Senior Manager, Sourcing/Toys Product Development

About the Role:

We're looking for a highly experienced and strategic Senior Manager to lead our diverse toy product portfolio, reporting to the Director, Merchandise Sourcing and Product Development - Hardlines.  In this role, you'll be instrumental in bringing innovative toy concepts to life, from initial design consultation to final product execution!  This role spans responsibility across a variety of hardlines categories including classic toys, premium toys, fashion dolls, bubbles, glow, and souvenirs.  You'll manage a talented team, drive strategic business objectives, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective products that resonate with our guests.

You will need to deeply understand the importance of quality, on-time delivery, design-to-value (cost engineering), and continuous innovation.  You will need to have a keen eye on optimizing total acquisition cost and ability to identify risk reduction opportunities by cultivating a diverse mix of suppliers across multiple manufacturing countries.

You'll be a key player in shaping the future of our expansive product line, working with a passionate team to create toys that delight and inspire our guests around the world across a diverse range of categories.

What You Will Do:

• Lead and mentor a team of sourcing and product development experts, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration while emphasizing the critical balance of creativity and execution.
• Oversee the entire product development lifecycle for assigned categories, including classic toys, premium toys, fashion dolls, bubbles, and souvenirs, ensuring on-time delivery and on-budget execution without compromising quality.
• Develop and execute comprehensive sourcing strategies to identify, evaluate, and collaborate with international manufacturers best suited for each product category, prioritizing those who consistently meet our quality and delivery standards.  This includes actively exploring and implementing strategies for diversifying the country of manufacture to reduce geopolitical, economic, and supply chain risks.  With a particular focus on expanding our beyond traditional regions, experience in India or the Americas is a major benefit.
• Coach your team in negotiating terms and pricing with suppliers to achieve optimal cost, quality, and delivery for all product lines, always seeking opportunities for design-to-value and optimizing total acquisition cost (considering factors beyond unit price such as freight, duties, lead times, and inventory carrying costs).
• Utilize advanced cost engineering principles to optimize product designs and manufacturing processes, driving profitability across all categories through design-to-value initiatives and contributions to optimizing total acquisition cost.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product design, merchandising, planning, production, and product integrity to ensure seamless integration of product vision and business objectives for each category.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, new materials, and manufacturing techniques to maintain a competitive edge and explore innovative solutions for our diverse product range, always considering their impact on quality, design-to-value, and total acquisition cost.

Basic Qualifications and Skills:

• 8 or more years of experience in new product development, with a proven track record of successful product launches across multiple categories, including specific experience with classic toys, premium toys, fashion dolls, bubbles, and/or souvenirs or equivalent experience.
• Extensive experience working with international suppliers and manufacturers, particularly in Asia or India, demonstrating strong capabilities in global supply chain management with an emphasis on ensuring quality and on-time delivery.
• Proven expertise in developing and executing sourcing strategies that prioritize diversifying the country of manufacture to reduce risk and a deep understanding of factors that contribute to optimizing total acquisition cost.
• Deep expertise in toy materials, manufacturing techniques, cost engineering, and a nuanced understanding of their application across different toy categories, with a strong focus on design-to-value.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a high-performing team towards goals centered on quality, innovation, and efficiency.
• Proven ability to think strategically, translating business objectives into actionable product development and sourcing roadmap.
• Experience with the toy manufacturing landscape in India or Latin America is a significant plus

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, supply chain management, or a related field or equivalent experience

Additional Information

• Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life! This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities, and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits