Company Description

About Us:

YuMe Toys (part of the Maxx Group) is an award-winning global toy brand that dreams of bringing people together through imagination, fun, and entertainment. YuMe, inspired by the word meaning “to dream” in Japanese, is recognized for its highly stylized plush, surprise capsules, and other toy lines, which have gained strong momentum in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia since 2018. The YuMe brand designates the highest quality soft and hard toys/ collectibles featuring popular entertainment and pop culture brands such as, Netflix - Stranger Things, Squid Games, Sanrio - Hello Kitty & Friends, Disney, Warner Bros - Wizarding World, DC Comics, Hasbro - Transformers, Crunchyroll - Jujutsu Kaisen, Solo Leveling, Kaiju Number 8 and many others.

https://www.yumetoys.com/

https://www.maxxgroupglobal.com/

Job Description

Opportunity:

YuMe Toys has an immediate requirement for a full-time Toy Product Designer to join our London office. Must be able to work on-site four days per week - Monday to Thursday. This role will focus on designing toys and collectibles as well as character illustrations.

You will be required to create fun, innovative design and 3D digital sculpts for our retail licensed and seasonal products. It is essential that the designer takes a keen interest in the brand arena and brings an acute awareness of new trends in toys, collectibles and other consumer products. Must be able to work quickly and create clean, modern design works as well as participate in creative brainstorms, sharing new ideas and concepts for projects. Experience with toys or consumer products is crucial.

The Toy Product Designer will report to the Senior Art Director and Global Creative Director. Will need to work both independently and in a team environment with the account, product development, and creative teams, both local and international, to develop a wide range of designs from start to finish. Needs to have strong interest in entertainment/ gaming-based properties as well as anime, pop culture and have a finger on the pulse of new upcoming trends.

Principals only please; no recruiters or phone calls.

Responsibilities:

Participate in product & line strategy development.
Participate in new product brainstorming & presenting multiple options for each new product.
Concept development for existing brands and new areas of expansion.
Convey initial concepts through design sketches & renderings and digital sculpts.
Liaise with clients/licensors, including at their offices, in order to develop design approaches that exceed expectations.
Conceive creative concepts in response to market trends and client collaboration, translating such ideas into visual formats.
Work collaboratively with various departments and team members such as art directors, interactive designers, developers, and copywriters in order to ensure concept is thoroughly comprehended and communicated and the design concept fully incorporates agreed requirements.
Provide direct assistance in the building of brand identities and the development of messaging and imaging.
Undertake market research as required.
Assist in the planning of production schedules and workflow for the entire design process.
Provide technical and creative guidance as required.
Assist in the development and mentoring of junior designers.
Develop and deliver design solution presentations that effectively communicate visual concepts.

Qualifications

BA in Design specializing in Toy Design, Product Design, Industrial Design, or equivalent.
Must be able to use the Adobe Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) and 3D software such as Zbrush or equivalent.
Minimum of two years of direct work experience with licensed consumer products preferred.
Excellent design and conceptual skills as evidenced in personal portfolio.
Passionate self-motivated individual with the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
Demonstrated innovative and creative thinker.
Must be able to work on multiple projects simultaneously with a demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated effective deadline management and project management skills.
Strong interpersonal skills required to communicate with a broad range of individuals including key members of design teams, various stakeholders, and clientele.
Ability to analyse and interpret user requirements.
Experience in management and leadership, specifically creating workflows and work schedules.
Strong communication skill with high written and spoken language proficiency.

Additional Information

Application Process:

Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining why you are a good fit for this position. We will only respond to candidates we have an interest in interviewing. We thank all others in advance. All responses will be kept strictly confidential. Maxx Group is an equal opportunity employer that employs individuals based on job-related qualifications regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disabilities, or any basis prohibited by law.