License & Innovation Product Manager

Overview

The License & Innovation Product Manager leads strategy, development, and execution of licensed product initiatives and the new format innovation pipeline for all established & new channels. Acting as the central liaison between internal teams and external partners, this role drives product lifecycle management, ensures compliance with licensing agreements, and delivers differentiated products aligned with brand and business objectives.

Eden Prairie – Onsite

$120,000 - $150,000

• Health
• Dental
• Long‑term care
• Short‑term disability
• Long‑term disability insurance

• 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…