At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative food product development inspired by Disney's iconic brands across EMEA.
- Company: Join Disney, a global leader in creativity and storytelling.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, private medical insurance, and free park entry.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values creativity, inclusion, and community.
- Why this job: Shape the future of Disney's Food+ products while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in product design and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 66000 £ per year.
The Product Design and Development Senior Manager for Disney Consumer Products will lead creative and commercial development of Disney's Food+ product portfolio across EMEA. In this role you will be driving innovative food and beverage concepts inspired by Disney's brands and franchises while balancing creativity, commerciality, and brand integrity.
The Senior Manager identifies consumer and market trends, develops compelling product strategies, and partners closely with licensees, retailers, and internal teams to bring market-leading products from concept to launch. They oversee product quality, approvals, and brand integrity while leading a high-performing product development team and ensuring all Food+ offerings deliver strong storytelling, commercial success, and consumer appeal across diverse markets. If selected for this role, you will report into the Product Design and Development Director.
This permanent role is based in our London Hammersmith office, with an expectation to work onsite four days per week. You will also be required to undertake occasional international travel.
Values
You'll join a team grounded in our Disney values, acting with Integrity, welcoming everyone through Inclusion, embracing boundless Creativity, working together through Collaboration and caring deeply for our Community. These values shape how we work and how we support one another every day.
What You Will Do
- Lead trend strategy and product design direction, delivering market leading, insight anchored product lines at the right price/value tiers across EMEA.
- Identify emerging macro themes, market dynamics, and cross line of business opportunities, crafting conceptual narratives and trend centric design directions that scale across partners, categories, and markets.
- Shape the product development roadmap by identifying future white space and growth platforms, creating compelling retailer and licensee pitch inspiration.
- Apply deep understanding of EMEA markets, including segmentation, country nuances, franchise diversity, and design trends, to elevate product relevance and performance.
- Provide senior level oversight of end to end product development quality, setting scalable and repeatable creative and development standards across the portfolio.
- Deliver commercially grounded, market leading product lines that balance innovation, consistency, and brand integrity across EMEA.
- Ensure product development meets brand, commercial, and integrity standards from concept through delivery, including packaging and approvals through online systems.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with retailers, internal stakeholders, global creative teams, and licensees to ensure aligned execution and commercial success.
- Manage assigned licensee accounts from concept through final approval, assessing pre and post quality delivery, market readiness, and approval critical paths.
- Prioritise and deliver against commercial needs, partnering with commercial teams to ensure business growth underpins all creative decisions and earned revenue targets and KPIs are achieved.
- Lead, manage, and develop the product design and development team, providing clear direction, feedback, coaching, and growth opportunities while building succession depth.
Required Qualifications & Skills
- Extensive experience in product design and development or related consumer products fields, including expertise in management leading creative or product development teams.
- Advanced trend knowledge and strong understanding of end-to-end manufacturing processes, including key techniques, vendor capabilities, and production lead times.
- Ability to translate industry and cultural trends into commercially viable opportunities for Disney Experiences' consumer products and retail environments.
- Excellent conceptual and product design skills, including strong understanding of fabric, colour, materials, and product design principles, with proven experience creating prototypes and models.
- Proficiency in communicating design concepts through CAD and digital tools, including advanced proficiency in Mac OSX, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Microsoft Office.
- Proven partner and licensee management experience across multiple accounts and territories, fostering strong business relationships and managing approvals through systems such as OPA.
- Highly organised with excellent prioritisation and time management skills; resilient, adaptable, and forward thinking in a fast evolving environment.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to translate strategy, delegate effectively, mentor others, and drive key deliverables across multiple related teams.
- Strong business level written and spoken English; additional European languages are beneficial.
- Bachelor's Degree or higher in Product Design, Industrial Design, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience in a lifestyle or consumer products company.
The Perks
- 25 days annual leave
- Private medical insurance & dental care
- Free Park Entry: You will have the opportunity to enter any of our parks with your family and friends for free
- Disney Discounts: you are entitled to discounts on designated Disney products, resort F&B and ticketing
- Excellent parental and guardian leave
- Employee Resource Groups – WOMEN @ Disney, Disney Mosaic, Disney PRIDE, our disability & neurodiversity focused group - ENABLED, and our Mental Health & Wellbeing Group, TRUST.
The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our audiences, and where all can thrive and belong. Disney is committed to forming a team that includes and respects a variety of voices, identities, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Senior Product Design & Development Manager - Food+ in London employer: Disney Interactive
At Disney, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity, collaboration, and inclusion. As a Senior Product Design & Development Manager based in our London Hammersmith office, you will enjoy a range of benefits including 25 days of annual leave, private medical insurance, and free park entry for you and your family. With ample opportunities for professional growth and a commitment to employee well-being, Disney is dedicated to creating a workplace where every team member can thrive and contribute to our beloved brand's legacy.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Product Design & Development Manager - Food+ in London
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like Disney Interactive!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at Disney Interactive would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at Disney Interactive through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Product Design & Development Manager - Food+ in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Senior Product Design & Development Manager - Food+, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the Senior Product Design & Development Manager - Food+ position at Disney Interactive. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Disney Interactive
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
