Lead Brand and Packaging Designer

*This role is based in our London office 4 days per week*

With the Senior Branding Manager, lead softlines and FMCG within the brand and packaging creative team, through on-brief creative development and elite standards of graphic/packaging design and development. Implement psychographic/demographic consumer lens as required to development of packaging and branding assets, projects and design tools for use across all categories.

Areas of Responsibility

Lead and develop creative assets that will enable growth for relevant Walt Disney Company (TWDC) franchises from conception through to artwork development and distribution including but not limited to trend research, softlines and FMCG branding and packaging

Work with the Senior Branding Manager to support designers within the branding and packaging team, providing guidance to solve complex creative challenges, identifying innovative solutions through analytical ability and effective decision making skills

Responsible for collaborating effectively with internal and external stakeholders to solve business challenges, influencing positive outcomes for the benefit of the business

Apply creativity, analytical skills and standard processes to ensure excellence in the development of product ranges

Work closely with global and regional business segments and design teams to ensure creative alignment and support on wider projects as required

Ensure all assets are creatively and technically accurate before approval by key stakeholders

Building on key business strategies, lead the development of trend boards and new ideas (ideation) adding innovation and freshness to future projects

Maintain full compliance with corporate guidelines, delivering a commitment to producing work which ensures character and design consistency and integrity

Establish effective relationships among the wider creative group, improving their specialist knowledge in order to build premier design that pushes boundaries

As required, attend trade shows to broaden understanding of the EMEA marketplace seeking out ideas and new creative solutions in order to understand the business better

Give and lead creative ideation sessions with the internal or external teams

Provide relevant creative support, e.g. downloading, backing up, archiving, creating digital presentations as required

Work closely with product teams, designers and artists to ensure character and franchise integrity are maintained; synchronising design and art styles

Proactively lead discussion and work on business critical initiatives with collaborators at all levels

Work closely with Senior Branding Manager to ensure projects are planned effectively to meet timelines on time and within budgets

Lead direct reports through coaching and mentorship

Experience and Professional Qualifications Required

Specialist in-depth knowledge and proven experience of branding and packaging design BA Hons (or similar) in a relevant discipline, e.g. graphic design or equivalent experience

Proven commercial design experience in relevant categories or packaging and retail design role at a licensee, retail head office or supplier

Experience in retail or manufacturing design practise and ability to understand how buyers plan ranges, the commercial applications of product development and graphic design

Significant level of experience in designing multiple packaging designs for licensed products

Proven experience of building effective relationships and working with stakeholders within a large, multi-national, matrix organisation

High level of understanding of all elements of design: illustration, pattern, page layout, colour, packaging design, pack engineering, cutter guide generation, retail design, trends with the ability to create new graphic design assets and packaging from scratch

High level of understanding of Disney, Pixar, Lucas, Marvel and 20th Century characters and how storytelling translates to product and packaging

A high awareness of marketplace trends in the design and retail environment with the ability to translate new concepts into marketable, saleable packaging for products

Skills Required

• Strong communication skills with ability to communicate concepts clearly and present vision/ ideas

• Ability to work on and lead initial concepts through to final art worked packaging style guides, individual packaging projects and packaging pitches

• Ability to guide and support functional product design teams or projects for licensing, top DTR and EMEA-based global partners

• Ability to handle multiple projects and prioritise workload effectively

• An ability to understand and apply colour theory and usage

• Highly skilled in Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign and skills in other creative suite packages including 3D applications such as Cinema 4D

• Ability to create a storyline that integrates Disney, Pixar, Lucas, Marvel and 20th Century characters into trends inventively

• Ability to work as a team or independently to achieve business objectives

• Highly conceptual “out-of–the–box” thinker. Able to tackle complex design challenges

• Ability to cultivate an environment that encourages creative thinking and supports risk taking

• Cultural sensitivity

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.