--- title: 'Brand Partnerships Executive at ZURU' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/brand-partnerships-executive-zuru-auckland-hr2xtm52qtak' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-11' --- # Brand Partnerships Executive at ZURU - **Company:** ZURU - **Location:** Auckland, New Zealand - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-08-12 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/zuru/82de989c-da9a-4e1d-88df-e302d0f82ae9 ## Job description ## About ZURU ZURU is on a mission to disrupt industries, challenge the status quo, and catalyze change through radical innovation and advances in automation. This is in play in different pillars of the company: ZURU Toys are re-imagining what it means to play; ZURU Tech is shaping a better future by leading the next building revolution; and ZURU Edge is pioneering new-generation FMCG brands to better serve modern consumers. Founded in 2003 by EY Entrepreneur of the Year and World Entrepreneur Hall of Fame brothers Nick and Mat Mowbray, ZURU has quickly grown to a team of over 5,000 direct and indirect members across more than 30 international locations. One of the largest toy companies in the world, our globally recognized and award-winning brands include Bunch O Balloons, Mini Brands, XSHOT, Rainbocorns, and Smashers. Our global FMCG brands include MONDAY Haircare, Rascals, NOOD, BONKERS, and Gumi Yum Surprise. ## ROLE PURPOSE The Licensing Executive provides dedicated support across ZURU's Key Account portfolio, working globally to ensure our largest and most complex licensor relationships get the day-to-day account management they need, while also owning emerging and future-facing licensing categories as they develop. This is a new role created to give our Key Accounts genuinely global coverage across every region, and to give the licensing team a dedicated home for new category opportunities as they're identified. ## HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT You'll work closely with the Licensing Director and the wider team to keep major studio and IP relationships running smoothly worldwide, while also having the room to build out emerging categories from the ground up. This is a genuinely hands-on role — spanning brand evaluation, negotiation support, commercial analysis, and day-to-day account coordination. ## CORE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ## Key Account Global Support - Provide day-to-day account management support across our Key Account portfolio, with genuinely global coverage across every region. - Coordinate with regional licensor contacts to keep relationships and deliverables on track across time zones. - Support the Licensing Director and wider team on Key Account priorities as needed. Emerging Categories - Identify and evaluate emerging licensing categories and IP opportunities that could elevate ZURU's brands. - Build the business case for new category or partner opportunities, including audience alignment, collectibility, and retail relevance. - Own early-stage relationship building for categories as they develop, with a path to fuller ownership as they mature. Partner Outreach & Pipeline Support - Support pipeline development and outreach for prospective Key Account and emerging category partners, including outreach, pitch meetings, and presentations. - Help prepare pitch materials and brand evaluation summaries for internal and external stakeholders. - Track licensing agreements through to signature and follow up on action items from licensor meetings. Contract, Negotiation & Commercial Support - Support deal structuring and negotiation on royalty rates, minimum guarantees, contract terms, and marketing spend commitments. - Build basic financial models to sanity-check deal economics — royalty rates, minimum guarantees, and margin impact — ahead of review with the Licensing Director. - Assist with royalty invoicing and reporting accuracy. - Help align internal stakeholders (Finance, Product, Marketing, Legal) with licensor asks to reach workable agreements. Product Development & Creative Approvals - Partner with Product Development on licensed product concepts and manage the creative approval process with licensors. Reporting & Forecasting - Support royalty reporting, forecasting, and pipeline tracking across the Key Account and emerging categories portfolios. - Provide regular updates to the Licensing Director on account status and category development. ## WHAT YOU WILL BRING - 1-2 years' minimum experience in a brand, marketing, commercial, or licensing-related role — a licensing background is welcomed but not required. - Emerging commercial acumen — comfortable working with numbers, understanding basic deal economics, and translating them into a clear