Senior Manager, Marvel, Star Wars, Brand Commercialization

Job Summary:

Sr. Manager, Marvel, and Lucas Brand Commercialization develops all aspects of Marvel and Lucas franchise and commercial strategies in Japan market, to deliver the brands’ target, and grow the sales of all the licensees’ products across all categories as well as DTR (Direct-to-Retail) business and other new business models with collaborating internal (xLOB key partners, category teams, APAC and global teams) and external (Japanese major manufacturers, promotional partners, marketing agencies, and retailers) stakeholders. The position is also responsible for developing the marketing strategies, planning, and executions to drive the brands’ presence, the top-of-mind awareness, and the equities among the users as well as to support category teams to generate the brands’ merchandise royalty in Brand Commercialization Japan.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver the brands’ target by developing and implementing Marvel and Lucas franchise strategies for Brand Commercialization business in Japan, working closely with Brand Commercialization leaders and category teams in line with commercial business strategies.
• Analize the market to identify the potential size of business growth, customer segments and key insights of users toward the Marvel and Lucas brands.
• Plan and execute the marketing campaigns including integrated media communications, on mainly digital, social and offline media including instore communication, to build the brands’ affinity.
• Negotiate with major licensees, promotional partners, and retailers (including eCommerce retailers) in Japan market to drive understanding of our strategies among licensees and create sales & promotion spaces for licensee’s products.
• Set the goal, measures, and report performances of all the marketing and commercial campaigns, review against the goal, revisit and revise the plans. To continuously improve the KPIs.
• Show the innovation of the Marvel & Lucas brands through immersive experiences and stories and evaluate end-to-end customer experience across multiple channels and customers’ touchpoints.
• Define new business opportunities of DTR (Direct-to Retail) and new business models with major retailers including PB product development
• Plan and conduct JBP (joint business plan) with key licensees and retailers in Japan and create Win-Win strategy with leveraging Marvel and Lucas brands & properties
• Work closely with other LOBs, Global and APAC partners to deliver common goals and objectives as well as maximize synergy effect of Marvel and Lucas properties
• Explore new retail partners (including eCommerce retailers) and white spaces to figure out business opportunities
• Build trust relationship with key partners to obtain timely information of their business plans, sales forecasts, etc.
• Work closely with Product Design team and APAC Creative team to provide creative proposals
• Pursue operational excellence and improve the process focusing on STOP, START, CONTINUE approaches
• Motivate the teams through establishment of clear and challenging strategies and objectives
• Engage team members to navigate them into the goals and objectives
• Assess team members’ performance and coach them effectively to develop them as future leaders

Requirements:

• 10+ years’ experience in sales and/or marketing in consumer related business in Japan market
• Strong strategic and critical thinking skills, with an ability to solve complex problems
• Broad and successful experience and understanding in retail industry (including eCommerce)
• Strong leadership, passion, and energy to lead the organization
• Experience of managing complex teams in a global company with multiple reporting lines
• Excellent business acumen combined with excellent judgment and the ability to identify optimal solutions with a creative and innovative approach
• Relevant commercial marketing, sales, licensing, or similar consumer targeted experience are preferred
• Excellent presentation skills with the ability to clearly communicate with both internal and external audiences at multiple levels (both in Japanese and in English)
• Business level Japanese and English in verbal and writing
• Focus on BIG idea, priorities, and decisions
• Ownership & responsibility
• Think & act decisively
• External focus (Guest, licensee, account, and business partner)
• Balance between short and long-term
• Timely update for both good and bad news
• More solution, less excuse
• Collaboration as one team
• Sense of urgent, agility
• Can do attitude, try to find solutions
• As it takes time, not so serious, optimistic