Manager, Licensing

At McLaren Racing, we’re not just here to try to take the chequered flag. We’re here to excite our fans, inspire our people and deliver for our licensees and partners. And we’re also committed to evolving our sport, our industry, and our technology, too. 

Purpose of the Role: 

You’ll be tasked with the responsibility of the day to day operational fulfilment of key licensing partners in the McLaren Racing portfolio, such that the contractual rights are fully leveraged and maximised, while the long-term individual and company relationships are created and maintained.  

You will play a key role in managing the end-to-end creative and commercial development of licensed products across the categories assigned to you.  

With licensing at its core, this role ensures that all products represent the McLaren brand with authenticity, creativity, and commercial strength. You will also play a crucial role in the on-boarding and development of new partners and emerging categories.   

Role Dimensions: 

• Reports to Head of Consumer Products, Licensing.

• Focus primarily on leading major partners including Watches, Luggage, Eyewear, Sporting hard goods and any other key or new partners joining the portfolio. 

• Lead and/or support the Head of, across key marketing planning and activations, plus product design and development.

• Support key cross Group activities inclusive of group partnerships and brand extensions.

• Partners with internal stakeholders across Creative, Brand, Partnerships, Digital and eComm.

• Support critical collaboration projects with MAL.  

• Account support for other team members as required.

• Based at the McLaren Technology Centre, Woking – some domestic and international travel required.

Principal Accountabilities: 

Partner & Licensee Management 

• Develop a deep understanding of McLaren Racings objectives and how we can leverage license partnerships to deliver against those.

• Develop a deep understanding of McLaren’s Fanbase segments as a basis for product and marketing targeting and growth opportunities.

• Develop and fulfil partner business plans (strategy, activation, target growth markets, competitors, KPIs, engagement and measurement) to ensure the partner has a clear framework for success. 

• Lead the product development process from concept to shelf, ensuring alignment with McLaren’s brand values, partner strategies and category growth plans.

• Deliver robust seasonal product development timelines, ensuring licensees meet quality, design and delivery milestones.

• Manage usage of IP rights and guide approvals on all product submissions via McLaren’s product approval system, ensuring brand consistency and creative integrity.

• Maintain development trackers, product catalogues, range plans, approval logs, and critical paths for all licensees and partners managing.

• Lead successful product launches, go to market strategy and 360 marketing activation & campaigns across all licensee which maximise returns and achieve KPIs.

• Be commercially minded to create and convert commercial and brand opportunities, be pro-active in initiatives that could strengthen the value of the partnership.

• Take the lead across the accounts in developing and maintaining relationships with the global stakeholders.

• Implement best practices across product, process, multi-channel marketing, budget management and reporting, working closely with all supporting teams such as Brand, Digital and Comms teams.

• Manage finance and royalty reporting, sales and forecasting against your partners.

• Manage assigned budgets.

Team Management 

• Manage and develop any direct reports and other team members added into the model as business grows.

• Proactively contribute to drive efficiencies across process, strategy and procedures to help drive department forward.

• Support in the delivery and establishment of regular partner reporting procedures internally and externally to track delivery of partner KPIs.

• Succinctly and clearly communicate requirements, timelines and process to wider business to facilitate and deliver licensing program.

• Support the Licensing team with collective tasks and administration or additional duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience: 

• Strong experience in product development or brand management within licensing. 

• Demonstrate a broad knowledge of core licensing, go to market and marketing principles.

• Ability to work cross series, cross departmental and cross group collaboration.

• Proven experience across partnership management and brand extensions.

• Experience of building and executing marketing campaigns across digital and physical channels and reach beyond own channels. 

• Ability to manage end to end process from partner on boarding through to seasonal reporting. 

• Previous experience in working with and managing licensees, agencies and suppliers.

• Knowledge of, and passion for, consumer products, sport and entertainment. 

• Ability to prioritise workload and manage critical paths and projects on time.

• Presentation skills (both writing and delivery), internally and to partners / suppliers.

• Excellent communication skills – verbal and written.  

• Strong attention to detail.

• Good working knowledge of IT packages (e.g. MS Office suite).

• Fluent in spoken and written English (additional languages would be an advantage).

Personal Attributes  

• Creative – Passionate about product and innovation, with a strong eye for detail.

• Organised – Able to manage timelines, approvals and partner expectations with precision.

• Collaborative – Works well across departments and builds strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Resilient – Thrives in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment with shifting priorities.

• Strategic – Can translate brand values and insights into commercially successful, on-brand product ranges.

• Energetic – Shows up with curiosity, commitment, and a love for creative product execution.

What can McLaren offer?

We constantly strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our ambition is to be the most pioneering and exhilarating racing team in the world, and our collective task is to set the standards for high performance in sport. We show up every day with energy and enthusiasm, ready to play our part.

We encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion. We will actively promote a culture that values difference and eliminates discrimination in our workplace.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) near Woking. Here at McLaren, we offer hybrid working with 3 days a week based in the MTC.

Our state of the art, sustainable campus offers many facilities including a gym, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park and common land. The MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 30 minute train ride.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.