Director Of Kids Licensing Character Design & Merchandising

We are seeking a director of kids licensing character design & merchandising to lead and elevate a growing creative team focused on licensed children's apparel and products. This is a highly collaborative leadership role for someone who combines strong creative instincts with merchandising sensibility and a deep understanding of licensed character design.

The ideal candidate is excited by the opportunity to help build and shape a fast-moving team and environment while driving elevated, commercially successful product across a wide portfolio of licensed brands and characters.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a creative merchandising and design team of approximately 10 people
• Drive the overall creative direction across licensed kids character product categories
• Partner closely with internal merchandising, sales, and production teams to deliver trend-right, commercially strong assortments
• Review and approve strike offs, color approvals, and artwork execution to ensure product quality and visual impact
• Maintain a strong eye for elevated design, color, graphics, and character placement
• Ensure product feels fresh, premium, and differentiated while remaining true to each licensor's brand standards
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with licensors and creative teams when applicable
• Collaborate cross functionally to identify opportunities for innovation, trend direction, and assortment growth
• Help establish scalable creative processes while contributing to the continued growth of the business

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in licensed kids apparel, accessories, or consumer products design/merchandising
• Prior experience managing and leading creative teams
• Strong understanding of licensed character product and the approvals process
• Exceptional taste level with a strong eye for color, graphics, and elevated design execution
• Experience reviewing strike offs, lab dips, and production samples with attention to detail and quality
• Strong communication and organizational skills with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Existing relationships with licensors and creative approval teams are a strong plus
• Entrepreneurial mindset with excitement around building and growing a team and business