Tapestry Director, Global Licensing
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Director
- Compensation
- $140,000–175,000/year
- Department
- Wholesale, Commercial & B2B Sales
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- Aug 24, 2026
About Tapestry
Tapestry is a New York–based house of modern luxury, uniting the distinctive worlds of Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman. As an employer, the group offers the scale and sophistication of a global fashion leader while preserving the creative spirit and heritage of its iconic brands. Tapestry cultivates an inclusive, purpose-driven culture where design, craftsmanship, digital innovation, and commercial excellence intersect. Its teams are encouraged to think boldly, grow continuously, and contribute to a more responsible future for fashion, making Tapestry a compelling environment for talent seeking impact, creativity, and international opportunity.
Director, Global Licensing at Kate Spade New York in New York. Lead 15+ licensed product categories; $140k–$175k annually.
Role & Responsibilities
- Manage day-to-day communications and strategic relationships with 15+ licensing partners across multiple product categories
- Develop and execute long-range divisional and category-specific business plans in coordination with management
- Analyze market opportunities and identify avenues to grow existing and new business categories
- Interface with international divisions to maximize new business development opportunities and support the Japan local licensing team
- Monitor monthly retail sales performance and coordinate quarterly business reviews with licensees to assess financial health and growth trajectories
- Research and approve new account requests while identifying additional distribution opportunities to expand market reach
- Partner with corporate legal teams to develop term sheets, negotiate contracts, and manage renewals and amendments
- Prepare seasonal marketing plans in collaboration with partners and present to internal marketing teams for execution
- Initiate and oversee all incoming marketing project requests, from POS and showroom design to packaging guidelines and seasonal advertising campaigns
- Review and develop seasonal line plans with licensees, ensuring alignment with brand standards and market trends
- Collaborate with internal design teams on trend research, color and print standards, and seasonal development reviews
- Ensure clear, timely, and consistent communication between all licensee partners and senior management
- Assist in preparation of business reviews, presentations, market recaps, and selling information for stakeholder engagement
- Develop working relationships with direct-to-consumer teams and ensure seasonal briefs are executed consistently
Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience in fashion or home industries with proven licensing expertise
- Demonstrated people-management experience with ability to lead and develop a team of four
- Expert proficiency with Microsoft Office, Workfront, and Adobe InDesign for presentations, reporting, and workflow management
- Working knowledge of contract terms with ability to identify key issues and escalate appropriately to legal counsel
- Strong business planning and analytical capabilities
- Proficiency in legal document review and commercial negotiations
- Excellent product sensibility with demonstrated experience across fashion and home décor categories
- Superior organizational and prioritization skills with meticulous attention to detail
Skills
Experience
8+ years in fashion or home industries with extensive licensing portfolio management responsibility, strategic brand partnership development, and cross-functional leadership experience encompassing legal, marketing, product development, and sales functions.
Education
Not specified; bachelor's degree in business, merchandising, fashion, or related field strongly preferred.
Workplace
This position is based in New York, New York, USA.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 140,000 to USD 175,000 per annum.
Benefits
Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k), paid paternity and maternity leave, commuter benefits, disability insurance, and tuition assistance.
Culture
Tapestry fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace where creativity, craftsmanship, and consumer insight come together across its portfolio of iconic fashion and lifestyle brands. As an employer, it encourages entrepreneurial thinking, global perspective, and continuous growth, empowering teams to shape meaningful brand experiences while contributing to a culture of innovation and belonging.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Tapestry, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Licensing Director», «Global Licensing Manager», «Brand Licensing Lead», «Licensing Portfolio Director», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.