Director, Product Design - Hardlines

Job Posting Title:

Director, Product Design - Hardlines

Req ID:

10090591

Job Description:

Lead the product design & development across multiple brands from the Disney portfolio, working with design, creative, and merchandising teams, to create the highest quality, consumer focused, trend-right product lines across Disney Owned and Operated Parks and Resorts, The Disney Store, and flexible business models that build brand equity, drive innovation, and meet financial targets.

• Lead the execution of product design & development for hardlines to deliver on business needs and strategic intent of category (primarily dolls, toys, plush, souvenirs, ornaments, and 3D collectibles)
• Lead up-front trend POV for hardlines in partnership with creative
• Identify future areas of growth (with approval of VP) in our brands and across product categories
• Develop consumer centric product lines that are trend right, deliver market-leading innovation, drive revenue and capture market share globally
• Deliver designs that deliver great price/value for each tier of the value pyramid
• Drive a product design strategy that ensures stronger sell-through at retail each season, year after year
• Partner with CIMA to apply consumer insights to product design
• Relentlessly monitor competitors, product innovations and market dynamics to deliver trend right product for each tier of the segmentation pyramid.
• Manage team to select and approve materials, colors and component parts for hardlines
• Mange team to sketch, design and proto-type items with factory and sourcing partners
• Direct product approvals that uphold the integrity of our franchise and deliver the highest quality products for the retail price
• Work with 3rd party partners to design and approve market leading product lines for the Disney brands
• Direct execution against seasonal concept and vision for categories in partnership with creative, merchandising and sourcing
• Partner with studio, content providers, global creative and marketing teams to bring our content and IP to life properly and with a consistent brand point of view across the globe
• Monitor and maintain quality in color, material, function and form in all products
• Obtain QA approvals and re-design as needed to meet global quality standards
• Manage agency relationships

LEADERSHIP / MANAGEMENT

• Build compelling stories to drive brand vision and increase emotional connection with our consumers
• Drive conversation and activities with sourcing to develop and cost the line. 
• Drive conversation with merchandising to create a product line in all activities, key milestone meetings
• Lead communication and collaboration with key franchise partners
• Communicate to influence cross-functional partners to drive execution and remove road blocks
• Strong point of view on consumer and trend effectively communicated across stakeholders and management
• Lead through ambiguity and create clarity
• Manage direct reports with immediate feedback on performance and weekly touch bases to review deliverables, regular development and coaching
• Build, develop, and retain, best in class product design talent
• Manage operating budget for category to meet financial targets

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10 years of experience
• Experience in designing hardlines product that resonates with consumers both globally and locally
• Experience working with large-scale, global retailers and partners to bring product designs to market for a variety of different consumer targets
• Demonstrated ability to lead a product design team in the creation of consumer-led items from concept through activation
• Demonstrated ability to capitalize on market trends and consumer zeitgeist to maximize value creation throughout the trend cycle
• Demonstrated ability to create, leverage and scale innovation in consumer products
• Strategic thinker with the ability to drive quality product design within financial KPI’s
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence a diverse audience including experience working with external partners and business owners to bring product designs to life
• Successful experience working, and thriving, in a highly matrixed company structure
• Robust leadership and talent development abilities and a collaborative and effective management style
• Strong Team Player – The ability to build & foster collaborative partnerships across functions & departments within The Walt Disney Corporation and externally
• Well-developed communication skills
• Proven ability to think creatively and disruptively to bring and infuse new ideas into pro