Senior Manager, Franchise Partnerships

JOB SUMMARY:

At Universal Creative, we bring iconic stories and beloved characters to life through groundbreaking theme park experiences that inspire and entertain guests around the world. As the Senior Manager, Franchise Partnerships - Creative, you will serve as a key liaison between Universal Creative and world-renowned intellectual property partners, helping transform creative vision into exceptional guest experiences while ensuring brand authenticity and franchise integrity.

This highly collaborative leadership role partners with creative, production, and franchise teams to drive stakeholder alignment, build strong IP relationships, and guide approvals for innovative attractions and experiences. The ideal candidate is a strategic communicator, skilled negotiator, and passionate storyteller who thrives at the intersection of creativity, partnership, and immersive entertainment.

Join a team that is redefining what's possible in themed entertainment and help create unforgettable experiences for guests worldwide.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Franchise Management

• Partner with Director and with the Destinations in annual business planning considering lifecycle, revenue potential, portfolio fit and long-term proposition

• First point of contact / Responsible Individual with Universal Creative partner teams to develop strategies that are mutually beneficial across the portfolio.

• Ensures the Project's Creative Design intent is successfully conveyed to and approved by the IP Partner in all guest-experience related, relevant aspects of the Project (or as per the unique terms of the contract.

• Documentation

• Develops and manages documentations, work and tracking plans, schedules and tasks for all IP submissions, and localization efforts in support of the overall Project goals and strategies, including reports and status on all IP approval processes (progress, issue reporting and resolution and approval.

• Franchise Stewardship & Design Intent

• Support Director and Vice President as the franchise champions and ambassadors for internal and external needs

• Acts as a Subject Matter Expert on the specific IPs to assist Universal Creative Project team throughout the final design process, providing guidance and recommendations that serve both the Project creative requirements and facilitate the IP Partner approval process.

• Partners with UC Franchise Partnership leadership to ensure full Franchise team has a knowledge and understanding of scope and timelines.

• Guest Experience

• Assures guest-experience and creative design intent is properly communicated to the IP Partner.

• Develops and manages the Master Approvals Matrix as a collaborative work group document.

• Leads the formation of and manages a project-wide approvals team with members from each department delivering required items for process submission to the IP partner for approvals.

• Localization

• Provides guidance and advice during any localization auditions, casting, recording and post-production activities as directed by the Project Executive Producer, as an expert in the target language.

• Ensure presentations and other communications are best in class and shared among all relevant parties and support clarity of message and alignment

• Leads the localization efforts for the project IP, ensuring the creative intent and nuances (humor, dramatic arc, innuendo, etc. are maintained and not affected by translation into the target language.

• Professional Leadership

• Serve as a champion for best-in-class culture with an emphasis on collaboration, innovation and inclusion

• Lead the professional development of direct reports through continuous training and coaching

• Manage direct reports full-cycle including but not limited to managing team member performance, concerns, engagement, performance reviews and goals.

• Understand and actively participate in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UDX policy, procedures, training and team member involvement activities.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• For projects requiring localization - the Senior Manager must have expert knowledge of both the original and target languages, ensuring that the creative story details and nuances are carried across correctly and not lost, including idioms, axioms and other linguistic details unique to the target language. The Senior Manager is considered a Subject Matter Expert (SME on both the IP and the translation details.
• Experience as an interpreter, translator or a combination of experience and advanced coursework in language arts and linguistics is required.
• Highly-effective communicator with the ability to explain creative subject matter to a broad slate of stakeholders, internal and external, to gain consensus.
• Superior organizational and project management skills in tracking and reporting the status of many individual items such as submissions, Requests for Information, responses, rejections and approvals.
• Effectively communicates and disseminates information to the project team and any assigned team members.
• Expert knowledge of Project-specific IP is required to provide informed reviews of submittals and evaluation & prioritization of IP Partner feedback.
• Strong negotiating skills required to drive consensus and obtain IP approvals.
• Knowledge of design management, work planning, budgeting, scheduling, submission / package preparation and variety of vendors.
• Expert knowledge of both original language and target languages is required in order to lead localization efforts and provide recommendations during translations and casting.
• Expert knowledge of all processes required to interpret creative intent in the supplied language and provide the same experience in the alternate language.
• Basic knowledge of theme park technologies including ride, A/V, robotics, engineering and various show systems helpful.
• Knowledge of theme park related project management, organizational and show design practices.
• Demonstrates ability to lead a team, instill a spirit of teamwork and promote staff development.
• Makes independent choices free from immediate supervision.
• Possesses solid aesthetic sensibilities and storytelling skills to support the creative process and to facilitate positive and productive communication between all disciplines.
• Consistent attendance is a job requirement.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Supervises an Exempt team
• Travel is required depending upon Project needs.
• Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of four days per week.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree in Management, Communication, Theatrical Arts or related field is preferred.
• Project management experience or certification is preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• 7+ years of experience in theme park design, design, IP management and / or project management experience is required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience in theatrical, theme park or other media related design/production field;
• Experience managing IP development deals and relationships from the IP Partner side highly preferred.
• Proficient in Smartsheet or other Project Management tools and Microsoft Program Suite.

Your talent, skills and experience will be rewarded with a competitive compensation package.

Universal is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Universal Orlando via-email, the Internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from Universal Orlando HR/Recruitment will be deemed the sole property of Universal Orlando. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Universal Orlando as a result of the referral or through other means.

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