Senior Product Designer
$85,000 - $100,000
Based in: Point Pleasant, NJ, United States
Would you like to join a fast growing, Industry leading leading toy manufacturer known for creating innovative and engaging products for children?
Specializing in trend-driven, creative play items, the company offers a wide range of slime kits, arts and crafts, and sensory toys that encourage hands-on learning and creativity.
Do you have 7 years+ solid product design and brand identity experience?
Do you want the chance to create & develop a fun range of creative play items, slime kits, arts and craft?
If so, we want you to join the WeCool Creative team and become a part of our journey.
Want to know how? Just read on……..
Who are WeCool toys?
WeCool Toys is a Global Designer and Manufacturer of Dynamic Toys, Crafts, Compounds and more. We own, operate, and manage all vertical and horizontal production, package, export and distribution processes.
WeCool Toys is a new member of Paladone Group Holdings
The Opportunity:
We are looking for a talented and experienced Product Designer to join the WeCool Team.
The senior designer is responsible for drawing, planning, building, and developing products in key product categories and driving the success of the We Cool brand through the creation of high-quality products and working on all stages throughout the creative process.
They are responsible from concept to design, layout, final artwork and pre-press reviews.
This role will also identify new opportunities and ensure there is product innovation, brand consistency, commerciality in all our products.
What are key duties of the role?
Brand
- Responsible for brand ownership across concept, packaging, and product for relevant existing and new ranges
- Ensuring that team adhere to guidelines/style guides associated with the brand.
Art working
- Accountable for taking briefs directly and cascading briefs to the wider team.
- Designs new product concepts, 2D product artworks and packaging designs.
- Produce Design spec sheets
- Responsible for creation of new templates for product and packaging
- Liaises directly with product teams on artwork approvals, style guides and requirements for customer refreshes
- Commercial understanding of Customer needs and cost targets
- Responsible for making sure artwork is accurate in terms of copy, spelling, codes, die cuts, images, style guide rules to prevent amends prior to being uploaded into the system
- Checking all artwork from Junior designers meets standards and feeding back artworks and amends accordingly
Style guides, Trends & Innovation
- Takes a lead in identifying applicable design trends, planning new products, and presenting new ideas to the creative director and delegating as required to meet deadlines.
- Designing and working with style guides and applying artwork to cutter guides
Photography & Presentations
- Briefing photographer or conducting white back photography required for packs.
- Assisting with art direction of products for lifestyle photography (suggesting assets for backgrounds/props/colours etc)
- Photography retouching as and when needed.
- Accountable for ensuring team update presentations including images/concepts to agreed ranges, ensuring any changes or amends are made to product and packaging.
Creative Research
- Take ownership for conducting market and inspirational research in order to make commercial and creative recommendations in relation to packaging of current & future products and shares amongst WeCool design team
- Working and demonstrating with a high degree of commercial awareness. Attending relevant internal or external meetings as required.
- Takes ownership for conducting competitor analysis and competitor, assessing the strengths and weaknesses or current and potential competitors.
What we need you to bring to the team:
Minimum 7 years Solid technical expertise and experience in the toy industry and the product development life cycle and processes.
Intermediate skills in Adobe Creative Suite, Illustrator & Photoshop.
Knowledge and experience of Far East manufacturing
Experience working with licensed products is a plus
Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, Outlook
- Minimum 7-10 Years Product Design and brand identity experience
- Creativity & innovation
- Commercial awareness & application
- Strong Illustration skills / hand sketching skills
- High level design skills
- High proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite
- Acrobat, Illustrator, Dimensions, Photoshop, InDesign (MAC platform)
- High proficiency in Box Shot, rendering, Die lines, structure, design and layout,
- Strong Project management and timeline planning skills
- Strong photography skills- product, packaging and lifestyle (SLS camera)
- Ability to produce style & cutter guides
What we will offer in return:
Holiday & Work Life Balance
Paid Vacation/PTO
Hybrid Working (Working from home 1-2 days per week)
Christmas Closure
Financial
Staff Discount on Products (35% off wholesale price for Paladone & WeCool toys products)
Free onsite parking (WeCool Head Office)
Social
Fully funded Office and company events
$100 per person annually for department self-organized team social events
Health Promotion
Paid time off to attend medical/dental appointments
Free Eye tests
Free Flu Vaccinations
Choice of Healthcare Plan
SharePoint portal – advice on healthy eating / lifestyle/ mental wellbeing
Employee Support
Employee Assistance Programme - (Telus Health)
Global Mental Health First Aiders
Reward and recognition
Annual Pay Review
Company Bonus and Performance bonus
Employee Benefit Trust
Long Service Awards
Kudos portal for peer-to-peer recognition
Refer a friend scheme
Learning and education
Tailored Training and development plans
Investment in training opportunities and
Ability to earn qualifications
ILM leadership courses
Litmos Learning (E-Learning)
Linked in Learning
This is a terrific opportunity individual to be part of a growing business & utilise their skills within an a highly innovative team.
What is next?
If you are ready to join the WeCool team then click apply and submit your Resume, Covering letter . We aim to respond to all successful applicants within 5 working days.