Join us in our EMEA Head Quarter in London as part of the Design team and be our new Senior Designer.
We are looking for a Senior Designer to enhance and grow the EMEA business through outstanding trends and consumer-right, commercial creative solutions. You will be keeping our character equity and storytelling front of mind, helping to build the business and increase the overall visibility of the wider Disney brand. In addition to working on own areas of responsibility, this role involves leading a specific swimlane, overseeing the delivery of multiple briefs across priority accounts, leading standards of trend-right creative development and demographic as required, including driving design and development of graphic assets and design tools for use across all categories within the business.
Responsibilities
Work in close partnership with the Senior Product Design and Development Manager/ Design Manager to drive and own the development of creative assets across priority accounts to enable growth for relevant franchises from conception through to artwork development and distribution.
You will conduct trend research, create initial concepts, produce final art worked style guides, patterns/borders, graphic/identity, icons, placement designs, and imagery, create compelling product visuals, copywrite, produce product development pitches to new partners and create dedicated core category toolkits
Work in close collaboration with other consumer segment and product design teams to ensure creative alignment and support on wider projects as required
Lead and inspire the creative ideation of product design and development, for example, trend boards, creative pitches and new product ideas (ideation) that can add innovation and freshness to future projects, with a view to building on existing strategies
Oversee and ensure the team adhere to corporate guidelines and maintain full compliance with corporate brand management, delivering a commitment to producing work which ensures character and design consistency and integrity
As required, attend trade shows to broaden understanding of the EMEA market place seeking out ideas and new creative solutions in order to understand the business better
Provide relevant creative support, e.g. downloading, backing up, archiving, creating digital presentations as required, set best-in-class housekeeping standards for the team.
Work in close collaboration with product teams, designers and artists to ensure character and franchise integrity are maintained and design and art styles work are synchronised
Work closely with Senior Product Design and Development Manager/Design Manager/ Product Design and Development Director, Sofltines to ensure projects are planned effectively to meet deadlines on time and keep within budgets
Professional & Educational Background required
BA Hons (or similar) in a relevant discipline, e.g. product/fashion/graphic design
Commercial design experience in relevant categories or product design roles at a licensee, retail head office or supplier
Experience within consumer product commercialisation with a strong understanding and focus on the customer's DNA
Work experience in a multi-national, matrix organisation
Proven experience in retail or manufacturing design practice and ability to understand how buyers plan ranges, the commercial applications of product development and graphic design
Strong understanding of all elements of design: illustration, pattern, page layout, colour, product design, and trends, with the ability to create new graphic design assets from scratch
Highly skilled in Illustrator, Photoshop and other creative suite packages
Softskills desired
Strong ability to coach and supervise a team to achieve goals and inspire creativity with the ability to multi-task, managing multiple briefs
Proven ability to foster creativity, drive and lead on deliverables within the scope of the role
Ability to create both core design solutions as well as new interpretive and trend-right styles & have an awareness of marketplace trends in the design and retail environment
Experience in designing programs for licensed products, beneficial
An understanding of Disney characters and Disney storytelling and how it translates to product
Strong attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure and prioritise workload
Ability to communicate design ideas using freehand drawing, computer techniques and/or third-party design resources to both internal and external stakeholders
Strong written and spoken English for business use is essential
A professional level of proficiency in any other European language is beneficial
Cultural sensitivity and an understanding of local markets across EMEA
Perks
25 days annual leave
Private medical insurance & dental care
Free Park Entry: You will have the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free
Disney Discounts: you are 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.
...and many more
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. We are committed to building a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Our employees attend the office four days a week with one day a week to work from home.