Licensing Approvals Specialist

Role: Specialist, Licensing Approvals (Contractor)
Location: Chicago, IL
Licensing Approvals Specialist (Contractor) 
Contract Term: July 1 - October 31, 4-month contract 

Position Summary: 
At Kraft Heinz, our mission in licensing is to accelerate growth for the company and its iconic brands. We bring a marketer’s mindset, with the vision to innovate while keeping the brand and its consumers at the center of everything we do. 

The Licensing Approvals Specialist is a strong opportunity for a highly organized, detail-oriented coordinator who enjoys keeping complex projects moving and working across teams to bring great ideas to life. In this role, you will support a fast-paced licensing function at Kraft Heinz, helping manage the approval process across a portfolio of iconic brands and ensuring projects move smoothly from concept through launch. Working closely with internal stakeholders and our external agency partner, you will ensure all approvals are secured timely at each of the proper stage gates across food and non-food licensing projects in North America, including design concepts, sensory and sampling, packaging, marketing materials, social (The Kitchen), and PR/launch plans. 

Key Components of the Role: 

• Coordinate the day-to-day approval process & procedures for licensing projects across food and non-food categories in North America 
• Track timelines, review stages, and key milestones to help ensure deliverables move forward on schedule 
• Support internal vetting and approval workflows across design concepts, sensory and sampling, packaging, marketing materials, social (The Kitchen), and PR/launch plans 
• Partner closely with the Licensing team and external agency partner to manage day-to-day requests, follow up on open items, and maintain momentum against deadlines 
• Schedule/organize cross-functional meetings, ensuring materials are organized, feedback is documented, and next steps are communicated clearly 
• Help keep stakeholders aligned throughout the product lifecycle by monitoring progress, identifying follow-ups, and escalating issues as needed 
• Provide administrative and operational support to help the team execute smoothly and efficiently 

Qualifications: 

• 1-3 years of professional experience in project coordination, operations, approvals management, or general support in a similar coordination-focused role 
• Previous experience supporting day-to-day operations, project workflows, or cross-functional team coordination preferred 
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities at once 
• Detail-oriented with strong follow-through and a high degree of accuracy 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams and with external agency partners 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook 
• Bachelor’s degree preferred 
• Familiarity with consumer products, retail, food, and/or brand licensing environments is a plus