Original Merchandise Developer (Bilingual Japanese/English)

The Pokémon Company International; Bellevue (KY); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Employer-paid health insurance

Generous paid family leave

Life insurance

Job summary

The Pokémon Company International is seeking an Original Merchandise Developer – Plush (Bilingual Japanese/English) to lead plush product development from concept to production. You will collaborate with Original Merchandise, Production, Quality, and external vendors to ensure high-quality plush that aligns with brand standards and timelines.

Applicants should have 3–5 years of plush/toy product experience, near-native JP/EN, and strong collaboration and project management skills.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of professional experience in plush, toy, or 3D consumer product development.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Near-native level bilingual proficiency in Japanese and English.
• Strong understanding of product construction, materials, manufacturing processes, and quality standards.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate product quality, character accuracy, and consumer appeal.
• Experience with overseas manufacturers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong project management, prioritization, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and approval of plush products from concept through production sample approvals.
• Review prototypes and production samples to evaluate quality, construction, materials, and character accuracy.
• Provide feedback to vendors to improve quality and manufacturability.
• Create concept sketches, development artwork, or technical illustrations as needed.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, external partners, and vendors throughout the product development process.
• Manage multiple product development projects balancing quality, cost, and timelines.
• Identify development risks and propose practical solutions.
• Translate development documents between Japanese and English.

Skills

Plush product development

Bilingual Japanese/English

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Manufacturing processes

Quality standards

Microsoft Office

Confluence

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Illustrator

Photoshop

Job description

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.comand pokemon.com.

Get to know the role

Job Title: Original Merchandise Developer – Plush (Bilingual Japanese/English)

Job Summary: This role is responsible for driving the development and approval of plush products for Original Merchandise, ensuring high-quality products that meet Pokémon brand standards and business objectives. The role works closely with the internal stakeholders such as Original Merchandise, Production, Quality, and external vendors and partners to lead plush products from concept through production while balancing product quality, manufacturability, cost, and timelines. Success in this role requires strong plush and/or 3D product development expertise, sound product judgment, native-level Japanese and English communication skills, ownership, and effective cross-functional collaboration.

What you’ll do

• Lead the development and approval of plush products from concept through production sample approvals.
• Review prototypes and production samples to evaluate quality, construction, materials, and character accuracy.
• Provide clear, actionable feedback to vendors to improve product quality and manufacturability.
• Create concept sketches, development artwork, or technical illustrations as needed to support plush prototyping and sample development.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, external partners, and vendors throughout the product development process.
• Manage multiple product development projects while balancing quality, cost, and timelines.
• Identify development risks and recommend practical solutions.
• Translate product development documents, review comments, and business communications between Japanese and English.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of plush development standards, review guidelines, and team processes.
• Organize and maintain product samples, development records, and project documentation.

What You Will Bring

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of professional experience in plush, toy, or 3D consumer product development.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Near-native level bilingual proficiency in Japanese and English.
• Strong understanding of product construction, materials, manufacturing processes, and quality standards.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate product quality, character accuracy, and consumer appeal.
• Experience working directly with overseas manufacturers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong project management, prioritization, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook), SharePoint, Confluence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Educational background or professional experience in Product Design, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, or a related field.
• Ability to create concept sketches, development artwork, and technical illustrations for plush product prototyping and sample development.
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
• Experience developing character-based consumer products.
• Passion for Pokémon and a strong interest in creating exceptional character merchandise.

Base Salary Range:

For this role, new hires generally start between $86,200 - $102,300 per year. The full range is $86,200 - $151,000 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

#LI-CK1 #LI-Hybrid

How you’ll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a "team first" mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].