Brand Manager – IP Development (Intellectual Property)

ROLE TITLE:           Brand Manager – IP Development (Intellectual Property)

LOCATION:             London

REPORTING TO:   Head of Operations & Strategy

 

WHO WE ARE

The Blair Partnership is a literary and entertainment agency. We offer our clients a broad range of services including rights management, client representation and franchise management. As part of those services, we help to manage several companies on behalf of our client J.K. Rowling. Those companies are Pottermore and Bronte. These businesses benefit from shared resources and expertise provided by The Blair Partnership, but they are run by their own leaders.

 

There are three core pillars to The Blair Partnership’s business activity:

• Franchise Management – which encompasses brand & franchise vision and strategy, creative strategy & direction, product development, brand management & comms for the Harry Potter franchise.
• Client Management - we represent a large and eclectic list of clients’ literary and entertainment rights portfolios and pursue commercial opportunities for them through deal making in the UK, US and internationally, partner management and backlist rights management.
• Governance & support - we provide governance, resources and support to companies owned by J.K. Rowling. As part of that support, we cultivate close collaboration & strong, cohesive working practices between all the businesses.

 

Our vision remains to shape, nurture and grow the most imaginative and engaging brands for generations to come, working with our clients.

 

Our mission is to shape and connect stories to their audiences.

 

The Blair Partnership is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace where all talent and potential is valued. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives and recognise the value that this adds to our business.

 

OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB

This role will support TBP’s ambition to identify and represent appropriate IP. We are seeking a versatile, highly proactive candidate to join our team. In this hybrid role, which bridges account management with traditional franchise & brand management skills, you will link strategic brand planning and end-to-end client management across a dynamic portfolio of IPs. From contributing to and delivering on our strategic objectives and goals, to market research, partner outreach, deck creation, daily execution and client relationships, you will be highly involved in the success of these IPs.

This role will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of strategic plans across multiple franchise touchpoints, contributing to the successful commercial growth of the IP, delivering revenue to the IP owners, and to TBP.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Development:

• • Support on exploring new IP opportunities to support TBP’s growth ambition
  • Support on building the long-term brand strategy for new IP, with each IP owner

Account Management

• Act as the TBP point person for day-to-day client relationships, operations and planning.

• • Take responsibility for scheduling regular management and strategic check ins
  • Use Asana, or other project management tools, to ensure consistent communication and alignment
  • Ensure timely follow ups, and lead accountability of actions
  • External IP representation and ambassador – representing the IP’s vision, values and strategic mission during reviews, pitches, industry events and more

Brand & Franchise Management

• • Support on determining brand strategy with IP owners
  • Deliver on the short and long term franchise plans
  • Work with creative, marketing, and product teams to keep brand messaging consistent
  • Balance creative and commercial judgement across projects
  • Marketing and Comms implementation
  • Leverage creative agencies where necessary

Stakeholder Management:

• • Leveraging internal expertise across TBP – running day to day communication and operations on this, from audio production and distribution to TV production, Publishing, Gaming, Commercial and more.
  • Maintain our network of relevant agency contacts that can contribute to the strategic objectives
  • Project expectation and scope management

Market Research:

• • Study consumer trends, competitor actions, and audience data to identify growth areas
  • Determine what insights data sources are needed
  • Act as central person for dissemination of research and insights to inform the TBP community

Commercial Partnerships:

• • Identify and support on outreach to core commercial partnership opportunities, organising and facilitating pitch meetings
  • Managing partnerships from ideation to handover for implementation with the IP owner and nurturing potential partners

Campaign Development:

• • Oversee multi-channel marketing campaigns for property launches and milestones in collaboration with HP Brand & Franchise Marketing team

Client Administration

• • Operational administration as required
  • Deck building and meeting facilitation

 

REQUIREMENTS

• Experience: Minimum 5 years’ experience in brand management within entertainment, gaming or media, ideally with additional experience across product marketing, licensing or IP development.
• Skills: strong project management, account management, data analysis, and creative vision.
• Communication: excellent written and verbal communication skills to lead cross-functional teams.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• In-depth knowledge of Franchise & Brand, management skills, IP, Licensing, Content, Partnership, and ability to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the competitive landscape.
• Strong brand management experience, ideally with experience of franchise management, brand stewardship and/or marketing. An individual who can translate insights into strategies that evolve the IP consumer product portfolio, while staying true to the brand's values and storytelling.
• Strong partner and stakeholder management skills, demonstrating the ability to develop strong working relationships with senior internal and external teams.
• Ability to work autonomously across multiple projects and remain
• Highly organized individual who can prioritise projects in a rapidly changing work environment, while simultaneously delivering against tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written
• Adept at storytelling – crafting a balance between creative and commercial needs
• Experience with negotiation and commercial thinking.
• Demonstrate excellent attention to detail whilst working at pace.
• Self-motivated, pro-active, enthusiastic, creative, and innovative.

It is expected that roles and responsibilities will evolve over time as the individual grows within the business.

What you can expect from us

• Competitive Salary
• Company Bonus Scheme
• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Group Pension Plan where we contribute 5%
• Life Assurance of 4 times salary
• Health Insurance (currently with Vitality)
• Health Shield Cashback Plan
• Harry Potter Franchise Partner discounts and a free ticket to see both parts of Harry Potter & The Cursed Child
• Annual Creative Bursary
• Season Ticket Loan
• Cycle Scheme