Softlines Product Development Manager

divspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanSoftlines Product Development Manager/span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanBased at SEGA HQ, Brentford, West London./span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanWorking Model: Hybrid/span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanWhy Us:/span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"spanSEGA employees are passionate about entertaining the world with creative, innovative experiences while being part of a vibrant gaming community. We are a Global company with the resources to match, coupled with a place where everyone knows each other on a first-name basis, working together to create innovative experiences, one community at a time./span /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"spanAs Softlines Product Development Manager you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of Product Development falling under the Softlines category including back to school stationary, apparel, accessories and footwear and management of a direct report. Reporting to the Senior Product Development Manager, you will be a part of our highly talented European Licensing team, working on some of the biggest brands in all of Gaming and Entertainment, including Sonic the Hedgehog and many more! Your responsibility will extend to the end-to-end management of product approvals for direct and agent managed licensing programmes across Europe including some of our high-value global apparel partners./span /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"spanWe believe that delivering the best games and licensed product relies on having the best people, so we are constantly investing in our people through our benefits package, flexible working, and our community-focused, people-centric culture. Our industry-leading compensation and benefits include competitive salary and bonus schemes, private medical insurance, private dental insurance, health screening, electric car scheme, home technology scheme, and much more!/span /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span  /spanspan /span /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanWhy You:/span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"spanYou have extensive experience in managing consumer product development within entertainment or gaming licensing, with considerable exposure to character licensing or kids' IP. You possess a strategic mindset, ensuring licensed products align with brand positioning and commercial objectives. You are confident in managing external relationships, leading projects, and mentoring team members to enhance workflow efficiencies. You thrive in a fast-paced environment, balancing creativity with commercial insight to deliver high-quality products at retail/span /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanKey Responsibilities:/span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bTeam Management amp; Mentorship:/b Supervise and mentor Softlines Product Developer, fostering their growth and ensuring best practices in product approvals and design feedback. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bTrend Analysis:/b Conduct in-depth market research to identify consumer trends, competitor activity to inform product development strategies and style guide direction. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bLicensee amp; Partner Management:/b Cultivate strong relationships with external partners, providing clear and constructive feedback to drive product excellence. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bProduct Development Oversight:/b Oversee the entire product lifecycle from concept to production, with a focus on quality, brand consistency, and commercial viability. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bBrand Guardianship:/b Ensure all licensed products maintain the integrity of SEGA IP, adhering to brand guidelines and approved assets. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bCross-functional Collaboration:/b Work closely with internal teams including Creative Services, Marketing, PR and International Licensing teams to drive synergy and awareness. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bBusiness Development Support:/b Collaborate with licensing managers to identify new business opportunities, product extensions, and category growth areas. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bTrade Show amp; Event Representation:/b Represent SEGA at industry events, trade shows, and partner meetings, some travel may be required. /span/li/uldivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"bspanKnowledge, Skills amp; Experience: /span/b /span/divdivspan style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;" /span/divul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Significant experience in licensed product development or brand management, with expertise in character licensing. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience mentoring junior colleagues. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Proven ability to develop and implement strategic product development plans. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Excellent relationship-building skills with internal stakeholders and external partners. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance creativity with business objectives. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) to support product development – you will be required to create product mock-ups to inspired licensees. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Strong understanding of product timelines, manufacturing processes, and printing techniques across multiple categories. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple priorities under tight deadlines. /span/li/ulul style="margin-top: 0.0cm;"li style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"span style="font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;"Passion for video games, entertainment, and pop culture. /span/li/uldiv style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;overflow: visible;color: rgb(51,51,51);font-family: 'Open Sans' , Helvetica;font-size: 14.0px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 400;letter-spacing: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;text-transform: none;word-spacing: 0.0px;"span style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;font-size: 11.0pt;"b style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-weight: bold;"Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion amp; Belonging:/b/span/divdiv style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;overflow: visible;color: rgb(51,51,51);font-family: 'Open Sans' , Helvetica;font-size: 14.0px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 400;letter-spacing: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;text-transform: none;word-spacing: 0.0px;"span style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;font-size: 11.0pt;"b style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-weight: bold;" /b/span/divdiv style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;overflow: visible;color: rgb(51,51,51);font-family: 'Open Sans' , Helvetica;font-size: 14.0px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 400;letter-spacing: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;text-transform: none;word-spacing: 0.0px;"span style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;font-size: 11.0pt;"At SEGA, we celebrate diversity and believe in a diverse, inclusive, and equitable world in which everyone feels valued and respected regardless of what they look like or where they come from. Whether you’re a prospective employee or a full-time member of staff, we want you to feel involved and supported in all aspects of our work and to have amazing opportunities during your time with us regardless of your background. We welcome people regardless of age, race, ethnicity, disability, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, neurotype, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave./span/divdiv style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;overflow: visible;color: rgb(51,51,51);font-family: 'Open Sans' , Helvetica;font-size: 14.0px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 400;letter-spacing: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;text-transform: none;word-spacing: 0.0px;"span style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;font-size: 11.0pt;"i style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-style: italic;" /i/span/divdiv style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;overflow: visible;color: rgb(51,51,51);font-family: 'Open Sans' , Helvetica;font-size: 14.0px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 400;letter-spacing: normal;text-indent: 0.0px;text-transform: none;word-spacing: 0.0px;"span style="background-repeat: no-repeat;outline: none;font-family: sans-serif , arial , helvetica;font-size: 11.0pt;"SEGA is a place where staff have a voice which is integral to our success as a business. Our inclusive, passionate people are empowered to educate, inform, and build awareness through our inclusion and wellbeing staff led values groups which include DEN (Disability Employee Network), RISE (Reinforcing Inclusion through Solidarity and Equality), Women at SEGA, PRIDE, SEGA Minds (group supporting mental health), Momiji (group that celebrates our Japanese heritage, language, and culture) and VIBE (our social and engagement committee)./span/div