Director of Product Design - Innovation/New Brands at Just Play, LLC – El Segundo, California

Department: Creative – New Brands

Reporting To: General Manager – Innovation/NBT Team

Location: El Segundo, CA

Company Overview:

Just Play is a passionate and trend driven leader in the children’s consumer goods industry. Our products are an impressive mix of promotional and everyday items for the whole family. We work with the world’s leading children’s entertainment brands to manufacture and distribute exceptional products to every major mass retailer throughout North America and around the world.

Job Summary:

This position will provide day-to-day creative leadership and accountability in the creation of new ideas and IP for both Licensed portfolio and New Brands. In addition, the Director is accountable for pitches for new licenses.

The Director of Innovation/NBT must meet the following requirements:

• The ideal candidate will have a strong background in product design, across multiple toy categories, with a passion for innovation and creative storytelling
• Expertise in multiple toy categories, including collectibles, plush toys, preschool and action figures.
• Exceptional art direction and design management skills, with a focus on stylization, break through feature set, and on-trend theming.
• Excellent people and partner management abilities, fostering strong relationships with internal teams and external partners.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
• Possess strong sketching, drawing, rendering and dimensional styling skills and the ability to apply them to a fast-paced, iterative design process.
• Have in-depth experience with developing a toy from concept to prototype, and through manufacturing stages.

Principal Responsibilities:

Specific duties and responsibilities including, but not limited to:

• Drive design direction and mentorship of a team of product designers, providing inspiration, guidance, feedback, and support to foster creativity and professional growth.
• Studio manage a team of product designers by assigning projects, managing deadlines, and prioritizing workload.
• For innovation projects, needs to understand and support the strategic goals within a brand providing direction and feedback to designers throughout the ideation process that is attentive to brand needs.
• For innovation projects, needs to differentiate between features and values in products, quantitatively, to meet detailed product brief, which includes targeted cost
• Manage all phases of design development with New IP opportunities.
  • Ensure that design direction complies with all necessary safety, cost, and production parameters.
  • Manage and oversee the review of development samples to ensure that quality, play feature, and material standards are met.
• Prepare and drive pitch decks for licensor meetings. This includes the creation of Creative strategies and Design language, as well of oversight for all creative.
• Effectively communicate and interact with management and PD team as it relates to schedules and deadlines. This includes proactively planning for approval meetings.
• Work collaboratively with brand strategy, licensing, product development, packaging, and other internal and external team partners to help create innovative products and win new licenses.
• Work closely with top-level design management on all steps of the process
• Maintain a deep understanding of current trends in toys and consumer products, and apply this knowledge to drive innovation
• Assist designers in meeting year-over-year goals and provide leadership and guidance toward designer development.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 10 years of experience in the toy industry
• BSA or BFA in Industrial Design, Toy Design, Fashion Design or related Design field
• Strong sketching ability and presentation skills
• Strong project management skills
• Knowledge of toy development processes including inspiration, ideation, experimentation, and execution phases.
• Knowledge of toy manufacturing processes
• Proficient in Adobe suite (especially Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop), with basic knowledge in Microsoft Suite
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to travel domestically as well as internationally.

Just Play is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.