The purpose of Associate Designer role is to carry out the product development and brand assurance for all Universal’s consumer brands within hardlines product categories such as toys, games, collectibles and consumer electronics. The Associate Designer will report into the Design Manager and be responsible for working directly with our licensees on a one-to-one basis to help oversee and influence the development of our licensees’ consumer product ranges across EMEA. They will be the key interface between our brands and our partners, art-directing licensees to take designs from initial idea/concept through to final production. They will work closely with our third-party rights owners and film-makers at every stage of development to ensure brand values and talent/character likeness are upheld in every product application, with all legal requirements being adhered to. As a part of the wider Product Design Studio, they will help to gather, report and influence upcoming consumer product trends for development.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day design and development submissions for Toys & Hardlines categories from concept through to final production across Universal Film and TV titles.
• Manage the submissions between licensees and multiple third-parties via our online product approval system, managing timelines and expectations to meet product range development schedules.
• Work closely with licensees to develop line plans and oversee approvals for product design and packaging.
• Provide clear and concise art direction to licensees: from 3D sculpts to 2D graphic application and typography, providing draw-overs and creative notes that guide our partners, following our character models and brand guidelines.
• Work with and influence licensees to deliver compelling product and innovation, and  maintain high quality across all product ranges.
• Work with the design team to highlight new product trends and opportunities, develop briefs for new artwork and product design explorations.
• Communicate with licensees to understand and support product initiatives and consumer preferences.
• Understanding and application of the wider Universal Product Design Studio Toys & Hardlines strategies.