At Jazwares, we believe an innovative idea can come from anywhere, and anyone. We work collaboratively to achieve our goals and we have fun doing it! Jazwares, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading global toy manufacturer with an award-winning, robust portfolio of wholly owned and licensed brands. Founded in 1997, Jazwares celebrates imaginative play with a progressive focus on identifying new and relevant trends to transform into high-quality products for consumers of all ages. Jazwares engages consumers through innovative play experiences with popular brands such as Squishmallows, Pokémon, Star Wars, CoComelon, Fortnite, AEW, Adopt Me!, Hello Kitty, and many more. In addition to toys, offerings also include Metaverse gaming, costumes, and products for pets. Headquartered in Sunrise, Florida, Jazwares has offices worldwide and sells its products in over 100 countries.
The Associate Product Designer, you will successfully design and develop plush toys for Pokémon licensed products. As part of the Design team, you will demonstrates creative thinking and execute on a wide variety of plush projects to support and align with brand strategies and objectives. Should display and exhibit strong ideation, rendering Pokémon characters in plush as well as technical problem-solving abilities.
What you will do:
- Instrumental in generating new plush toy concepts to enhance new and/or existing Pokémon plush
- Champion great design in our high-quality products and help assure they are within target cost and QA/QC requirements
- Builds consensus between members throughout the design process
- Work collaboratively with your branding, product management, engineering, packaging, licensor, and other internal team partners to create product that is the best fit for the Pokemon brand
- Attend Brand and licensing meetings and brainstorms to obtain enough information for plush product design
- Successfully present and communicate concepts to the brand, development, management, and licensor teams
- Ensure delivery of precise, clear, and complete plush product turnover specifications and ensure they fully understood by the international team/factory
- Support the overall strategic goals of Pokemon product, provide direction and feedback during the development process that is attentive to Licensor and for brand assurance
- Responsible for completing, reviewing, documenting specification changes, submitting product samples for licensor approval, and providing rendered overlay comments on samples photos of plush turns and sample reviews
- Work closely with brand/management teams to resolve development issues, while assuring designs meet the target cost, schedule, and brand standards
- Participate in the entire life cycle of project development from a concept through initial ideation, refinement, plush sample execution and turn over packages to Asia teams
- Communicate with packaging design team to assure product and packaging are aligned
What we are looking for:
- Bachelor’s Degree in plush toy design, toy design or industry relevant field
- 1-3 years of plush design
- 1-3 years of experience working with global manufacturing factories (Asia preferred)
- Strong proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop)
- Computer proficiency in Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office & G-Suite
- Able to work cross functionally and reciprocally with members of the Pokémon Team
- Able to work independently or collaboratively
- Working knowledge of plush materials and manufacturing processes
- Exhibit interest and knowledge of the current trends/innovations as well as an understanding the competitive marketplace in the toy industry
- Exceptional visual, verbal, and written communication skills
- Able to multitask, organize, prioritize, and manage time efficiently
- Demonstrates a strong design sense, including a well-developed sense of aesthetics
- Can easily adapt to shifting priorities, and can manage multiple priorities at one time, while also demonstrating vigilance in keeping projects moving forward and hitting deadlines
- Excellent attention to detail
- Lifelong Learner
- Adaptable
- Effective problem solver and critical thinker; proactive in resolving issues
- Ability to deal effectively with diverse individuals at all organizational levels in a professional manner
- Knowledge of Pokémon characters and TV show and huge plus!
Showcase your skills by including your portfolio or work samples. Applications will not be consideredwithoutportfolio or work samples.
What we offer:
Salary range for this position: $64,480.00 – $67,275.00 /Yr. Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, time in role, peer and market data, prior performance, business sector, and geographic location. The successful candidate may also be eligible for an annual discretionary incentive compensation award. Jazwares offers a full spectrum of benefits, including Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, Insurance, Disability and Other Insurance Plans, Paid Time Off (including Sick Leave, Parental Leave and Vacation), Holidays, 401(k), and Short/Long Term Disability, in addition to other special perks reserved for our employees.
JAZWARES is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, ancestry, disability, age, military status, marital status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.