Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally.
About the Team
Fanatics Collectibles is a new company operating at the intersection of collectibles, culture, and technology. Backed by world-class investors, operators, and sports & entertainment partners, we are building the global leader in next-generation collectibles. As part of the broader Fanatics ecosystem, we leverage a digital sports platform that spans over 900 sports properties and engages more than 81 million fans. Together, we are reimagining every part of the collectibles experience for fans, partners, and creators.
Role Summary
Fanatics Collectibles is seeking a Senior Product Manager will set and execute the strategy for Japan sports trading card products, with a primary focus on NPB and J.League licensed products. The role owns product planning and execution across multiple properties, working closely with Licensing, Sales, Finance, Design, Operations and external licensors. The successful candidate will have deep knowledge of Japanese baseball and football, including teams, athletes, history, current competition and fan and collector trends. The role requires strong attention to detail, the ability to manage multiple deadlines and flexibility in responding to feedback from cross-functional teams and licensors.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Create the annual product release plan for the Japan sports portfolio, with a particular focus on NPB and J.League products.
- Develop product strategies and concepts that reflect each license, team, athlete and collector audience.
- Create sales volume forecasts with the Sales team and profitability targets with the Finance team.
- Define the composition of each product, including the selection of teams, athletes and content, and coordinate the cross-functional team through product development.
- Work with Sales to identify the SKUs needed to maximize revenue while minimizing unnecessary SKU proliferation and COGS.
- Deliver forecast revenue and profit within the approved budget.
- Partner with the Licensing team to confirm that the required rights are in place and used effectively across the product portfolio.
- Act as a key point of contact for licensors and ensure products follow all brand guidelines and approval requirements.
- Maintain an up-to-date understanding of NPB and J.League teams, rosters, athletes, seasons, milestones, rivalries and historic moments, and use this knowledge to guide product decisions.
- Engage with collectors, fans, retailers and distributors to understand demand and the drivers of product purchase behavior.
- Prepare presentations for line reviews, customer meetings, licensor meetings and corporate reviews.
- Lead the creation of product assets and sales content for marketing and online listings.
- Review product performance and fan and collector feedback, and recommend changes to future releases.
Knowledge
- Deep knowledge of both NPB and the J.League, including current and historical teams, athletes, competitions, key moments and fan bases.
- Strong understanding of Japanese sports culture and the local sports collectibles market.
- Good understanding of sports licenses, rights, brand guidelines and product approval processes.
- Knowledge of trading card, collectible and licensed consumer product trends.
Skills & Abilities
- Ability to coordinate effectively across functions, within the region and with global teams in a fast-paced environment.
- Sound commercial judgment and the ability to turn sports knowledge and collector insight into clear product decisions.
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines and priorities.
- Fluency in both Japanese and English is required, with excellent written and verbal communication skills in both languages.
- Strong working knowledge of Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Ability to think creatively and strategically while also delivering consistently.
Experience
- 5-10+ years of physical product management experience within sports, trading cards, collectibles or licensed consumer products strongly preferred.
- A track record of delivering revenue and profitability targets and managing product budgets, forecasts and complex development timelines.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate effectively across Sales, Finance, Licensing, Design, Marketing and Operations, both within the region and globally.
- Demonstrable depth of knowledge of both NPB and the J.League, covering teams and athletes past and present.
- Experience working directly with licensors and managing rights, brand guidelines and formal product approval processes.
Education
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in marketing, business or a related field.
The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Subject to applicable laws, Fanatics Collectibles may choose to run a background check.
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