Our client is seeking a creative, high energy, dynamic individual to lead one of our creative teams, and design products and packaging as well.

This position reports to the Executive Vice President.

Our client is a trusted and respected manufacturer of stationery, activities, crafts, compounds and toys for leading entertainment properties and brands. We are experiencing high growth and expansion.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Overall:

The Design Manager/Team Leader 1 designs and develops new products and leads their creative team’s efforts. This position is responsible for taking products from concept through licensor and buyer approval, and production under often aggressive timelines.

75-80% of time will be designing, and up to 25% of time will be leading the creative team responsible for Girls’ and Preschool licensed stationery and activity products and licensed and own brand DIY Craft products.

This position is the main creative contact with designers at licensors and ensures that we are developing our product lines and packaging in conjunction with other licensees during the same retail timeframe with the best artwork that makes the most sense for our categories, and ensures that we have the most updated licensor art.

The Design Manager/Team Leader 1 will be Involved in creating pitches for new licenses in Girls’ and Preschool licensed stationery and activity products and licensed and own brand DIY Craft products.

Design Responsibilities:

The Design Manager/Team Leader 1 has design ownership over selecting licensed and own brands.

  • Works closely with the EVP of Design & Product Development with creative freedom throughout the process.
  • Partners with the Product Development and Licensing teams to ensure adherence to licensor style guides and to create manufacturable products within timing and cost parameters.
  • Drives licensed and own brand consistency across all products and establishes key design features.
  • Participates in meetings with licensors and buyers. Listens to design needs, produces ideas, and communicates them to internal and external teams.
  • Collaborates with Product Development and sales on special or seasonal art requests for specific buyers.
  • Studies and shops the market, photographs and/or obtains samples, stays current on trends driving the business, and communicates trend research and findings to others.
  • Reviews new item specifications and art requests and executes high quality work on time.
  • Carefully checks and comments on pre-production and production samples to ensure a match to artwork and specifications, that they function properly, and that they meet quality requirements.
  • Designs in Adobe CC Illustrator with minimal work in Photoshop.

Leadership/Supervisory Responsibilities:

The Design Manager/Team Leader 1 leads and manages a small team of onsite and offsite employees and freelance designers.

  • Demonstrates enthusiasm for the Girls’ and Preschool licensed stationery and activity products and licensed and own brand DIY Craft products creative/product landscape and shares insight on marketplace trends and best products and practices.
  • Contributes strong, inspirational, and relevant creative thinking.
  • Ensures that the Girls’ and Preschool licensed stationery and activity products and licensed and own brand DIY Craft products creative team delivers on business objectives.
  • Manages team designers to ensure they are working productively and growing/gaining skills in their positions. Coaches and conducts annual reviews.
  • Reviews the work of team designers to give guidance and feedback.
  • Provides new ideas and perspectives to help designers make fresh and innovative products.
  • Checks all team artwork before it goes out for licensor approval and sampling and cross checks own artwork with the other Senior Designer/Team Leader.
  • Prepares and checks team’s digital files to ensure accuracy – including technical/die-lines, regulatory, and licensor/manufacturer legal, and correct formatting for production.
  • Reviews mockups of team’s items before they are sent to Sales or buyers.
  • May direct and/or train Designers as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

BFA in Graphic Design, Product Design, Illustration, or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Minimum five years’ experience at a Senior Designer Level, preferably with a focus on licensed character brands. Minimum of 3 years’ experience working on Disney products.

Experience leading/art directing a small team of designers at various levels from junior to mid-level; some experience overseeing the effort and work product of freelance designers.

We are looking for:

  • Excellent time management and project management skills - able to prioritize and manage own and team’s work, adhering to critical project timelines in a fast-paced environment.
  • A positive team player with an excellent attitude and receptive to art direction and input from others
  • Experience in Product Design and Development within the mass-market stationery, arts and crafts, toy, children’s products, or party supply industries preferred.
  • Strong knowledge of molding, plastics, soft goods (not required), graphic printing and print production and a strong focus on the design, aesthetic elements, and manufacturability of products.
  • Excellent design skills and strong creative intuition with a good sense of color and attention to detail.

BENEFITS & PERKS:

  • Generous PTO and paid holidays
  • Comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance plans
  • 401K Plan that you can contribute to (not matched by company)
  • Commuter Benefit Plan
  • Team building and company events
  • Hybrid Schedule: 4 days onsite required; Friday work from home.

Job Type
Full-Time Regular