EMEA Category Manager, Fashion & Living

The EMEA Category Manager Fashion & Living is responsible for developing and executing a long-term business strategy for the Fashion & Living sub-categories (Accessories, Footwear, Infant & Homeware); leveraging the richness of NBCUniversal’s entertainment content to achieve annual revenue and growth targets. They will be responsible for identifying whitespace opportunities and the best partners (Licensees / Collaboration Brands) to engage with. They will collaborate with EMEA market teams to pitch new business and negotiate agreements, ultimately delivering innovative quality product ranges. With oversight on these categories (Accessories, Footwear, Infant & Homeware), they will deliver accurate quarterly forecasting and support active retail sell-in of cohesive product ranges.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Category and Partner Management

• Lead EMEA business development & management for subcategories; Accessories, Footwear, Infant & Homeware.
• Collaborate closely with local market teams, to identify whitespace and support best in class pitch build, ensuring alignment with existing business.
• Lead contract negotiations with new Regional licensee opportunities, Brand collaborators, analyze forecasts & business plans
• Drive the Evergreen strategy and maximise movie Tent Pole moments.
• Be the category expert; Consistently stay abreast of industry trends, competitors, business opportunities, threats and dynamics for category and key licensees / partners. Share regularly with DTR & Hub category teams.
• Partner with Regional DTR Teams & Hub Category managers to build cohesive commercial product ranges and land credible assortments for the assigned categories.
• Collaborate across the matrix to drive business forward; Category, Product Design, Franchise, Finance, Legal, ECommerce & HR
• Where relevant on new and existing partners, dedicated account management to ensure contract deliverables are met throughout the contract term
• Lead the EMEA Brand Collaborations arm of the total EMEA Fashion & Living category strategy. Research , connect and Pitch relevant Halo and Collaboration brands.
• Be the EMEA conduit for In-Theatre license premiums with Global Partners - Snapco & Zinc
• Regular attendance of trade shows and events where relevant – e.g. Brand Licensing Europe.

Finance and Business Planning

• Fiscal responsibility on sub categories to include quarterly revenue forecasting & annual budget planning
• Identify whitespace opportunities using data to guide decisions. 
• Gather and analyze business performance across category by licensee and partner/retailer. Build action plans where relevant to drive business momentum.

Brand and Content Management

• Support brand marketing initiatives including the development and execution of category plans
• Assist in delivering creative assets and refreshes
• Secure support for partners within broader brand strategies and retail plans (Tent Pole & Evergreen)

Retail Development

• Identify new retail business opportunities and whitespace for EMEA Regional partners.
• Develop and nurture strong relationships with key buyers across EMEA DTR & Specialty Retail where relevant.
• Maintain knowledge of key seasonality and buying cycles of retailers ensuring opportunities are maximized
• Partner with Ecom team to drive Ecommerce product penetration and merchandise excellence for assigned categories.

Strategy – as it pertains to the designated subcategories Accessories, Footwear, Infant & Homeware:

• Support the EMEA Senior Director to develop Sub-Category strategies for Accessories, Footwear, Infant & Homeware in EMEA.  Support Roll out and monitoring of same.
  • Gathering data, market & competitor insights
  • Evaluating size of prize
• Collaborate with local market category managers to Identify & maximise key partners and whitespace opportunities across age, segment, market, channel and franchise in designated categories. Support local pitch builds.
• Research, Pitch and Onboard new Regional Partners and manage same.
• Lead the EMEA Brand Collaborations arm of the Fashion & Living category strategy. Represent EMEA on Global Taskforce.
  • Identify, Target and Pitch Fashion & Living Brands to collaborate with on Key franchises according to the EMEA Franchise Priority grid.
  •  Support EMEA Senior Directors of F&L & PD to develop EMEA Collaborations strategy & drive action.
  • Support Fashion & Living Market leads with their collaboration strategy and pitching where relevant. Manage Global Collaboration tracker input.
  • Attend Global Collaboration Task Force meetings and presentations and manage EMEA input to same.