Vice President, Product Design Softlines & Fashion Office

Job Description

Lead the design & development of all global apparel, accessories & lifestyle products for the Mickey & Classic Characters franchises: Design and develop one global product line that is consumer-led, leveraged across all channels of business and inclusive of region-specific needs.

• Strategically manage product design & development to capture growth within a large-scale, mature, global business across all channels of business
• Lead a team of designers to develop holistic, multi-category product lines that bring the magic of our company to the products we make, deliver market-leading, innovation, drive revenue and capture market share globally
• Lead design team through product approvals that uphold the integrity of our franchises, are creative, innovative and consumer-centric, deliver the highest quality products for the money and breakthrough in the market place globally
• Partner with Creative and Consumer Insights Measurement and Analytics to drive up-front trend point of view and identify future areas of growth in the franchise and across product categories
• Partner with Studio, Content Providers, Creative and Marketing teams to bring our content and IP to life properly and with a consistent brand point of view across the globe
• Work with over 4000 3rd party partners to design and approve market leading product lines for the franchises
• Design products that meet or exceed margin requirements and while delivering proper price/value. Redesign as needed to achieve all KPI’s
• Lead a team of designers in creative ideation and market / trend spotting
• Collaborate with fellow Product Design Vice Presidents to ensure best practices and ideation is shared across all brands

Lead Product Design & Development in Collaborations with Halo Partners
Drive aspiration in the contemporary space though well-executed, high-end product designs that capture a new audience and pave the way for new channels of growth though the elevation of our brands and products in the global market place

• Build deep & collaborative relationships with halo design partners
• Partner with VP, Brand Merchandise and VP, Creative to develop new and contemporary ways to utilize our IP within products including a unique aesthetic point of view for our IP in the luxury space at retail
• Partner with VP, Creative and Halo Design Partner on Art to Product execution and point of view
• Attract and convert new consumers though the creation of products and programs specifically designed for the up-channel retail space globally
• Attract and convert new consumers though introduction of new and trending co-brand partnerships
• Lead global product design and creative point of view with both up-channel and halo collaborations
• Source and Identify future up-and-coming halo partners
• Connect across the Brand Merchandising & Product Design heads to build Halo product opportunities within all brands globally

Lead the Global Fashion Office
Drive global aesthetic in fashion and lifestyle though a well curated use of trend, industry knowledge and design specialty.

• Build a global reputation for fashion and lifestyle across our Brands that speaks to a contemporary audience and is recognized for style and quality
• Develop global fashion concepts and seasonal vision for our brands
• Drive deep & collaborative relationships with global partners and retailers in the fashion space
• Lead a team of global fashion design experts (Global Fashion Council) in the creation of a new and modern Disney fashion aesthetic
• Build out long-range strategy around up and coming fashion designer partnerships
• Drive deep connection to the global fashion industry though outside networking, though trend services and with key fashion houses
• Maintain a finger on the pulse of culture; hone a deep understanding of social media, influencer space, consumer trends and zeitgeist
• Maximize buzz-worthiness by building items that drive a deep emotional connection with our consumers
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in product design across the retail, wholesale and 3rd party environments
• Experience in apparel preferred
• Experience designing products that resonate with consumers both globally and locally across the world
• Experience designing and developing product lines for vertical specialty retailing
• Experience working with large-scale, global retailers and partners to bring product designs to market for a variety of different consumer targets
• Experience managing a global team with direct reports, stakeholders and partners in other countries
• Demonstrated ability to lead a product design team in the creation of consumer-led items from concept through activation
• Demonstrated ability to capitalize on market trends and consumer zeitgeist to maximize value creation throughout the trend cycle
• Demonstrated ability to create, leverage and scale innovation in consumer products
• Strategic thinker with the ability to drive quality product design within financial KPI’s
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to influence a diverse audience including experience working with external partners and business owners to bring product designs to life
• Proven success working, and thriving, in a highly matrixed company structure
• Robust leadership and talent development abilities and a collaborative and effective management style
• Strong team player with the ability to build & foster collaborative partnerships across functions & departments within The Walt Disney Corporation and externally
• Proven ability to think creatively and disruptively to bring and infuse new ideas into product design
• Experience in multiple segments within the global market
• Demonstrated ability to lead the organizational and cultural change efforts needed to ensure new, innovative concepts, business practices, and technologies are fully adopted and integrated into the business
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally
• Bachelor’s Degree in Product Design or related field

The Vice President, Product Design Softlines & Fashion Office will lead the product design, and approval for the Mickey & Classic Characters franchises. Accountability will span across all apparel, accessories and lifestyle product categories and within all distribution channels globally. This role will be focused on the essential product design strategies and initiatives that will equip The Walt Disney Company in unlocking its next wave of short-term and long-term growth in products while delivering innovation, increased value and new businesses to the organization.
Reporting to the SVP, Brand Merchandising & Design for Mickey & Classic Characters, the Vice President will be based in Glendale.
Required Education :

• Bachelor’s Degree in Product Design or related field

Preferred Education :

• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in product design across the retail, wholesale and 3rd party environments
• Experience in apparel preferred
• Experience designing products that resonate with consumers both globally and locally across the world
• Experience designing and developing product lines for vertical specialty retailing
• Experience working with large-scale, global retailers and partners to bring product designs to market for a variety of different consumer targets
• Experience managing a global team with direct reports, stakeholders and partners in other countries
• Demonstrated ability to lead a product design team in the creation of consumer-led items from concept through activation
• Demonstrated ability to capitalize on market trends and consumer zeitgeist to maximize value creation throughout the trend cycle
• Demonstrated ability to create, leverage and scale innovation in consumer products
• Strategic thinker with the ability to drive quality product design within financial KPI’s
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to influence a diverse audience including experience working with external partners and business owners to bring product designs to life
• Proven success working, and thriving, in a highly matrixed company structure
• Robust leadership and talent development abilities and a collaborative and effective management style
• Strong team player with the ability to build & foster collaborative partnerships across functions & departments within The Walt Disney Corporation and externally
• Proven ability to think creatively and disruptively to bring and infuse new ideas into product design
• Experience in multiple segments within the global market
• Demonstrated ability to lead the organizational and cultural change efforts needed to ensure new, innovative concepts, business practices, and technologies are fully adopted and integrated into the business
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally

Company Overview :
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