Job Title: Head of Licensing, Lifestyle
Location: Stamford Bridge, London
Department: Commercial

Job Overview:
Chelsea Football Club is seeking a dynamic and experienced Head of Licensing to lead the club’s global lifestyle licensing strategy. This individual will oversee the development, management, and growth of the club’s licensing business, ensuring that Chelsea FC’s presence continues to expand across global markets. The role requires strong negotiation skills, a deep understanding of brand management, and expertise in developing partnerships that align with the club’s values and commercial objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive global lifestyle licensing strategy that aligns with Chelsea FC’s commercial goals, brand values, and fan engagement initiatives.
• Partnership Development: Identify, negotiate, and manage relationships with licensees, ensuring they meet the club’s quality and brand standards. Explore new licensing opportunities in apparel, merchandise, digital products, and other key areas.
• Revenue Growth: Drive revenue growth through innovative lifestyle licensing strategies, creating diverse product lines that enhance the fan experience and cater to global markets.
• Brand Management: Safeguard the Chelsea FC brand by ensuring that all lifestyle licensed products and partnerships maintain the club’s high standards of quality, authenticity, and marketability.
• Market Research & Analysis: Monitor global market trends, consumer behaviours, and competitor activity to optimise licensing strategies and make data-driven decisions.
• Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, including sales, marketing, retail, and legal, to ensure alignment in branding, contractual agreements, and product launches.
• Global Expansion: Lead efforts to expand Chelsea FC’s licensing footprint into new international markets, leveraging local partnerships and market insights to optimise growth.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Manage the licensing department’s budget, overseeing forecasting and financial reporting to ensure targets are met and exceeded.
• Compliance: Ensure all licensing agreements are compliant with legal and regulatory standards, both locally and internationally.
• Fan Engagement: Collaborate with fan engagement teams to ensure that licensed products resonate with Chelsea FC’s diverse and global fan base.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Proven experience in a senior licensing or brand management role, ideally within sports, entertainment, or a global consumer brand.
• Strong understanding of the global licensing landscape, including intellectual property rights, contract negotiation, and market expansion.
• Experience managing relationships with licensees, retailers, and distribution partners on a global scale.
• Exceptional leadership and team management skills.
• Strong commercial acumen with a proven track record of driving revenue growth.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Desirable:

• Experience in digital licensing or new media platforms.
• Fluency in multiple languages is a plus.

The Employee must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities with due regard to Chelsea Football Club policies and procedures in particular Health & Safety, Financial Authorisation, Confidentiality and with regard to the Data Protection Act. The Employee must act to protect all young people and vulnerable adults that are in their care or attending the Company's premises. The Employee must report any misconduct or suspected misconduct to the Safeguarding Lead. 

Chelsea Football Club and the Foundation is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children, young people and adults at risk (vulnerable groups) that are in our care or attending our premises. As a consequence, Chelsea FC may require any successful applicants to complete a DBS Check prior to working at our premises. Successful applicants may also be required to undergo other child protection screening appropriate to the post applied for.

The Employee must ensure a positive commitment towards equality and diversity by treating others fairly and not committing any form of direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation or harassment of any description and to promote positive working relations amongst Employees and customers. 

The above Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive, the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the Club.