely with the Director of Licensing, Consumer Products. The role involves strategic planning, business development, and management of licensing deals to enhance fan engagement and revenue growth in alignment with league objectives.
Media and EntertainmentSoccerSports
Responsibilities
Support development of consumer products aligned with league strategy. Focused deliverables on soft and hard goods across multiple product categories
Identify and execute business development opportunities across existing partners
Partner with licensees to develop and grow partnership with the goal of driving revenue increasing engagement across key fan segments (e.g., avid, casual, youth) and working across the organization to activate the league wide partnership deliverables
Work closely with licensees to develop and achieve financial plans and KPIs while driving growth strategies for the partnership
Support Club opportunities from product innovation to in retail in conjunction with licensees and retail development
Manage the relationship between key licensees and team management as applicable by property. Facilitating and monitoring all club requirements
Build strategic and tactical changes that drive business strategy and promote licensee efficiency
Demonstrate experience with direct licensee product development process
Manage and delivery financial targets to the agreed budget
Be a partner to Finance team to guarantee royalty reporting and financial payments are received in a timely manner
Additional responsibilities as assigned
Qualification
Required
5+ years of prior work experience, in licensing or a related sector
Strong professional network within the licensing, manufacturing, consumer products and retail
Strategic mindset to building business cases for taking calculated risks to grow consumer products, understanding of business dynamics, and analysis of competitive marketplace
Understanding of product trends and business drivers in licensing and sports culture, including key players, aspirational and accessible products, and retail landscape
Analytical skillset and data-driven approach to decision making
Sound understanding of retail systems and practices
Demonstrated understanding of the dynamics and needs of licensing
High-energy and ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Ability to operate and communicate effectively in a team-oriented and collaborative environment
Demonstrated ability to deliver aggressive KPIs in defined timeframes
Strong written and slide development presentation skills for clear communication
Strong communication and presentation skills to interact with both MLS partners and MLS senior leadership
Attention to detail, especially when multi-tasking across various projects in a fast-paced environment
Comfortable juggling multiple projects, prioritizing stakeholder needs, and working under tight deadlines
High-quality interpersonal and influencing skills to work cross-functionally in a complex organization
Comfortable in both large, matrixed organizations, and in lean, 'start-up like' environments
High-level of commitment to a quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity, and compliance
Demonstrated decision making and problem-solving skills
Ability to travel (10-20%) and to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Preferred
Knowledge of the Spanish Language (business proficiency)
Knowledge of the sport of soccer
Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
$500 wellness reimbursement
Generous Holiday and PTO schedule to promote work-life balance
On-the-job training
Feedback
Ongoing educational opportunities
Company
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional sports league that organizes men's soccer competitions in the United States and Canada.
201-500 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Major League Soccer has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (2)
2024 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$25MKey Investors
National Black Bank Foundation
2022-03-10Debt Financing· $25M
2018-06-01Series Unknown
Leadership Team
Chris Schlosser
Senior Vice President, Emerging Ventures
A
Alicia LaPorta
Director of Match Day Operations & Administration
Recent News
Sports Business Journal
2025-12-20
Sports Business Journal
2025-12-06
Sports Business Journal
2025-12-06
Company data provided by crunchbase