recommendation. - Strong analytical and presentation skills — comfortable evaluating brand/IP fit and building a business case. - Detail-oriented, with strong organisational skills and the ability to track multiple agreements and approvals concurrently. - Some exposure to contract terms and deal structures (royalty rates, minimum guarantees, marketing spend), or a strong appetite to learn quickly. - Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with comfort working across time zones and cultures. - A genuine interest in entertainment, IP, and consumer brands. Based in Auckland, New Zealand. ## LIFE@ZURU ZURU is on a quest to reimagine tomorrow. Founded in 2003, ZURU Group has rapidly grown and now spans three core divisions—ZURU Toys, ZURU Edge (consumer goods) and ZURU Tech (construction). At ZURU, we have cultivated a high-performing culture that encourages excellence. Our team works towards ambitious goals, learning, performing, and improving together, all while having fun. We empower talented individuals to do their best work every day. At ZURU, you get out what you put in. You are responsible for driving your own career and we provide the platform to achieve it. As ZURU is on such a fast growth trajectory, there are opportunities here that you won’t find anywhere else. Get to know us a little better by checking out @lifeatzuru on Instagram or [www.zuru.com](http://www.zuru.com). ZURU – Reimagining tomorrow 🚀 ## About ZURU ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: ZURU is a privately held, family-owned conglomerate that designs and manufactures innovative toys, disruptive consumer goods, and develops fully automated construction technology. - **Entity Type**: Private (bootstrapped; funded via a $20,000 family loan and reinvested profits) - **Headquarters**: Hong Kong (with major hubs in Shenzhen, Auckland, Los Angeles, London, Modena, Ahmedabad) - **Founded**: 2003 - **Founders**: Nick Mowbray, Mat Mowbray, and Anna Mowbray ## Core Business ZURU operates across three core divisions that span multiple industries: toys (ZURU Toys), fast-moving consumer goods (ZURU Edge), and construction technology (ZURU Tech). Its primary customers are children and families (B2C through retail and e‑commerce), consumers of personal care, baby, and pet products (B2C), and the global construction industry (B2B – developers, builders, and homeowners). The company’s mission, as stated on its website, is to **“reimagine tomorrow”** – relentlessly disrupting stagnant categories and redefining what’s possible. ## Products & Services - **[ZURU Toys](https://zuru.com/)**: A portfolio of more than 15 toy brands including Mini Brands™, Bunch O Balloons™, XSHOT™, Rainbocorns™, Robo Alive™, Smashers™, and Fuggler™. Distributed to major retailers in over 120 countries. Known for rapid innovation and viral product launches. - **[ZURU Edge](https://zuru.com/)**: A consumer‑goods division building “tomorrow’s brands” across five verticals: - **Baby Care** – Millie Moon (premium nappies), Rascals (value baby care) - **Personal Care & Beauty** – MONDAY Haircare (fastest‑growing haircare brand in the US) - **Pet Care** – Rhodes Pet Science - **Home Care** - **Health & Wellness** - **[ZURU Tech](https://zuru.com/built-different-the-zuru-story/)**: A construction‑tech division developing the world’s first fully integrated, fully automated building ecosystem. Key components: - **Dreamcatcher** – A proprietary BIM (Building Information Modelling) platform built on a gaming engine that lets consumers customise homes room‑by‑room, automatically handling compliance, structural loads, and site conditions. - **Automated factory** – A planned full‑scale facility (2 km × 800 m) where components are manufactured without human intervention and shipped to site. - 600+ engineers working across six global R&D hubs; over 100 patents filed. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: $2.6 billion (as reported in ZURU’s own ‘Built Different’ story; year not specified, but context suggests 2024/2025) - **Key Metric**: Employee count of **6,000** across 34 offices and 120+ markets (as of 2025). Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: The company is self‑funded (no external investors). Key partners include **Disney, Universal Studios, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon** (for entertainment toy lines), **Ulta Beauty** and **KFC** for co‑branded consumer‑goods launches, and **IKEA** (furniture scanned into Dreamcatcher for home customisation). - **Growth Signals**: - ZURU Edge – MONDAY Haircare became one of the fastest‑growing US haircare brands within two years of launch. - ZURU Toys – Bunch O Balloons transformed the water‑balloon category; annual shipments of certain items exceed 39 million units. - ZURU Tech – First full‑scale homes are in production; the team is actively scaling the factory and software development. - Headcount grew from 5,000 (earlier reference) to 6,000, reflecting continued expansion. ## Competitive Advantages - **Vertical Integration**: ZURU owns its entire value chain – from concept and design to automated manufacturing (over 100 acres of factory space) and global distribution. - **Speed of Innovation**: Known for being faster, leaner, and more agile than incumbents – “fire bullets, fail fast” is a core operating principle. - **Cross‑Division Synergy**: Insights and lean manufacturing from toys are applied to consumer goods and construction, creating economies of scale and rapid learning loops. - **Proprietary Construction Tech**: Dreamcatcher is a unique, patent‑protected platform that directly connects a consumer‑facing front‑end to fully automated production, potentially disrupting the $40 trillion construction industry. ## Strategic Focus - **Scale ZURU Edge**: Continue launching new brands in pet care, baby care, beauty, home, and health – targeting legacy categories with outdated incumbents. - **Commercialise ZURU Tech**: Build the full‑scale automated factory, secure construction partners, and begin delivering homes at a fraction of traditional cost. - **Global Expansion**: Extend reach into new markets (currently 120+ countries) and grow headcount, especially in engineering, R&D, and operations. - **Talent Density**: Hire “the driven and the brave” – experts who can operate with radical candour and a compounding‑improvement mindset. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: ZURU’s internal DNA is built on principles like *Good Humans Only, Compounding Improvement (2% per week), Radical Candour, Shift the Needle, and Overprepare and Win*. The environment is described as high‑performance, meritocratic, and feedback‑driven. - **Global Exposure**: Offices in 34 locations including **Shenzhen, Auckland, Los Angeles, London, Modena, and Ahmedabad**. Team members work on global projects that cross industries and markets. - **Benefits**: Health insurance in most locations; 24/7 private gym (Shenzhen only); run clubs, table tennis, and social sporting teams; **Friday catered happy hours** to unwind and connect. - **Professional Development**: Mentorship from leading entrepreneurs, access to training materials, and a culture of “leadership on the dance floor” – teams are given real responsibility early. Internship programs are available. - **Work Model**: The company appears to be primarily **on‑site / office‑based**, though some roles may offer flexibility. The website emphasises collaboration and face‑to‑face connection. ## Sources 1. [zuru.com](https://zuru.com/) – Company overview, three divisions, mission 2. [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuru_(company)) – Founding details, founders, headquarters, brands 3. [zuru.com/built-different-the-zuru-story](https://zuru.com/built-different-the-zuru-story/) – Valuation, employee count, ZURU Tech details, factory scale 4. [zuru.com/careers](https://zuru.com/careers/) – Culture values (Good Humans Only, Compounding Improvement, etc.), benefits, locations, recruitment process 5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/zuru](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/zuru) – Open roles (referenced for completeness) ## Other roles at ZURU - [External & Internal Audit Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/external-internal-audit-manager-zuru-auckland-826rn8x2zejv) — Auckland, New Zealand - [Marketing Graduate - Toys](https://feeny.ai/job/marketing-graduate-toys-zuru-auckland-grxfvr9wwwj3) — Auckland, New Zealand - [Paid Media Graduate](https://feeny.ai/job/paid-media-graduate-zuru-auckland-9hgt23vdf5g9) — Auckland, New Zealand - [Social & Content Manager - Pet & Confectionary](https://feeny.ai/job/social-content-manager-pet-confectionary-zuru-auckland-znzp7ktjatym) — Auckland, New Zealand - [Talent Acquisition Director](https://feeny.ai/job/talent-acquisition-director-zuru-shenzhen-pxwb10gsdxgr) — Shenzhen, China - [Business Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/business-analyst-zuru-bentonville-nca0kv8wgmhc) — Bentonville, United States - [Key Account Manager - France](https://feeny.ai/job/key-account-manager-france-zuru-paris-p04x3yss7wk3) — Paris, France - [National Account Manager - France](https://feeny.ai/job/national-account-manager-france-zuru-paris-cbm5kdws1e5d) — Paris, France - [C++ Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/c-software-engineer-zuru-modena-dmd62rpd6epn) — Modena, Italy - [Content Marketing Internship (Beauty)](https://feeny.ai/job/content-marketing-internship-beauty-zuru-sydney-f71bgdb54yj1) — Sydney, Australia