Job Posting Title:

Product Design and Development Associate

Req ID:

10103430

Job Description:

About the Role & Team

As a Product Development Associate, you’ll support licensees and Direct-to-Retail partners by providing technical design direction, creative input, and ensuring smooth execution of the product design, development, and approval process. Join us to bring inspiring Disney products to life with quality and attention to detail.

This role is a fixed-term contract role running until the end of September 2025, and will require you to be onsite 4 days a week.

What You Will Do

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

Strong understanding of global trend, market segmentation, country specifics, franchise diversity, and product design trends, elevating product accordingly

Diverse Product Knowledge Extensive expertise in any or all in the design and development of footwear, bags, and watches, with a strong understanding of the unique materials, construction techniques, and market trends specific to each category

Provide product design and trend direction to licensees on both 2D application and 3D product submissions to drive product quality

Participate in internal trend and design workshops throughout the year across providing product design support to the licensees and partners

Participate in comp shops, design workshops, franchise brainstorm sessions across region, collaborating and exploring untapped categories

Understanding within the licensee and partner base of what does and doesn’t work commercially in relation to style guide development, collecting hindsight and feedback to foster the style guide development process

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

Build product pitches, new product design visuals, and dedicated core design mock ups under supervision of Senior Product Design and Development Manager/Product Design and Development Manager

Develop a good knowledge of Disney’s characters, films, properties, heritage and creative assets in order to assist in their usage on consumer products

Support the needs of the wider team at regional, local and global level as the need arises including involvement in design projects, as advised

As the need arises, attend ‘inspiration’ trips to broaden understanding of the EMEA marketplace, seeking out ideas and new creative solutions 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 proven understanding of common manufacturing techniques and their application in production

Communicate a clear product design brief and basic design ideas using CAD drawing, computer techniques and/or third party design resources

An ability to deliver against set deadlines and budgets as advised

Strong design and conceptual skills

Understanding of fabric, colour and product design, with an in depth knowledge of fabrics and stitching techniques, preferred

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

Understanding of production techniques and graphic applications with a consideration for colour and shape, preferred

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

Cultural sensitivity and an understanding of local markets across EMEA

Proven commercial product development experience in relevant categories or product design role at a licensee, retail head office or supplier, beneficial

Proven experience crafting prototypes or models

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 the necessary accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive all benefits of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Job Posting Segment:

EMEA - Global Product

Job Posting Primary Business:

EMEA - Global Product

Primary Job Posting Category:

Product Design (Services)

Employment Type:

Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:

London, United Kingdom

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:

2024-11-18