REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Brand Broker — IP Licensing
Brand Broker — IP Licensing
Consultancy to Broker IP Licensing Deals with Major Consumer Brands
1. BACKGROUND & ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Ubongo is Africa's leading edutainment company, producing educational media content loved by children and families across Sub-Saharan Africa. With a portfolio of instantly recognisable characters, Ubongo is positioned to generate significant revenue and impact through IP licensing partnerships.
IP licensing presents a strategic opportunity for Ubongo to: (a) generate recurring non-grant revenue; (b) amplify brand visibility across consumer categories; (c) build long-term commercial partnerships with major regional and global brands; and (d) place educational, African-led content on everyday products that reach children in their homes, schools, and communities.
Ubongo is seeking an experienced IP Brand Broker to identify, approach, negotiate, and close licensing agreements between Ubongo 's character IP and major consumer brands operating in Africa and internationally. This is a results-oriented, commission-based engagement with potential for ongoing retainer.
2. OBJECTIVES
The Brand Broker will be expected to:
- Identify and qualify prospective licensee brands across target product categories and geographies
- Lead outreach and relationship development with brand decision-makers on Ubongo 's behalf
- Structure and negotiate licensing terms in line with Ubongo 's commercial objectives and rate card
- Close a minimum of 2–3 signed licensing agreements within the initial engagement period
- Build a pipeline of 10–15 qualified licensing prospects for ongoing pursuit
- Provide market intelligence on licensing trends, competitor activity, and new category opportunities
3. SCOPE OF WORK
3.1 Onboarding & Strategy Alignment (Weeks 1–2)
- Immerse in Ubongo 's IP portfolio, brand guidelines, character briefs, and existing commercial relationships
- Review and refine Ubongo 's target licensee criteria and geographic priorities
- Agree on target categories: apparel, toys & games, publishing, food & beverage, consumer goods, digital products, and others as identified
- Confirm deal structure preferences: royalty rates, minimum guarantees, exclusivity tiers, and approval processes
- Establish reporting cadence and deal pipeline tracking system
3.2 Prospecting & Outreach (Weeks 2–8 and ongoing)
- Research and develop a qualified target list of 30+ prospective licensee brands across agreed categories and geographical territories
- Execute proactive outreach to brand procurement, marketing, and licensing decision-makers
- Represent Ubongo at relevant licensing trade shows, industry events, and pitch meetings (costs agreed separately)
- Develop and deliver customised pitch materials leveraging Ubongo 's IP assets and audience data
- Track and report all prospect interactions in a shared CRM or pipeline tracker
3.3 Negotiation & Deal Closure
- Lead commercial negotiations on behalf of Ubongo , in close coordination with Ubongo 's legal and commercial team
- Secure term sheets and facilitate the finalisation of licensing agreements
- Ensure all agreed deals align with Ubongo 's brand guidelines, quality standards, and commercial objectives
- Coordinate with Ubongo 's legal team on contract execution
3.4 Pipeline Management & Reporting (Ongoing)
- Provide bi-weekly pipeline updates covering prospect status, deal stage, estimated value, and key next steps
- Submit a monthly summary report to Ubongo 's leadership
- Deliver a final engagement report at the end of the initial term with pipeline handover documentation
4. DELIVERABLES
Deliverable 1: IP Licensing Strategy Memo: target categories, geographies, prospect criteria, and deal parameters (Week 2)
Deliverable 2: Qualified Prospect List: minimum 30 brands with contact information, category, and rationale (Week 4)
Deliverable 3: Pitch Deck & Materials: customised for major prospect categories (Week 3)
Deliverable 4: Bi-we