The renowned Aardman Animations are recruiting for a Product Approvals Executive to facilitate and manage licensing approvals and creative submissions from licensees, retailers, and agents.

As Product Approvals Executive you’ll ensure that each stage of the creative approval process is adhered to and that all submissions meet both creative and legal guidelines as set out in the property style guides. You’ll also be responsible for managing submissions from licensees/agents/retailers in China, Japan and South Korea, and other Asian markets where relevant, as well as all DTR and publishing projects globally from a creative approvals and asset delivery perspective.

Aardman are a world leader in animation, producing movies, TV series, as well as advertising and digital entertainment for both the domestic and international market.

Their multi-award-winning productions are novel, entertaining, brilliantly characterised, and full of charm that reflects the unique talent, energy and personal commitment of the very special people who make up the Aardman team.

Your responsibilities…

• Manage and take ownership of all Asia licensee/agent/retailer relationships including regular communication to ascertain creative needs as well as system set up and management of creative approvals
• Handle additional creative asset requests from the Asia markets including market themes/trends that impact the licensing programme and revenue generation
• Provide feedback to the licensing/brand team for consideration/inclusion in the creative pipeline
• Manage of publishing licensing projects from a creative view, in conjunction with the licensing team ensuring requirements are understood, sourced from stakeholders, and delivered to the publisher
• Managing all stages of project approval process including related promotional marketing
• Take ownership of all DTR projects from a creative standpoint working with the licensing team to ensure asset requirements are understood and delivered to the retailer
• Manage of Asia publishing and DTR licensee and partner approvals requiring input from production teams ensuring approvals are managed and provide recommendations and guidance to facilitate positive outcomes for partners
• Educate internal stakeholders on cultural differences and expectations of the Asia markets in respect of trends, market conditions and revenue opportunities
• Manage and track all approvals for the Asia markets, publishing and DTRs providing feedback and guidance to licensees and agents
• Ensure creative and legal guidelines are adhered to at all stages
• Manage and take ownership of any NDAs, pre-contract assets required by licensees and/or international agents for Asia markets, publishing and DTRs
• Co-ordinate anti-counterfeit process with business affairs department, including monthly research and reporting for the Asia markets
• Update colleagues on product development status/progress in the brand planning and update meeting for Asia markets publishing projects and DTRs
• Support licensing team in creating and updating presentations including information from the Asia markets, publishing and DTRs

The skills and experience you’ll bring to the role…

• 3 or more years’ industry experience of managing licensees/agents in the Asia markets
• Strong market knowledge of the Asia markets
• Experience of managing complex licensing projects (publishing and/or DTRs preferable) and an understanding of asset requirements and delivery outside of style guide parameters
• Strong creative and visual awareness and understanding of style guide applications across categories including toys and 3D and apparel
• Able to manage a diverse workload and priorities accordingly
• Strong communication skills, to provide clear and considered feedback to licensees, agents, and partners
• Able to use a flexible approach to managing key internal stakeholders and balance creative and commercial considerations
• Comfortable working to deadlines
• Management experience with a mentor/mentee approach to development
• Good level of IT literacy, familiar with Microsoft suite and relevant design packages, including Photoshop and Illustrator
• A ‘team player’ mentality