Product Design & Development Manager – Health & Beauty (Fixed-term contract)

Disney Experiences; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Private medical insurance

Complimentary admission to Disney Park

Disney discounts

Parental leave

Employee Resource Groups

Job summary

The Walt Disney Company through Disney Experiences in London is seeking a Product Design and Development Manager to shape and lead the EMEA product design direction. You will unify franchise storytelling with market trends to create distinctive, commercially relevant product ranges, working with teams, licensees and retailers.

This 12-month fixed-term contract role is based in London, with four days onsite per week, and requires strong leadership, stakeholder management and design execution

Qualifications

• Extensive background in product design or consumer products commercialisation.
• Proven commercial and conceptual design experience with a strong portfolio.
• Experience leading and developing a product design or development team.
• Strong understanding of trends across markets and ability to brief teams.
• Knowledge of brand guidelines and ability to maintain brand integrity.
• Understanding of fabric, colour, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency in Mac OS, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Set the Product Design direction for EMEA and create commercially relevant product ranges.
• Lead trend analysis and translate insights into briefs and strategies.
• Drive 2D and 3D product concepts and pitches with strong storytelling.
• Collaborate across franchises, categories and licensees to deliver aligned strategies.
• Build strong relationships with partners, retailers and internal teams.
• Manage licensee accounts and the Online Product Approval process.
• Provide design guidance to licensees and internal teams to ensure quality.
• Partner with franchise leads to maintain storytelling alignment across products.
• Own calendars, milestones and approvals to meet business needs.
• Support leadership in delivering strategic priorities and improving processes.
• Lead and develop the Product Design team and foster inclusive culture.
• Champion integration and continuous improvement across teams.

Skills

Product design

Brand guidelines

Team leadership

Trends analysis

Presentation

DIY with design tools

Prototyping

Mac OS

Adobe Photoshop

Illustrator

Education

Degree in product design or related

Tools

CAD

OPA system

MS Office

Job description

About The Role & Team

Disney’s stories inspire audiences around the world, and this role turns that inspiration into imaginative Health & Beauty products that consumers can enjoy every day. As Product Design and Development Manager, you will help lead the creative vision for the category across EMEA, identifying fresh opportunities and transforming consumer insight, market trends and franchise storytelling into distinctive, commercially relevant product ranges.

From shaping the initial brief to guiding concepts through development and approval, you will bring teams, licensees and retail partners together around a clear creative ambition. You will champion quality and brand integrity, influence senior stakeholders and develop a talented product design team, creating an environment where bold thinking, collaboration and commercial impact go hand in hand.

This is a 12-month fixed-term contract role, starting in February, based in our London Hammersmith office, with an expectation to work onsite four days per week.

Values

You’ll join a team grounded in our Disney values, acting with Integrity, welcoming everyone through Inclusion, embracing boundless Creativity, working together through Collaboration and caring deeply for our Community. These values shape how we work and how we support one another every day.

What You Will Do

• Set the Product Design direction for EMEA, using market segmentation, cultural nuance, franchise priorities and evolving trends to create commercially relevant, best-in-class product and a recognisable design handwriting.
• Lead trend analysis, comp shops, workshops and regional design sessions, translating consumer and industry insights into briefs, creative strategies and short- and long-term white-space opportunities.
• Drive innovative 2D and 3D product concepts and partner pitches, ensuring strong storytelling, brand consistency, feasibility, value and alignment with regional growth priorities and global brand pillars.
• Collaborate across categories, franchises and lines of business, partnering with creative, commercial, operations, product creation and senior leadership teams to deliver aligned product strategies, briefs, assets and style guides.
• Build trusted relationships with key partners, retailers, licensees and internal and global creative teams, presenting concepts and pitches confidently and aligning stakeholders at all levels.
• Manage key licensee accounts and the Online Product Approval process from concept through submission and delivery, ensuring product integrity, quality, feasibility, partner fit and compliance with global guidelines.
• Provide expert design, trend and consumer-first guidance to licensees and the team, resolving approval issues, reducing duplication and maintaining consistent quality before and after delivery.
• Partner with franchise and character leads to maintain current franchise knowledge and ensure storytelling alignment across product development.
• Own calendars, critical paths and approvals, reporting progress, risks and KPI performance while ensuring design timelines and deliverables meet business and partner needs.
• Support the Senior Manager and Director in delivering strategic, creative and commercial priorities, improving processes and operational efficiency, and contributing to EMEA revenue and growth objectives.
• Lead and develop the Product Design team through clear goals, regular feedback, coaching, career development and learning plans, building accountability, capability and an inclusive, high-performing creative culture.
• Champion EMEA integration, inclusive working, shared best practice and continuous improvement, operating with integrity and professionalism while supporting change across teams, systems and processes.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Extensive background in product design or consumer products commercialisation, supported by a relevant degree or equivalent industry experience.
• Proven commercial and conceptual design experience, with a strong portfolio demonstrating innovation, commercial awareness, brand alignment and the ability to brief and manage internal or external designers and agencies.
• Experience leading and developing a product design or development team through clear direction, constructive feedback and coaching.
• Strong understanding of product, design and graphic trends across markets, with the ability to translate insights into commercially viable, brand-appropriate concepts and clear design briefs using digital design tools, CAD and third-party resources.
• Confident application of brand guidelines, creative assets and style guides across multiple categories and partners, with sound judgement around product integrity, risk, consistency and escalation.
• Strong knowledge of fabric, colour, materials, manufacturing techniques, packaging, prototypes and models, with the ability to assess feasibility, quality and value throughout development.
• Advanced proficiency in Mac OS, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Microsoft Office; familiarity with style guides and the Online Product Approval (OPA) system is desirable.
• Effective cross-functional collaborator and confident presenter, able to build trusted relationships, adapt communication, influence stakeholders and licensees, resolve issues and drive alignment through change.
• Highly organised and detail-focused, with the ability to manage multiple submissions, priorities, budgets and deadlines in a fast-paced environment while balancing creative ambition with commercial requirements.
• Proactive, creative, resourceful and adaptable, with strong written and spoken English, a willingness to learn new systems and processes, and the resilience to work effectively in a changing business environment; additional European languages are beneficial.

The Perks

• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical insurance & dental care
• Complimentary admission to eligible Disney Theme Parks, giving you the opportunity to experience the magic we create and make memories of your own. Admission is subject to availability, capacity restrictions, applicable rules, block-out dates, and eligibility requirements.
• Access to a wide range of Disney discounts on Disney merchandise, Disney Food & Beverage, Disney Resort Hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, National Geographic Expeditions, and more. Offerings are subject to availability and may be seasonal, and subject to applicable rules, restrictions, and eligibility requirements.
• Excellent parental and guardian leave
• Employee Resource Groups - WOMEN @ Disney, Disney Mosaic, Disney PRIDE, our 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.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.