Product Design and Development Associate - Food

About The Role & Team

As a key member of Disney's Product Design and Development Food, you will play a crucial role in bringing the magic of Disney to life through innovative and trend-setting products. You will be responsible for developing brand-right products for licensees and Direct-to-Retail (DTR) partners, ensuring they reflect the beloved Disney characters, stories, and heritage. This role involves providing technical product design direction, inspiration, and support, while executing the product design, development, and approval process for the relevant category. You will ensure that all product submissions adhere to Disney's global product integrity guidelines and are routed through the Online Product Approval (OPA) system in a timely manner, maintaining the high standards synonymous with the Disney brand.

This is a full-time role based in our London office in Hammersmith, 4 days a week.

What You Will You Do

• Efficiently manage the approval process from initiation to production, ensuring all product submissions are routed through Disney’s Online Product Approval (OPA) system in line with global product integrity guidelines.
• Provide inclusive product design and trend direction, inspiration, and constructive feedback to licensees on both 2D and 3D product submissions to enhance product quality.
• Develop and implement innovative Food and FMCG product designs that align with Disney's brand values and market trends.
• Collaborate with Food and FMCG licensees to ensure product designs meet industry standards and consumer expectations.
• Train and support all new and existing licensees on the Disney brand, property portfolio, creative assets, and approval systems.
• Ensure licensees have access to the appropriate creative assets for product development.
• Foster and maintain positive working relationships with licensees and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Create engaging product pitches, new product design visuals, and dedicated core design mock-ups under the guidance of the Senior Product Design and Development Manager/Product Design and Development Manager.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of Disney’s characters, films, properties, heritage, and creative assets to assist in their application on consumer products.
• Support the wider team at regional, local, and global levels as needed, including participation in design projects as directed.
• Ensure all products comply with corporate policies and relevant legislation.
• Stay up-to-date with contemporary product design and graphic trends, leading brands, and relevant pop culture.
• Participate in ‘inspiration’ trips to broaden understanding of the EMEA marketplace, seeking out new ideas and creative solutions to drive innovation and creativity.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Stay informed about industry trends and the broader world of design, with a solid understanding of common manufacturing techniques and their application in production.
• Communicate clear product design briefs and basic design ideas using CAD drawing, computer techniques, and/or third-party design resources.
• Possess experience or a strong interest in Food and FMCG product design and development.
• Deliver projects within set deadlines and budgets as directed.
• Demonstrate strong design and conceptual skills.
• Present design ideas effectively to internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Have a good grasp of production techniques and graphic applications, with an eye for color and shape.
• Influence and support change among stakeholders.
• Proficient in written and spoken English for business use; knowledge of other European languages is beneficial.
• Be computer literate, including proficiency in Mac OSX, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and MS Office.
• Exhibit cultural sensitivity and an understanding of local markets across EMEA.
• Hold a degree in a related field (e.g., product design) or possess equivalent experience in a lifestyle product company.
• Demonstrate proven commercial product development experience in relevant categories or in a product design role at a licensee, retail head office, or supplier.
• Have some packaging experience and an understanding of style guides for the Online Product Approval (OPA) system (desirable).
• Exhibit proven experience in creating prototypes or models.

The Perks

• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical insurance & dental care
• Free Park Entry: the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free
• Disney Discounts: 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, our new disability & neurodiversity focused group - 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.