Senior Manager, Brand Management – UK Project (2-Year Project Hire)

Universal Orlando•Orlando, FL

About The Position

As Sr. Manager of Brand Management, you will lead the development of individual brand strategies for new business development. This role will be responsible to lead the long-term project plans specifically for the UK Project, and potential other new projects across the company, driving and partnering with key leaders across the company; Universal Creative, Finance, Sourcing, Product Development, Product Integrity, and Design to ensure that key deliverables are met for each step within the 5-year plan. These will include, managing the 5-year gnat chart plan, scheduling meetings, ensuring information from each partner is updated in a timely manner and the overall project remains on track. This will include key accountabilities specific for setting the financial plans, presenting annual brand plans to senior leadership, and leading postmortems of brand and program-level performance, with peers/leaders for internal/external departments. This position will manage the communication, collaboration, and relationship with specific 3rd party brand partners. Additionally, they will collaborate closely with our internal franchise, marketing, UDX entertainment, category, and finance teams. Your role involves partnering with category leads to align product development with our brand visions. Your expertise will be in driving exceptional brand experiences that support our strategic goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree is required.
7+ years’ experience in retail operations and retail management or 7+ years’ experience in product development.
4+ years’ experience in brand development management; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Requires interaction with global partners and suppliers outside normal business hours.

Responsibilities

Brand Strategy: Lead the development of high-level brand strategies for new ventures, experiences, and key projects. Ensures comprehensive brand strategies are developed (including research, insights, analysis, positioning, target audience, financial and program targets). Coordinate between finance, category, planning, PDS, and operations. Lead Brand reviews, present to senior leaders to gain alignment, and ensure support of our global development milestone calendar. This position will oversee the brand strategy for location planning stores such as Bazar, Tribute as well as others that may get launched.
Brand Planning / Project Management: Develop a brand/category program calendar aligned to our product development timeline for new projects, for the United Kingdom Project a 5-year gnat chart will be created and tracked against while project is being developed. Additional projects will be managed by this role that are specific to the Park. Be the single point of contact for cross brand projects, update tracking, and report out progress to key milestones on new projects. Leverage historical, current, and market performance to align brands to a grow, maintain, downtrend or exit strategy. Lead brainstorming and work sessions with partners and category teams to foster innovation and collaboration. Lead postmortem analyses of brand performance to drive continuous improvement. Partner with category leads on brand strategy and assortment architecture at the category level.
3rd Party Partnership: Maintain the relationship with 3rd party brand partners. Ensure regular communication; foster a collaborative environment; and work towards developing mutually aligned goals. Lead brand presentations and alignment meetings, ensure consistency with the overall strategic goals, 3rd party, and guests’ expectations.
Collaboration: Lead the partnership with PDS, category, operations, and marketing/PR partners to ensure brand strategy alignment and quality execution of our vision. Partner with international teams to achieve alignment around common goals. This role will have an additional focus on developing strategies in collaboration with the field, brand, and category teams on cross brand out of world locations. Become the conduit between the teams to gain alignment on our program approach.
Communication: Proactively foster positive and efficient communication with internal and external partners including finance, PDS, creative, franchise, planning, operations, and IP partners to resolve challenges and achieve objectives.
Financial ownership & cost savings: responsible for specific brand(s) performance to include per cap, COG, and inventory goals. Responsible for hitting program set dates to ensure these goals are met.
Leadership: responsible for actively training, mentoring and developing their teams and have a strong influence on peers and partners. Understand and actively participate in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UDX policy, procedures, training, and team member involvement activities. Perform other duties as assigned.