Merchandise, Licensing & Partnerships Manager

What to Expect

The Merchandise, Licensing & Partnerships (MLP) Manager is responsible for defining and executing McLaren Automotive's global Merchandise, Licensing & Partnerships strategy to strengthen brand equity, enhance client engagement, expand brand desirability and generate sustainable revenue growth.

The role leads the development of merchandise programmes, licensing opportunities and strategic partnerships that align with McLaren's luxury brand positioning and long-term business objectives. The position is accountable for identifying new commercial opportunities, managing partner and licensee relationships, governing brand applications and ensuring successful execution across all markets.

A critical aspect of the role is acting as the primary Automotive point of contact for McLaren Racing across all Merchandise, Licensing & Partnerships activities, creating a collaborative and aligned One McLaren approach. The role will work closely with Racing's Partnerships and Licensing functions to support partner acquisition, commercial development and activation opportunities, ensuring alignment of brand objectives while maximising shared revenue opportunities.

The role serves as the central coordination hub for all MLP activities, steering requirements into the appropriate central, specialist and regional teams to ensure speed of response, governance compliance and flawless execution.

The successful candidate is a commercially driven, highly organised and collaborative leader who is passionate about building brands through innovative merchandise, licensing opportunities and strategic partnerships. They combine strategic thinking with strong execution discipline and can identify opportunities that drive sustainable revenue growth while protecting and enhancing the McLaren brand.

They are an effective negotiator, relationship builder and stakeholder manager who can operate confidently across McLaren Automotive, McLaren Racing, external licensees and strategic partners. They are equally comfortable shaping commercial strategy, developing executive-level business cases and driving delivery across multiple teams, projects and markets.

Most importantly, they embody a One McLaren mindset: collaborative, commercially ambitious, brand-led and focused on maximising the value of the McLaren ecosystem in a way that supports shared brand goals and long-term luxury brand equity.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Brand Management, Retail Management, Fashion, Sports Management or related discipline.
• Significant experience in merchandising, licensing, partnerships, business development or luxury brand management.
• Strong commercial negotiation and contract management experience.
• Experience managing strategic partnerships, licensees, manufacturers and external stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of intellectual property, licensing principles, royalty models and brand governance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex cross-functional programmes in a matrix organisation.
• Strong financial, analytical and reporting capability, including budgets, forecasts, profitability and ROI.
• Executive-level communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with a results-oriented mindset.

• Experience with in luxury automotive, motor sport, luxury consumer goods or premium lifestyle sectors.
• Understanding of Formula 1, motor sport partnerships and sponsorship ecosystems.
• International licensing, partnership or multi-market commercial experience.
• Experience working across Automotive and Racing environments or adjacent brand ecosystems.

• Strategic commercial thinking with the ability to convert brand assets into revenue opportunities.
• Excellent negotiation, relationship management and partner-development capability.
• Strong project management, organisation and delivery discipline.
• Analytical and financial acumen, including performance reporting and commercial decision support.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including senior-level presentations.
• Collaborative mindset, able to influence across Racing,…