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Versique Executive, Professional & Interim Recruiting · 7 hours ago

License & Innovation Product Manager

Eden Prairie, MN

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

$120K/yr - $150K/yr

5+ years exp

Versique Executive, Professional & Interim Recruiting is a high-performance recruiting firm based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. They are seeking a License & Innovation Product Manager to lead the strategy and execution of licensed product initiatives, ensuring compliance and driving product lifecycle management for enhanced commercial impact.

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Work & Life Balance

Responsibilities

Act as the primary point of contact for all licensed product initiatives, ensuring seamless collaboration across marketing, sales, operations, and external partners

Define and execute product line strategies and roadmaps aligned with licensor studio investments and overall brand objectives

Own the complete product lifecycle, from ideation and development through commercialization and post-launch optimization

Partner with Sales to secure retail placement opportunities, leveraging insights to maximize distribution and visibility

Establish clear product requirements, user stories, and success metrics in partnership with cross-functional teams to guide development

Collaborate with design, engineering, supply chain, marketing, and sales to deliver innovative, differentiated products that drive category growth

Lead pricing, positioning, and go-to-market strategies for new and existing licensed products with support from the sales team to optimize profitability and market share

Work closely with Finance and Sales to develop forecasts, pricing models, and business cases, ensuring data-driven decision-making

Manage end-of-life (EOL) planning and transitions, minimizing disruption and maximizing portfolio performance

Analyze product performance across key metrics (revenue, margin, velocity, productivity) to identify trends and opportunities

Conduct root cause analysis for underperforming SKUs and implement action plans to improve, discontinue, or reposition products to drive growth strategies

Drive portfolio optimization initiatives, including SKU rationalization and tiered assortment planning to enhance efficiency and profitability

Ensure full compliance with licensing agreements and act as the primary liaison between licensors and internal teams for contractual updates, asset delivery, and studio entertainment requirements

Develop business cases for new and renewing licenses, integrating product plans with sales projections to support minimum guarantee commitments and profitability goals

Drive timely completion of contract reviews, audits, and business performance assessments, providing accurate documentation and insights as needed

Partner with licensing stakeholders to uphold brand integrity and contractual standards, ensuring alignment across all deliverables

Manage the end-to-end submission process for product concepts, packaging, and marketing materials by tracking progress, proactively following up to secure timely licensor approvals and maintain workflow efficiency

Translate licensor feedback into actionable guidance for internal teams, implementing corrective measures to meet compliance and quality standards

Maintain comprehensive records of submissions, approvals, and feedback to support audit readiness and operational transparency

Validate final products against licensor specifications and legal requirements, mitigating risk and ensuring market readiness

Develop and sustain a robust pipeline of innovative product concepts and formats, aligned with strategic growth objectives

Lead cross-functional teams through early-stage Discovery and Concept phases, driving ideation, feasibility analysis, and presenting recommendations at gate reviews

Prioritize concepts based on strategic alignment, market potential, and commercial viability, ensuring resources focus on high-impact opportunities

Create preliminary business cases for new concepts, including cost modeling, ROI projections, and risk assessments to support informed decision-making

Validate concepts through consumer insights, trend analysis, and technical feasibility studies, ensuring market relevance and operational readiness

Identify and mitigate risks early in the innovation process, developing proactive strategies to address compliance, timing, and resource challenges

Monitor approval workflows and implement contingency plans to prevent bottlenecks and maintain project momentum

Develop with Sales & Leadership Team AOP revenue goal for incremental “new” growth

Own and oversee the stage-gate process for all license new product development (NPD) and new format innovation initiatives, ensuring compliance and timely progression through each phase

Lead cross-functional teams to drive alignment, accountability, and on-time delivery of project milestones, fostering collaboration across departments

Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, including timelines, budgets, and resource allocation, to support successful execution

Proactively identify and manage risks, implementing mitigation strategies to safeguard timelines and deliverables

Monitor project performance and track progress against key milestones, providing clear visibility into status and potential roadblocks

Communicate project updates, decisions, and critical milestones to stakeholders at all levels, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making

Qualification

Product ManagementLicensing ManagementInnovation StrategyAnalytical SkillsStakeholder CommunicationProject ManagementInfluencing SkillsProficiency with ToolsStage Gate FrameworkCollaborationOrganizational Skills