Manager, Inbound Licensing

CA EMPLOYEE PRIVACY RIGHTS: https://www.mgae.com/ca-employee-privacy-rights

MGA Entertainment is on a mission to inspire imagination and creativity through innovative toys, entertainment, and experiences that transform play into limitless possibilities. As the largest privately held toy and entertainment company in the U.S., MGA is a global leader in designing and delivering world-class consumer products that spark wonder and drive play forward. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices worldwide, MGA’s portfolio spans a dynamic range of original and licensed brands — from toys, dolls, games, and electronics to fashion, home décor, and entertainment content including hit movies and TV series. The company is recognized for its bold approach to storytelling, trendsetting design, and deep commitment to quality. The award-winning MGA family includes fan-favorite brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!™, Little Tikes®, Rainbow High™, Bratz®, MGA’s Miniverse™, Yummiland™, CarTuned™, Wonder Factory™, BABY born®, and Zapf Creation®. To learn more, visit www.mgae.com and follow MGA on LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Role Summary

The Manager, Inbound Licensing – Marketing Approvals is responsible for overseeing all licensor approvals for marketing materials across MGA Entertainment’s licensed partnerships. This role ensures that every piece of marketing content—social posts, videos, paid media assets, influencer materials, PR content, packaging-related marketing claims, and campaign toolkits—meets licensor brand standards and contractual requirements before going live.

Acting as the central liaison between MGA’s internal teams and external licensors, this role manages submissions, secures timely approvals, provides guidance on brand-right usage, and maintains smooth day-to-day partner communication to keep campaigns on schedule.

Key Responsibilities

1. Marketing Approvals Management (Primary Focus)

• Serve as the main point of contact for all marketing-related licensor approvals.
• Manage the end-to-end submission process for materials such as:
  • Social posts (organic + paid)
  • Influencer content
  • Digital ads, video spots, animations, GIFs
  • Campaign toolkits
  • PR materials and press releases
  • Retail marketing overlays or claims
• Review all materials prior to submission to ensure they meet the licensor’s brand style, tone, visual identity, and usage rules.
• Collect, interpret, and relay licensor feedback accurately and efficiently to internal teams.

2. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Creative, Brand Activation, Social, Influencer, PR, Franchise, Category/Planning, and Legal to gather materials for approvals.
• Clearly communicate requirements, feedback cycles, and brand guardrails to cross-functional partners.
• Support teams by providing clarity on what is permissible based on licensor guidelines.

3. Partner Relationship Management

• Build strong, productive relationships with licensor approvals teams.
• Manage ongoing correspondence, timelines, and expectations with licensors.
• Set up regular check-ins or calendarized submission processes to streamline key campaign moments.
• Represent MGA’s marketing strategy and creative rationale during approvals discussions.

4. Tracking, Documentation & Process Management

• Maintain detailed approval trackers, timelines, and version logs for every licensed program.
• Ensure all feedback, changes, and approvals are documented accurately and accessible to internal teams.
• Monitor and enforce licensor requirements around claims, legal lines, trademarks, character/artwork usage, and restricted content.

5. Planning & Risk Management

• Build approval timelines that account for licensor review cycles and internal creative deadlines.
• Flag potential delays, risks, or blockers that could impact campaign launches.
• Proactively manage priority submissions during high-volume periods (e.g., holiday, major announcements).

6. Brand Integrity & Guideline Expertise

• Become a subject matter expert in each licensor’s guidelines (brand voice, tone, visual rules, do’s/don’ts).
• Provide first-round feedback to internal teams to reduce revision cycles and accelerate approvals.
• Protect the IP and uphold licensor brand standards across all marketing executions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Licensing, or related field.
• 4–6 years of experience in licensing approvals, brand management, marketing production, or creative operations.
• Strong understanding of marketing creative (social, digital, video, influencer, PR).
• Exceptional organizational skills with ability to manage multiple concurrent approval pipelines.
• Experience interpreting and enforcing brand guidelines.
• Strong communication skills—clear, diplomatic, and detail-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in consumer products, entertainment, or youth/family-focused brands.
• Familiarity with licensor approvals systems and workflows.
• Experience coordinating with Creative and Marketing teams on asset development.

Key Competencies

• Brand Stewardship: Ensures every marketing touchpoint aligns with licensor requirements.
• Operational Rigor: Manages submissions and timelines with precision.
• Communication: Clearly translates partner feedback to internal teams.
• Relationship Management: Builds trust with licensors and internal partners.
• Attention to Detail: Identifies brand violations before materials are submitted.
• Problem Solving: Navigates approvals bottlenecks with speed and calm.

Salary:

$110,000.00 - $120,000.00 /year