Product Design & Development Director

Lead product design and development across all brands for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), working with creative, category, franchise, and brand merchandising teams to ensure highest quality, consumer focused, trend-right product lines across licensing and Direct-to-retail (DTR) that build brand equity and meet financial targets. Areas of Responsibility

• Lead the execution of product design and development for softlines to deliver on business needs and strategic intent of category
• With a focus on creativity and innovation, develop and deliver high quality, authentic storytelling products, which are scalable, and have longevity
• Lead up-front trend point of view (POV) for softlines in partnership with creative, and brand merchandising
• Identify future areas of growth (with approval of VP) in each franchise and across product categories
• Work with licensees to lead development of consumer-centric product lines that are trend-right, deliver market-leading innovation, drive revenue and capture market share globally
• Ensure that designs achieve great price/value for each tier of the value pyramid
• Drive a product design strategy that ensures our products are market leaders that deliver on business strategies
• Responsible for monitoring competitors, product innovations, and market dynamics to deliver trend-right product for each segment of the retail landscape
• Direct product approvals that uphold the integrity of our franchises and deliver the highest price value
• Work with licensees to design and approve market leading product lines for the franchises
• Direct execution against seasonal concept and vision for categories in partnership with creative, merchandising, and sourcing teams
• Partner with studio, content providers, global creative and marketing teams to bring our content and intellectual property (IP) to life properly and with a consistent brand point of view across the globe
• Monitor and maintain quality in colour, material, function and form of all products
• Obtain quality assurance (QA) approvals and re-design as needed to meet global TWDC quality standards
• Lead overall management of agency, DTR and partner relationships
• Regular review of systems and processes with the purpose of reducing administration and creating more creative time
• Establish and manage high level EMEA product to market (PTM) calendar anchored in global PTM but with the relevant local nuance
Team Leadership and Management
• Lead the team to build compelling stories through product design to drive brand vision and increase emotional connection with our consumers
• Lead team through ambiguity and change - consistently engaging with, developing, and influencing teams effectively to a build strong collaborative environment
• Drive conversation and activities with sourcing to develop and cost the line, building cross-functional relationships
• Drive conversation with brand merchandising to create a product line in all activities, including key milestone meetings
• Lead communication and collaboration with key franchise partners
• Communicate to influence cross-functional partners to drive execution and remove roadblocks
• Maintain a strong point of view on consumer and trend and ensure that this is effectively communicated across stakeholders and management
• Lead through the team to build, develop and retain best-in-class design talent
• Manages operating budget for each category to meet financial targets
Training and Professional Development
• Operate with integrity, champion change and be a good ambassador for DCP and the wider Walt Disney Company
• Operate as part of an effective and inclusive team by demonstrating an awareness of others; welcoming and valuing unique perspectives and ideas; offering support, sharing knowledge and best practices in order to contribute to overall departmental commitments
• Take ownership of your professional development through regular career conversations with your line manager and utilising available resources such as D Learn, instructor-led courses and on the job learning
• Proactively suggest ways to improve departmental performance and processes, leveraging technological tools where applicable
• Build links with other TWDC functions to develop broader knowledge of the business
• Promote and maintain an inclusive workplace, championing diversity and inclusion and make use of available resources to extend knowledge and best practice
• Manage the training and development of all direct reports ensuring commitments are set, regularly reviewed and feedback given using the D Achieve philosophy, where applicable
• Contribute to maintaining and enhancing the standard of training and development, encouraging participation so that everyone has the tools and resources to do their role effectively and efficiently
Areas of Accountability
• Accountable to VP, Regional Merchandising & Product Design EMEA
• Accountable for successful delivery of designs that achieve great price/value for each tier of the value pyramid
• Accountable for effective partnership 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
• Accountable for leading communication and collaboration with key franchise partners
• Accountable for successful leadership and development of the team
• Accountable for cultivating and maintaining productive relationships and collaborating across departments internally and externally
• Accountable for managing defined operating budget for each category to meet financial targets
• Accountable for helping to build compelling stories to drive brand vision which leads to an increased emotional connection with our consumers
  
  Significant product development experience at leadership level
• Experience in designing and developing softlines product that resonates with consumers both globally and locally across the world
• Deep knowledge and understanding of licensing and experience working with multiple global and regional partners
• Strong understanding and high level of interest of The Walt Disney Company consumer product portfolio
• Experience working with large-scale, global retailers and partners to bring product designs to market for a variety of different consumer targets
• Proven experience of working, and thriving, in a matrix organisation
• Experience in multiple retail and distribution models within the global market
• Proven experience of leading, developing, and managing the performance of a creative team
• Proven experience of building effective relationships, leading and managing change and collaboration across departments
Skills Required
• Leadership skills - skilled in leading through change and uncertainty
• Skilled in building effective networks and influencing key stakeholders and achieving buy-in at all levels
• Commitment to team engagement and development
• Financial acumen
• Ability to motivate and inspire a team and lead them towards a common goal
• Demonstrable ability to lead a product design team in the creation of consumer-led items through the development cycle
• Demonstrable ability to capitalise on market trends and consumer Zeitgeist to maximize value creation throughout the trend cycle
• Demonstrable ability to create, leverage and scale innovation in consumer products
• Strategic thinker with the ability to drive quality product design within financial Key Performance indicators (KPIs)
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate and engage with a diverse audience including but not limited to external partners and business owners, to bring product designs to life
• Proven ability to think creatively to bring and infuse new ideas into product design and not be afraid to challenge the status quo
• Demonstrable ability to lead the organisational and cultural change efforts needed to ensure new, innovative concepts, business practices, and technologies are fully adopted and integrated into the business
• Cultural sensitivity and an understanding of local markets across EMEA
• Computer literate including MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Adobe and other design packages
Additional Information
• Flexibility for frequent UK, European or international travel may be required
• Contribution to ad-hoc projects as the business requires
• Flexible hours may be required to meet business needs