Designer, Design & Development (Toys)

About the role

Universal Franchise Products & Partnerships Consumer Products Group is seeking a creative, highly collaborative Toy Product Designer to join our Preschool Boys, Plush, Bluesky Team to develop innovative toy concepts and guide licensed products from early ideation through production.

This role combines hands-on product concepting, toy design, and creative art direction with a strong understanding of consumer needs and play. The designer will identify new and white-space opportunities, translate characters and stories into compelling products and play experiences, and partner closely with toy licensees and cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality products for consumers.

We are looking for a designer who loves toys, thinks proactively, brings new ideas forward, and can translate creative insights into intuitive, innovative, and commercially compelling products. This role reports to a Sr. Design Manager.

Responsibilities

• Primary focus: Partner closely with toy licensees throughout the full product-development process, from initial concept through production, providing clear, actionable creative direction through draw-overs, visual references, and design notes.
• Translate characters, stories, and franchise attributes into compelling product features, play patterns, and collectible experiences.
• Develop toy concepts & presentation through concept sketches, product renderings, mood boards, and visual storytelling that clearly communicate form, function, play pattern, and innovation.
• Manage product submissions through Universal's product approval systems, delivering timely, constructive, and solutions-oriented creative feedback to partners.
• Lead design projects in collaboration with internal and external cross-functional teams, balancing product objectives, consumer needs, and timelines.
• Co-create design strategies with the Manager and Director, using research, trends, and consumer insights to inform new product opportunities.
• Partner with Category, Retail, Franchise, and other cross-functional teams to ensure licensees have the creative direction, assets, insights, and information needed to develop compelling products.
• Identify consumer, category, and portfolio white-space opportunities and translate those insights into new product concepts and emerging opportunities through consumer insights, global toy trends, competitive products and cultural influences.
• Support the UP&E product development process through clear, timely communication and participation in key development reviews and meetings.
• Support additional creative initiatives ranging from blue-sky ideation, content exploration to product innovation.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned to meet the evolving needs of the team and business.
• Ability to travel as required to support business and operational needs.

Portfolio

• PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION GUIDLINES: Please submit a professional portfolio demonstrating strong product ideation, sketching, creative problem-solving, and design development is highly preferred. Examples of toy, children's product, character-based product, or other three-dimensional product design are strongly preferred. Portfolios must showcase the full product development lifecycle, from concept to shelf, and include examples of sketches, trend research, pattern and print development, overlays/redlines, technical design packages (tech packs), sampling iterations, and final produced products. All submitted work must be the candidate's original work, with clear examples of their individual design contributions.

Additional information

Hybrid: This position currently has a hybrid schedule, which requires contributing from the office a minimum of four days per week. The Company reserves the right to change in-office requirements at any time.

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website.

Qualifications & Requirements

• 3+ years of design and development experience.
• Bachelor's or Associate's Degree, preferably in toy design, industrial design, product design, or graphic design
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to provide thoughtful, clear, creative art direction to partners and vendors.
• Ability to prioritize and multitask in a dynamic, deadline-driven environment that revolves around multiple product development calendars.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
• Strong inter-personal skills to navigate situations across multi-functional departments
• Understanding of age-appropriate play patterns, and Experience with but not limited to preschool, plush, playset, action figures, vehicles, role play, collectibles, or related toy categories
• Demonstrated curiosity about consumer behavior, emerging toy trends, technology, innovation, and new ways to play.
• Skilled in Photoshop, Illustrator, and all relevant software for product development, including Keynote.
• Preferred Experience working with licensed entertainment IP, style guides, and character-driven product development.
• Understand and willing to learn and integrate company approved AI workflow.

About UDX FRANCHISE, PRODUCTS & PARTNERSHIPS

Universal Destination & Experiences' Franchise, Products & Partnerships team (UDX FPP) extends NBCUniversal's iconic brands, characters and stories through global consumer products and games, theme park merchandise and retail, in addition to the UDX enterprise function of franchise management and strategic partnerships. Supporting NBCUniversal's owned portfolio of properties as well as third-party partners across the theme park business, UDX FPP creates products, experiences and partnerships that deepen fandom and connects audiences around the world with the characters, stories and worlds that define Universal.