Sr. Designer, Design & Development (Toys & Hardlines)

UDX Franchsie, Products and Partnerships is seeking a Senior Designer to oversee end-to-end creative and product development across Puzzles, Activities, party and packaging categories, driving design excellence, innovation, and commercial success. This role shapes and executes product design programs in alignment with brand vision, franchise priorities, and retailer business objectives, partnering closely with retail partners to execute market-ready products. Ensure brand integrity, quality, and on-time delivery while guiding creative & product development from concept through approval to drive innovation and strengthen brand presence at retail. Key Responsibilities Lead and oversee product development across puzzles, activities, party goods, and packaging, ensuring brand integrity, quality, and commercial relevance. Provide decisive creative direction to internal and external partners, establishing clear decisions and next steps. Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing creative culture that encourages innovation, professional growth, and thoughtful risk-taking. Drive creative excellence while optimizing processes, timelines, and resources to align design development with business objectives and key milestones. Conceptualize and develop compelling, differentiated product ranges across categories. Collaborate cross-functionally to advance business initiatives and strategies. Licensing & Brand Stewardship Apply expertise in entertainment and consumer products licensing across puzzles, activities, party goods, and packaging. Ensure all licensed products uphold franchise integrity, storytelling, and visual consistency. Guide partners through licensing and approvals, setting clear expectations for quality, timing, and execution. Design Expertise & Innovation Exceptional command of typography, color theory, layout, and composition. Translate creative concepts into commercially viable products and identify new business opportunities. Serve as the subject-matter expert in materials, technical design, and execution. Champion brand consistency by ensuring all designs meet Universal’s creative and quality standards. Provide partners with clear, actionable creative and product design guidance. Prioritize team workloads and competing demands in a fast-paced environment. Lead brainstorming for new product concepts, categories, and brand extensions. Track global design, retail, consumer, and cultural trends to identify innovation opportunities. Monitor competitive products and packaging to support differentiation. Communication & Collaboration Build trusted relationships with internal teams, senior leaders, and external partners to enable alignment and timely decisions. Use negotiation and influencing skills to manage stakeholders, third parties, rights holders, and filmmakers. Represent the Product Design Studio (PDS) as a creative leader in internal and external meetings. Oversee partner collaboration from concept through production, ensuring accountability and on-brand execution. Partner with Category, Franchise, and Legal teams to provide the assets and guidance required for commercially compelling products. Present creative strategies, product designs, and line plans in ways that engage and influence diverse stakeholders. Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned to meet the evolving needs of the team and business. Ability to travel as required to support business and operational needs. Hybrid: This position currently has a hybrid schedule, which requires contributing from the office a minimum of four days per week. The Company reserves the right to change in-office requirements at any time. This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website. Salary range: $90,000 - $105,000