Licensing & Collaborations Manager

Career Opportunities:
Licensing & Collaborations Manager (7934)

Requisition
7934
-Posted
- Footwear

- Full Time

- United States

- Hybrid

- California

- San Leandro, CA

The Licensing & Collaborations Manager is a key member of the licensing team, responsible for driving operational excellence and supporting the execution of licensed product and collaboration initiatives.

This role partners closely with internal cross‑functional teams and external partners to ensure projects move forward efficiently, accurately, and on time.

This position is ideal for someone with strong project management instincts, operational discipline, and a working knowledge of product or merchandising workflows. The work performed in this role directly supports the success and scalability of the licensing and collaborations business.

You’ll Make a Difference By

Licensing Operations & Project Management

• Managing day‑to‑day operations for licensing initiatives, including timelines, deliverables, approvals, and documentation
• Owning project tracking across licensed partners, ensuring milestones, calendars, and deliverables are met
• Serving as the central point of coordination for licensing activities, partner communications, and internal approvals
• Maintaining licensing calendars, trackers, and dashboards to provide visibility and accountability across projects

Collaborations Management

• Coordinating and managing collaborations with external partners and brands
• Working closely with collaboration partners to align on timelines, deliverables, approvals, and product requirements
• Managing the end‑to‑end collaboration process between external partners and internal product teams
• Acting as the primary liaison to ensure clear communication, workflow alignment, and issue resolution across stakeholders
• Supporting successful collaboration launches by driving accountability and cross‑functional coordination

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partnering closely with Legal, Product, Merchandising, Compliance, Marketing, DTC, and Business Development teams to ensure seamless execution of licensing and collaboration workflows
• Acting as a liaison between licensors, licensees, collaboration partners, and third‑party stakeholders to support alignment and resolve issues
• Supporting DTC teams with licensed and collaboration product coordination, timelines, and launch readiness

Data, Systems & Process Optimization

• Maintaining accurate data within licensing systems and databases; ensuring data integrity and version control
• Generating regular reports and analytics related to license status, compliance, KPIs, and partner performance
• Assisting in audits, reviews, and compliance checks as needed
• Identifying opportunities to streamline workflows, improve operational efficiency, and reduce risk
• Supporting the creation and maintenance of SOPs, checklists, templates, and best practices
• Supporting vendor and third‑party relationships related to licensing and collaborations, including regulatory consultants, application portals, and agencies
• Ensuring consistent application of internal policies, operational standards, and regulatory requirements

Additional Responsibilities

• Supporting special projects and process improvement initiatives within the licensing and collaborations function
• Assisting with other responsibilities based on business needs

About You

• 3+ years of experience in operations, project coordination, licensing, partnerships, or related roles; consumer goods or product‑driven environments preferred
• Background or working knowledge of product development, merchandising, or retail workflows strongly preferred
• Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
• Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Comfortable working cross‑functionally and managing external partners
• Experience working with regulatory bodies or government agencies is a plus.
• Self‑starter with a proactive, solutions‑oriented mindset
• Merchandising experience or a strong understanding of product assortment planning, line architecture, and retail or DTC workflows is a plus

About Ariat

Ariat is an innovative, outdoor…