Senior Manager, Brand - Trends

Jazwares, LLC; Culver City (CA); Hybrid; USD 112,000 - 139,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Basic medical insurance

AD&D insurance

401K with company matching 4%

Disability insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Hybrid work with Fridays remote up to

Volunteer opportunities via Jazwares C

Job summary

Jazwares, LLC is seeking a Senior Brand Manager to lead end-to-end product execution for a fast-growing portfolio of trend-driven brands. You will manage plush and plastic lines from concept to shelf, aligning with licensors and cross-functional teams to meet brand ambitions.

The role requires 5+ years in product development or licensing, strong leadership, and deep knowledge of sports and pop culture trends. Hybrid work options and competitive salary are offered.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of product development, brand management, or licensing experience in consumer products or toys.
• Experience with plush, plastic products, and/or action figures strongly preferred.
• 3+ years of demonstrated team leadership or supervisory experience.
• Strong understanding of sports, pop culture trends, and fan-driven consumer products.
• Solid knowledge of product development lifecycle, manufacturing processes, and licensor approval workflows.
• Advanced analytical skills with experience analyzing sales data, retail exclusives, and competitive landscapes.
• High proficiency in project management software, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace.
• Knowledge of digital rights management (DRM) systems.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and negotiation skills across all levels of an organization.
• Proactive, critical thinker capable of managing shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end product execution for a high-growth portfolio of brands from concept to shelf.
• Drive line development and manage milestones and financial objectives.
• Understand retailer channel strategies for global markets and retail channels.
• Coordinate design approvals with licensors and stakeholders throughout development.
• Communicate project status, updates, issues, and opportunities across teams.
• Analyze sales data and industry trends to guide product architecture and growth.
• Provide consumer, category, and competitive insights for targeted exclusives.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration for brand planning and product development phases.

Skills

Brand management

Product development

Licensing

Leadership

Analytics

Project management software

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

DRM knowledge

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Project management software

Job description

As the Senior Brand Manager, you will lead end-to-end product execution for a high-growth portfolio of trend-driven brands. Manage plush and plastic lines from concept to shelf, bringing emerging pop culture and entertainment trends to market at global retail.

What You Will Do

• Work collaboratively with product design, packaging design, marketing, licensing, and other internal team partners to create a product that is the best fit for the brand
• Drive day-to-day line development for assigned brand(s) and manage to key development milestones and financial objectives
• Understand and identify retailer-specific channel strategies to create diverse product lines that satisfy the evolving needs of all global markets and retail channels
• Utilize project management software for assigned projects
• Coordinate design approvals with respective licensors and/or stake holders throughout the development process
• Consistently follow up with brand and cross-functional teams to communicate project status, updates, issues, and opportunities to the broader organization.
• Evaluate the competitive landscape and industry trends to help drive strategic decisions around product development and customer execution
• Analyze and evaluate sales data, understand the competition, and current industry trends to aid in product line architecture and development and identify growth opportunities and new product segments
• Provide consumer, category, and competitive insights and co-develop targeted retail exclusives plans working closely with the Business Director in identifying new trends, product concepts and development opportunities.
• Assist in brand and product strategies including themes and positioning, for every product development season
• Lead point of contact and communication with cross functional teams for assigned brands throughout the brand planning and product development phase
• Ensure brand integrity and development schedules are kept on track
• Ensure that all outsourced work is quoted in a timely fashion and approved prior to work performed
• Help verify that potential expenditures are in line with the proposed development budget of the item and negotiate competitive pricing with vendors and external partners
• Interface with key vendors/suppliers and product managers, to ensure a smooth business process
• Verify necessary changes are communicated to the responsible party and executed, elevating concerns to the Product Development and Brand Leadership.
• Liaise with Brand Managers to build licensor relationships and coordinate design approvals with respective licensors and/or stake holders throughout the development process by collaborating throughout development to achieve design and performance requirements while advising on costing, manufacturing, and scheduling parameters
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to plan and execute effective presentations
• Stay up to date with compliance/ style guides/ approvals through internal systems and external communication
• Provide timely feedback to cross functional teams
• Gather domestic and international field input on new and existing products
• Solicit and incorporate sales input into the development of new products
• Lead and participate in key account calls
• Track and analyze sales and profitability of new and existing products
• Work with Sales and Contract Manufacturing to proactively manage inventory (excess, backorders, etc.)
• Lead team to achieve results and ensure best in class products and brand integrity
• Perform other duties as assigned

Supervisor Responsibilities: Yes

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field pis a plus.
• 5+ years of product development, brand management, or licensing experience in consumer products or toys
• Experience with plush, plastic products, and/or action figures strongly preferred
• 3+ years of demonstrated team leadership or supervisory experience
• Strong understanding of sports, pop culture trends, and fan-driven consumer products
• Solid knowledge of product development lifecycle, manufacturing processes, and licensor approval workflows
• Advanced analytical skills with experience analyzing sales data, retail exclusives, and competitive landscapes
• High proficiency in project management software, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace
• Knowledge of digital rights management (DRM) systems
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and negotiation skills across all levels of an organization
• Proactive, critical thinker capable of managing shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee, but provide the primary duties and responsibilities of the role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

What We Offer

The salary range for this position is $112,440.00 - $139,440.00/ Yr. The base salary may vary based on experience, role tenure, performance, industry, and location. Eligibility for the annual performance incentive may apply. Jazwares is a multi-state employer, so the salary range may not apply to other states.

• basic medical insurance that is 100% company-paid for employees and their children
• employee basic life and AD&D insurance
• a 401(K) retirement program with Jazwares matching up to 4% of pretax or post-tax deferrals
• short and long-term disability
• tuition reimbursement
• Our work environment provides a flexible work schedule that includes Monday through Thursday on-site, with an optional WFH on Fridays, up to 20 workdays fully remote each year, and Time Off for vacation and sick leave
• Through Jazwares Cares, you will have the opportunity to volunteer for up to 16 hours a year on community service projects

Reasonable Accommodations

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working at Jazwares

• Passion: Our conviction and enthusiasm show in our products, relationships, and commitment to our community.
• Collaboration: We share one vision worldwide, constantly striving to improve and innovate together.
• Humility: We recognize the value in others and treat everyone with respect. Our strength lies in our people and talent.

Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to be part of the fastest-growing toy company in the industry. Connect with us today, and let's shape the future of play together!

JAZWARES is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, ancestry, disability, age, military status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Jazwares is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.

Who We Are

Jazwares, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading global toy manufacturer with a robust portfolio of owned and licensed brands. Founded in 1997, Jazwares celebrates imaginative play with a progressive focus on identifying new and relevant trends to transform into high-quality products for consumers of all ages. Jazwares engages consumers through innovative play experiences with popular brands such as Squishmallows™, Pokémon™, Hello Kitty™, Star Wars™, Five Nights at Freddy’s™, Disney™, BumBumz™, and BLDR™. In addition to toys, offerings include costumes, games, and pillows. Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, Jazwares has offices worldwide and sells its products in over 100 countries. For more information, visit www.jazwares.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

Recruitment Safety

Please be wary of unsolicited communications from individuals or websites you are not familiar with, or any communications requesting sensitive personal data or information. All official Jazwares employment information will come from our company email ending in @jazwares.com. Jazwares will never request any monetary payments at any point during its hiring process. If you have any questions about any unsolicited communications, you can reach out to [e-mail]. We look forward to you experiencing a safe and enjoyable application process at Jazwares!