Director, Product Design - Hardlines

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 product design 
• Experience in multiple segments within the global market 
• Demonstrated ability to lead the organizational and cultural change efforts needed to ensure new, innovative concepts, business practices, and technologies are fully adopted and integrated into the business
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally

The hiring range for this position in California is $198,400.00 to $266,000.00 per year. The amount of hours scheduled per week may vary based on business needs. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.