Senior Designer of Collectables, Consumer Gifts & Toys

tms; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous medical, dental, vision and other health benefits

Paid parental and medical leave programs

401(k) with company match

15 days of paid time off plus company holidays

Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment assistance

Inclusive employee resource groups

Job summary

tms in Chicago is seeking a creative Product Designer to develop fun and marketable products for kids and teens. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Toy or Product Design and 3+ years of relevant design experience. Responsibilities include generating innovative product concepts, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and balancing creativity with commercial considerations. The role offers a salary range of $75,000-$80,000 and benefits like generous health coverage, paid leave, and a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of agency or in-house product/industrial design experience within toys/games, lifestyle/fashion, sport, entertainment.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating depth and range in concept thinking, cultural awareness, and visual storytelling.
• Foundational understanding of injection molding processes and designing around value engineering and safety parameters.

Responsibilities

• Generate fast, original physical products and collectible concepts.
• Support the Global Family Business Unit across the end-to-end process.
• Communicate ideas through mood boards, sketches, and prototypes.

Skills

Product/industrial design experience

Presentation and storytelling skills

Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite

Knowledge of 3D modeling

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Toy Design, Product Design, Industrial Design or related

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat)

Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Sharepoint)

3D modeling software (Fusion 360, Blender, ZBrush, SolidWorks, Keyshot)

Job description

Product Designer – Global Product Design

We are looking for a creative product designer/developer with a strong passion for collectibles, gaming, lifestyle, and fashion products. The role focuses on developing playful, culturally relevant, and manufacturable concepts for older kids, teens, Gen‑Z, and kidult audiences.

Responsibilities

• Generate fast, original physical products and collectible concepts in response to campaign strategy briefs, aligning with cultural moments, trends, brand, consumer and market insights.
• Integrate play, lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, sport and kidult insights into ideation and innovation sessions.
• Translate global and local market trends into relevant product opportunities.
• Support the Global Family Business Unit across the end‑to‑end process—from ideation to development and production—especially in bringing product concepts to life.
• Communicate ideas through mood boards, sketches, digital visuals, proof‑of‑concept renders, and physical prototypes.
• Develop engaging presentation decks and concept boards that convey design thinking and strategic intent.
• Balance creativity with commercial considerations, including cost, manufacturing, safety, and sustainability.
• Solve complex design and engineering challenges with cross‑functional teams.
• Produce red‑line drawings, 3D prints, and prototype models to communicate solutions.
• Collaborate with partners across brand partnerships, account, strategy, creative, digital, engineering, delivery, and supply chain teams.
• Support senior stakeholders on large‑scale programs and lead smaller workstreams end‑to‑end.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Toy Design, Product Design, Industrial Design or related creative discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years of agency or in‑house product/industrial design experience within toys/games, lifestyle/fashion, sport, entertainment or adjacent categories.
• Knowledge of global retail brands, licenses, and studios in consumer product and toy industries.
• Strong presentation and storytelling skills, with ability to deliver concise, engaging presentations using various media.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating depth and range in concept thinking, cultural awareness, and visual storytelling.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat).
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Sharepoint).
• Agile, hands‑on design thinking and problem‑solving mindset.
• Foundational knowledge of 3D modeling, printing, and rendering software (e.g., Fusion 360, Blender, ZBrush, SolidWorks, Keyshot) and experience in character sculpting.
• Foundational understanding of injection molding processes and designing around value engineering and safety parameters.
• Strong grasp of color theory, attention to detail, and ability to drive appeal and perceived value.

Nice to Have

• Fan of kidult culture, Gen‑Z audiences, and collectibles.
• True enthusiast of collectibles, toys, and pop culture.
• Understanding of play patterns and safety standards (EN71/ASTM).
• Curiosity about consumer engagement with mainstream brands and emerging IP.
• Comfortable working in a fast‑moving, hybrid, cross‑functional environment.

Salary

Starting salary between $75,000-$80,000.

Benefits

• Generous medical, dental, vision and other health benefits.
• Paid parental and medical leave programs.
• 401(k) with company match and profit sharing.
• 15 days of paid time off plus company holidays.
• Hybrid work model.
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment assistance.
• Inclusive employee resource groups.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity at our company. We will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided 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.