Serving the needs of all families with young children, Carter’s Inc. is the largest North American apparel retailer exclusively for babies and young children, encompassing Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, Skip*Hop and Little Planet brands. Meaningful work, constant learning, genuine people, and a community guided by core values that promote inclusion and innovation is in everything we do. There are many reasons to build your career at Carter's.
How you’ll make an impact:
The Vice President Licensing is responsible for building and scaling a profitable, brand-aligned inbound and outbound licensing program that extends the company's intellectual property across new product categories, channels, and geographies. This leader will develop and execute a comprehensive licensing strategy that complements both direct-to-consumer (DTC) and wholesale business models, driving revenue growth, brand awareness, and customer engagement.
This role requires a strategic, commercially driven leader who can balance brand stewardship with revenue optimization, manage external partnerships, and collaborate cross-functionally with merchandising, design, marketing, legal, wholesale and supply chain teams.
Licensing Strategy & Growth 30%
Develop and execute a multi-year licensing strategy aligned with overall brand and business objectives
Identify new licensing opportunities across product categories, channels, and global markets, prioritizing categories close to the core of the brand
Establish revenue targets, royalty structures, and financial forecasts for the licensing portfolio
Evaluate and prioritize partnerships that enhance brand equity while driving incremental revenue
Monitor competitive licensing programs, market trends, and consumer insights to identify opportunities and risks
Conduct periodic business reviews of licensees to assess performance, identify growth opportunities, and optimize partnership models
Financial Management 30%
Own the P&L for the licensing business, including revenue, margin, and expense management
Track and analyze royalty income, partner performance, and category profitability
Identify opportunities to improve financial outcomes through renegotiation, portfolio optimization, or new deals
Ensure licensee compliance with royalty reporting, audit requirements, and contractual financial obligations
Brand Stewardship and DTC Integration 20%
Ensure all licensed products align with brand positioning, quality standards and regulatory requirements as well as customer expectations
Lead cross-functional alignment across merchandising, supply chain, finance, retail, eCommerce, sales, and marketing teams to support licensing initiatives and category growth
Maintain consistency of brand voice and identity across all licensed categories and channels through clear brand guidelines and product-approval workflows
Partner Development & Management 20%
Identify, negotiate, and onboard best-in-class licensing partners and agents
Lead contract negotiations, including key terms such as royalties, minimum guarantees, advances, and distribution rights
Manage ongoing partner relationships to ensure performance expectations, brand standards, and contractual obligations are met
Collaborate with partners to optimize product assortments and go-to-market strategies
We’d Love to hear from you if:
Experience & Education:
- 12–15+ years in consumer products, licensing, brand management, or retail, with a clear progression into program-level leadership and P&L ownership
- Demonstrated record of building or materially scaling a licensing / brand-extension program — not solely administering existing agreements
- Experience with consumer / lifestyle brands; apparel, children's products, or character / entertainment licensing is a strong plus
- Exposure to both the brand-owner and the licensee / agency side of licensing is highly valued
- Track record spanning wholesale and DTC (retail + eCommerce); international market expansion…