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Sports Licensing Manager

Woodinville, Washington, United States

Most companies claim to have the best people. We say to them, "Keep dreaming." Our people are second to none. They set us apart with their entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. They come to us from the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks and the sports world, bringing energy, bold ideas and a willingness to dive into the unfamiliar. It's our people that make BDA the top global Merchandise Agency to work for.

Position Summary

The Licensing Manager leads the sports licensing approval and royalty process, overseeing a direct report and serving as the primary point of contact for licensors, internal teams, and account managers. This role owns the approvals workflow, partners with Finance on royalty reporting and audits, manage day-to-day licensor relationships, and ensures contract and manufacturer agreement compliance across all sports properties.

This role carries financial/budgetary and strategic planning responsibility and requires the ability to absorb extremely detailed guidelines and corporate standards, identify issues, and recommend thoughtful business solutions. Limited travel may be required.

This role requires a strong affinity for sports and a background in sports marketing or sports operations, along with a proven record of managing complex analytical and financial details. Prior experience in the ad specialty, advertising, or promotions industry is preferred but not required.

LOCATION: 

 

  • This role follows a hybrid schedule, with 4 days onsite and 1 day remote each week.
  • To be considered, candidates must reside within commuting distance of one of BDA's offices in Atlanta, GA; Indianapolis, IN; Troy, MI; Woodinville, WA; Austin, TX; or Dallas, TX, as regular in-person collaboration is an essential part of the role.

 

Key Responsibilities

Approvals

  • Serve as primary interface for entering sports approval requests (Creative, Royalties, Campaigns, Key Initiatives), including but not limited to:
    • QC Forms and Tracking — submission, tracking, and follow-up on forms and art submitted for all leagues
    • Management of the SharePoint portal
    • Communicate with all sports-related business and account managers throughout all phases of the approval process

Reporting

  • Partner with Finance on monthly and quarterly compilation and reconciliation of all royalty-related projects, assist with auditing annually, and provide error reporting for coaching opportunities

Brand Expertise

  • Serve as the subject matter expert on licensor guidelines to maintain reference materials and evaluate scenarios effectively, identify basic issues, fact-find, prioritize, and suggest thoughtful business solutions

Relationship Management

  • Act as key contact for licensors' day-to-day needs, including ongoing weekly calls

Contracts

  • Ensure contracts and manufacturer agreements are kept up to date on contract compliance, using appropriate partnering departments as needed

Process Improvement

  • Assess, analyze, and evolve processes and procedures to increase results and greater ease of process throughout BDA

 

Qualifications

  • 8+ years in process and organizational development
  • 8+ years of sports marketing or sports operations experience
  • 11+ years of data entry experience
  • 6+ years of financial experience
  • Proven record of successful management of analytical detail
  • Prior experience with ad specialty, advertising, or promotions industry preferred but not required
  • Affinity for sports

 

Key Competencies

  • Detail-oriented, highly organized individual with exceptional fluency in Microsoft Excel and online data entry systems like SharePoint
  • Ability to organize financial and operations data and processes and prepare summaries
  • High energy, hardworking; visible/demonstrated drive to work hard and excel
  • Excellent customer service for both internal and external partnerships
  • Proven ability to follow direction and absorb extremely detailed guidelines and corporate standards
  • Strong computer/technical aptitude with ability to learn and implement new programs

 

We are pleased to share the base salary range for this position is $72,000 to $85,000 for candidates outside of the state of Washington, the salary for those within the state of Washington would be up to  $92,000. If you are hired at BDA, your compensation will be determined based on factors that may include geographic location, skills, education, and experience. In addition to these factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any offer. In the spirit of pay transparency, the range listed is the full base salary range for the role and hiring at the top of the range would not be typical, in order to allow for future salary growth. The range listed is just one component of BDA’s total compensation and rewards programs, which includes: robust PTO; vacation, a paid volunteer day, holidays and summer Fridays, Benefits; medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance, 401k; tuition reimbursement, mental health and financial wellness programs and professional development opportunities including tuition reimbursement. Certain revenue-generating positions may be eligible for incentive compensation.

 

 

#LI-Onsite

#LI-LG1

 

BDA is more than a workplace - it’s a family. For more than four decades we’ve promoted a vibrant and welcoming culture that not only accepts but demands you to be different. The quirky, the bold, the creative and the unique make up the foundation of a company that the most iconic brands in the world look to help tell their story through the power of merchandise.
 
BDA Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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years of sports licensing experience

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Sports Licensing Approval Process experience

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licensor relationships

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  • Licensor/brand guidelines = Can the person interpret and apply the rules governing how a brand can be used? This is more about judgment, approvals, and advising internal teams.

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  • Contract compliance: Someone can have extensive sports licensing, approvals, licensor relationships, and guideline experience without ever being responsible for monitoring contracts or manufacturer agreements.

    • Contract/licensing agreement compliance = Can the person manage the contractual obligations associated with those licenses? This is more about tracking agreements, requirements, deadlines, and ensuring the company is meeting its obligations.

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