Product Design & Development Associate - Home Textiles (Fixed-Term Contract)

Disney Parks and Resorts; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading entertainment company is seeking a Product Design and Development Associate in London. The role involves guiding product creation and ensuring alignment with brand standards. Candidates should possess relevant degrees, strong communication, and design skills. This position is a Fixed-Term Contract until June 2027 with a hybrid work model.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Private medical insurance & dental care

Free Park Entry for you and your family

Disney Discounts on selected products

Excellent parental leave

Qualifications

• Degree in a related field (e.g., product design) or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience creating prototypes or models.
• Ability to communicate a clear product design brief and visualize ideas.

Responsibilities

• Run the approvals journey end‑to‑end through Disney's OPA system.
• Provide product design and trend direction to licensees.
• Build effective relationships with licensees and stakeholders.

Skills

Product design

Communication skills

Trend analysis

Prototyping

Creative asset management

Education

Degree in a related field

Tools

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

MS Office

CAD

Job description

Job Summary:

About The Role & Team

At Disney Consumer Products (DCP), our Global Product Creation (GPC) team brings beloved stories to life through thoughtfully designed products that delight fans of every age. As a Product Design and Development Associate, you'll help shape trend‑right, brand‑right products for our licensees and DTR partners, guiding creative from first spark to final sign‑off.

This role will be based in our London Hammersmith office, 4 days a week, with 1 day a week working from home. This is a Fixed‑Term Contract position, running until June 2027.

What You Will Do

Steer best‑in‑class product creation

• Run the approvals journey end‑to‑end, moving submissions swiftly through Disney's Online Product Approval (OPA) system and ensuring alignment to global product integrity guidelines.
• Provide clear product design and trend direction to licensees across 2D applications and 3D product, raising the bar on quality, storytelling and brand fit.
• Train and develop licensees on the Disney brand, our property portfolio, creative assets and approval systems, so partners are set up for success.
• Make sure the right creative assets are in partners' hands at the right time to enable great product development.
• Build and nurture effective relationships with licensees and internal/external stakeholders, collaborating to solve problems and unlock new possibilities.
• Create product pitches, design visuals and core mock‑ups (under the guidance of your manager) that inspire stakeholders and bring ideas to life.
• Maintain an active knowledge of Disney characters, films, properties, heritage and creative assets, translating that understanding into joyful consumer products.
• Support regional, local and global initiatives as needed, contributing to cross‑market design projects and priorities.
• Safeguard that all products comply with corporate policies and relevant legislation.

Stay curious and trend‑led

• Keep a sharp eye on product and graphic trends, leading brands and pop culture, bringing fresh, relevant insights to your category.
• Join occasional "inspiration" trips to broaden EMEA market understanding and spark innovative, consumer‑loved solutions.
• Be a champion for smarter ways of working, proactively suggesting process and tooling improvements that help the team fly.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Degree in a related field (e.g., product design) or equivalent experience in a lifestyle product company.
• Proven experience creating prototypes or models.
• Up-to‑date knowledge of category trends and the broader world of design, with working knowledge of common manufacturing techniques and their application in production.
• Ability to communicate a clear product design brief and visualize ideas using CAD, digital tools and/or third‑party design resources.
• Strong conceptual and design skills with an eye for colour, shape and detail; understanding of fabric, stitching and graphic applications preferred.
• Organised, with the ability to deliver to deadlines and budgets as directed.
• Confident presenter, able to tailor messages to varied internal/external audiences.
• Skilled at influencing and supporting change across stakeholders.
• Written and spoken English for business use is essential; other European languages are a plus.
• Culturally sensitive with understanding of diverse EMEA markets.
• Proficient with Mac OSX, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and MS Office.
• Commercial product development experience in relevant categories, or experience in a product design role at a licensee, retail head office or supplier, is beneficial.
• Some packaging exposure and familiarity with style guides for the OPA system are desirable.

Additional Information

• Flexibility for UK, European or international travel may be required.
• Flexible hours may be needed at times to meet business needs.

Not sure you meet every requirement? At Disney, we know great talent comes in many forms. If you're excited by the role and believe you can make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

The Perks

• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical insurance & dental care
• Free Park Entry for you, your family and friends
• Disney Discounts on selected products, resort F&B and ticketing
• Excellent parental and guardian leave
• Employee Resource Groups - WOMEN @ Disney, Disney DIVERSITY, Disney PRIDE, ENABLED (disability & neurodiversity), and TRUST (Mental Health & Wellbeing)

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.

About Disney Experiences:

Disney Experiences brings the magic of Disney stories and franchises to life through theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, unique vacation experiences, products and more around the world. Disney shines in the travel industry with six resort destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia; a top‑rated cruise line; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award‑winning guided family adventure business. Plus, Disney's global consumer products operations include the world's leading licensing business; the world's largest children's publishing brands; one of the world's largest licensors of games across all platforms; and Disney store locations around the world and on the web.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world‑class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney's stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with The Walt Disney Company Limited, which is part of a business we call Disney Experiences.

The Walt Disney Company Limited is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion or belief, sex, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability or pregnancy or maternity. Disney fosters a business culture where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a rapidly changing world.