Product Design and Development Associate, Hardlines

About the Role & Team

A permanent opportunity for a qualified Product Development professional to become part of our skilled Disney Consumer Products creative team in Hammersmith, West London.

The ideal candidate will possess a qualification in Product Design, along with skills in graphic design and illustration. Proficiency in 3D product design is essential.

Your application should include a link to your recent work samples.

The role involves developing on-trend and brand-appropriate products for Disney's licensees and Direct to Retail partners. This includes providing technical product design guidance, inspiration, and support, as well as being responsible for the product design, development, and approval processes within the hardlines categories, such as Toys.

This role will require you to be onsite 4 days a week with the flexibility of one day working from home.

What You Will Do

• Implement the approval process from initiation to production, ensuring all product submissions are routed through Disney’s Online Product Approval (OPA) system as per global product integrity guidelines

• Provide product design and trend direction, inspiration and feedback to licensees on both 2D application and 3D product submissions in order to drive product quality

• Train and develop all new and existing licensees on the Disney brand, property portfolio, creative assets and approval systems

• Responsible for ensuring licensees have the appropriate creative assets for product development

• Develop and maintain successful working relationships with licensees and other internal and external partners

• Create product pitches, new product design visuals, and dedicated core design mock ups under supervision of team Managers

• Ensure a good knowledge of Disney’s characters, films, properties, heritage and creative assets

• Support the needs of the wider team at regional, local and global level as required including involvement in design projects, as directed

• Maintain contemporary knowledge of product design and graphic trends (in relevant category), leading brands and relevant pop culture

• As required, attend ‘inspiration’ trips to broaden understanding of the EMEA marketplace, seeking out ideas and new creative solutions in order to better understand the industry and drive innovation and creativity

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Knowledge of trends within the industry of relevant category and the broader world of design with working knowledge of common manufacturing techniques and their application in production

• An ability to communicate a clear product design brief and basic design ideas using CAD drawing, computer techniques and/or third party design resources

• Strong design and conceptual skills

• Understanding of fabric, colour and product design

• Presentation skills with the ability to effectively present design ideas to internal/external partners at all levels

• Computer literate including Mac OSX, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and MS Office

• Cultural sensitivity and an understanding of local markets across EMEA

The Perks

• 25 days annual leave

• Private medical insurance & dental care

• Free Park Entry: You will have the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free

• Disney Discounts: you are entitled to discounts on designated Disney products, resort F&B and ticketing

• Excellent parental and guardian leave

• Employee Resource Groups – WOMEN @ Disney, Disney DIVERSITY, Disney PRIDE, ENABLED, and our Mental Health & Wellbeing Group, TRUST.

The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. Disney is committed to forming a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.