Associate Toy Designer

About Us

tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world’s leading brands. With 1,200 employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions – from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.

Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald’s, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.

Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.

What Matters The Most

Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.

tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.

WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS ROLE

The Associate Toy Designer Designer will support the Happy Meal Creative team with the ideation and development of all toy concepts for North America and Global programs. You will have the opportunity help transform creative into REAL TOYS and other amazing premiums and collectibles. Not only will you help craft and ideate characters and programs, but you’ll be able to watch your visions come to life, from start to finish. You’ll help families explore new worlds and interact with fanciful characters and stories in exciting and unchartered ways, putting smiles on the faces of Millions of kids around the world – on a regular basis.

The Junior Product Designer should showcase a wide range of capabilities including illustration, concepting, drawing and rendering sketches, and an understanding of different forms and functions. They also should bring a range of artistic styles, with an ability to follow style-guides and match-style their artwork, as well as infuse their own unique aesthetic into Toy concepts and brainstorming sessions.

What You Will Bring To The Organization

Provide high-level design principles and advanced illustration skills in the creation of high-concept, on brand, high-impact 3D and visuals for Kid's TOY Product, Packaging, POS, and presentation materials. When needed: to help direct creative development from start to finish, ensuring that it meets and exceeds our Clients’ and Licensing Partners’ expectations and objectives.

• Generate strong, strategy-based, design/illustration solutions and champion them with enthusiasm
• Provide high-end, presentation-level Line Art illustrations for prototypes and decks
• Contribute enhanced design expertise and inspiration at the concept level and throughout every project assigned
• Assist CD and CCO throughout the creative development process; from start-up to presentation
• Contribute concepts for share in internal ideation reviews,
• Assist in planning for client presentations and meeting deadlines
• Help determine project priorities and share resources as needed
• Participate in creative reviews and take follow-up action
• Participate in client presentations as directed by CD.
• Work closely with account, planning, production and business support to develop and implement concepts for all product presentations
• Work to provide new approaches for creative exploration, and deliver innovative ideas and solutions based on program briefs and current market trends and industry parameters
• Consistently monitor projects to ensure presentation deadlines are met
  
  

Skills And Experience We Would Like You To Have

• Bachelor’s Degree in design / product design, BFA/MFA a plus
• 2-4 years of experience in a design and illustration within a promotional marketing agency/toy company preferred.
• Strong Conceptual problem solver : able to generate NEW and Engaging ideas with a strong eye towards a ‘never been done before’ approach.
• Comprehensive design background with solid experience in multiple disciplines of art direction such as merchandising and promotions
• Experience in the management of inside and outside resources
• Strong process and project management skills
• Understanding of Manufacturing Process for Retail Toy Product extremely helpful
• Ability to champion ideas at all levels
  
  

Job Knowledge

• Excellent illustration and drawing skills, both traditional and digital
• Advanced computer expertise in a wide range of programs with thorough knowledge of Ability to work closely with illustrators, freelance designers, sculptors, to obtain the desired creative output
• Adobe Creative Suite [Photoshop], Word, Outlook, PowerPoint
• Outstanding communications skills (written, verbal and visual) with an understanding of the importance roll that design plays, as a communication tool
• Strong awareness of Retail Trends; specifically, those related to Children’s Toys
• Excellent organizational, prioritization and inter-personal skills
• Experience with, or understanding of Z-brush or Freeform 3D modeling programs is a definite plus
• Ability to concept new product ideas based on specific design parameters and aligned with established marketing strategy; pricing and safety constraints; and activating targeted Kids Play Patterns
• Demonstrate an understanding of product design and manufacturing

• Possesses an awareness or appreciation of the following:
• Children's Toys; Licensed Properties
• Pop Culture: Kid and Family films; Cartoons; Comics
• Retail collectibles
  

Essential Physical/Other Requirements

• Works under frequent time pressures and ‘open concept’ office distractions
  
  

Interpersonal Skills

• Must be able to effectively interact and communicate with all levels of employees within TMS, as well as with Clients, Licensing Partners and Vendors
• Must possess an innate sense of fun