Senior Design Leader, Plush & Collectibles

Jazwares, LLC; Santa Fe Springs (CA); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company-paid medical

4% 401(k) match

Disability insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Hybrid work schedule

Volunteer time off

Vacation & sick leave

Job summary

Jazwares, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is seeking a Senior Manager of Product Design for the Squishmallows brand to lead design from ideation to production, balancing creativity with strategy and cost targets.

You will mentor junior staff, partner with cross-functional teams including branding, packaging, licensing, and global manufacturing to deliver high-quality plush concepts, while maintaining schedules and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in product design with plush or character-led products.
• 5+ years collaborating with global manufacturing (Asia preferred).
• 4+ years direct leadership, mentoring staff.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and rendering.
• Strong knowledge of licensed brands and trends.

Responsibilities

• Manage the design, development, QC/QA processes for the Squishmallows brand within target costs, quality standards, and schedules.
• Collaborate on strategic direction and generate new toy concepts to enhance the brand.
• Provide product turnover documentation (PDS) to internal teams and global partners.
• Review and feedback on 3D turns, sculpt, paint masters, and samples.
• Partner with branding, product management, engineering, packaging, and licensing to align with licensor needs and brand goals.
• Lead meetings, manage resources, and track project assignments across cross-functional teams.
• Mentor junior design staff and manage external vendor partnerships.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Plush design

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Market trend analysis

Licensing knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Toy Design

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

Jazwares, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is seeking a Senior Manager of Product Design for the Squishmallows brand to lead design from ideation to production, balancing creativity with strategy and cost targets.

You will mentor junior staff, partner with cross-functional teams including branding, packaging, licensing, and global manufacturing to deliver high-quality plush concepts, while maintaining schedules and quality standards.