Product Development Manager (Consumer Products)

$70,000 - $85,000/Yr

Wildbrain - New York, NY

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - New York, NY

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries

About the position

The Product Development Manager at WildBrain CPLG will serve as a central resource for product development and creative activities across North America. This role involves managing licensed product design, supporting key retail initiatives, and maintaining relationships with licensors and licensees. The manager will oversee the end-to-end product approval process, ensuring innovative and brand-appropriate products are delivered to market while collaborating with various teams to drive growth and creativity.

Responsibilities

• Manage and execute licensed product design.
• Develop and design product mock-ups, compile line sheets for line reviews, layout creative presentations and retail pitch decks.
• Support DTR and key fashion retail design initiatives across the Territories.
• Manage workflow & Critical paths (on Monday.com) in line with KPI's.
• Develop retail in store mock-ups to demonstrate how a brand can be represented to consumers on the shop floor.
• Identify style guide gaps and Licensee needs in line with the wider Creative Services team.
• Manage key relationships with Licensor creative and product development personnel.
• Onboard new Licensees, DTR, halo partners globally and locally.
• Plan and run ideation sessions to drive interest and innovation.
• Maintain key communication with the WildBrain Brands team receiving and feeding into style guide updates and management of asset storing.
• Deliver weekly updates to the local commercial team, including reports noting Licensee developments, status and asset updates.
• Collaborate with designers to drive up-front trends and overall creative direction and identify future areas of growth within our franchises and across product categories.
• Monitor competitors, product innovation and market dynamics.
• Develop internal and external style guides in conjunction with agency and freelance support.
• Responsible for managing the end-to-end approvals process and delivering innovative brand-appropriate products to market.
• Support the wider PD team on key partner submissions when necessary.
• Collaborate with the Creative Services Director and Head of PD in developing creative strategies to facilitate future growth.
• Develop additional sales materials such as collaborations booklets, inspiration & benchmark presentations & look books.

Requirements

• Relevant design-related experience
• Strong portfolio of work demonstrating layout, typography, and communication
• Sound knowledge of the product development and approval processes and experience in creatively driving range development
• Proficient with using on-line approval software, including running reports
• Good knowledge of hardlines / Softlines categories, fast fashion, and DTR retailers
• Ability to Multi-task and prioritize multiple design projects, running simultaneously with varying levels
• Self-starter and problem solver
• Experience in influencing key partners and stakeholders
• Able to filter through complex issues, find solutions, gain support and implement change
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong fashion apparel/product design, graphical and visualization skills
• Computer software skills (e.g. MS Office, Photoshop, Illustrator) - Bonus: Blender (3D), Clo 3D

Benefits

• Private health insurance
• Income protection
• Gym subsidies
• Employee share programs
• Flexible working