Product Development Director

Location: Point Pleasant, New Jersey, USA - Hybrid (minimum 3 days per week in office)

Reporting to: President of WeCool Toys Inc

Ready to lead endtoend product creation for a global toy business?

WeCool Toys is a global designer and manufacturer of innovative toys, accessories and stationery, creating products enjoyed by customers across international markets. We are driven by creativity, strong execution discipline and confident delivery.

We are now seeking an experienced Product Development Director to join our senior leadership team and take full ownership of the WeCool Toys product development portfolio.

This is a highimpact, senior leadership role with endtoend accountability for turning approved concepts into manufacturable, compliant and commercially credible products

Who are We?

WeCool Toys is part of the Paladone Group, an awardwinning global consumer products business known for creating innovative, licensed products across gifts, lifestyle and toys. Paladone works with some of the world's most recognisable brands, including Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel and DC.

Within the Group, WeCool operates as the specialist in toy development. In this role you will work very closely with Paladone Group teams, partnering across licensing, marketing, supply chain and operations to deliver globally successful product ranges.

The opportunity:

As Product Development Director, you will be responsible for the end to end development and creative execution of all WeCool Toys products across toys, accessories and stationery.

You will provide single point ownership for translating approved WeCool and Group business intent, portfolio strategy and licensed requirements into products that are technically feasible, scalable, compliant and delivery ready.

Operating at senior leadership level, you will act as the operational bridge between commercial ambition and execution reality enabling confident external commitments while protecting delivery integrity

What are key duties of the role?

Product Development & Creative Leadership

Provide senior leadership and singlepoint accountability for the full product development lifecycle across toys, accessories and stationery, from approved concept through to productionready handover.

Translate approved portfolio strategy, business intent and licensed requirements into clear, executable product definitions that are technically feasible, commercially credible and scalable.

Own and govern all product specifications, including materials, construction, packaging, safety requirements, claims and licensor standards, ensuring consistency, quality and compliance.

Lead and inspire the Creative and Design teams to deliver innovation that meets brand and market expectations, while remaining grounded in execution reality, cost awareness and manufacturability.

Ensure all product development activity adheres to relevant regulatory, quality and toy safety standards, protecting the business from compliance or reputational risk.

Range Planning, Delivery & Readiness

Deliver all product development activity in line with the approved WeCool master range plan, supporting confident commercial planning and external commitments.

Prioritise and sequence development projects based on strategic business priorities, internal and supplier capacity, and customer and market timing requirements.

Maintain clear, seniorlevel oversight of critical paths, dependencies and milestones across the portfolio, ensuring timelines are realistic, visible and actively managed.

Enforce disciplined progression through agreed stagegate processes, including concept approval, development milestones, product freeze and readiness to sell.

Ensure no product progresses without meeting defined readiness criteria, preventing late change, uncontrolled iteration or avoidable delivery risk.

Cost, Margin & Supplier Management

Own developmentphase cost accuracy and margin discipline, working to agreed cost targets and commercial guardrails.

Lead factory engagement and negotiations covering FOB pricing, tooling investment, value engineering and costdown initiatives.

Challenge cost assumptions to ensure all pricing is credible, achievable and fully understood before external or commercial commitments are made.

Work closely with Supply Chain and Operations to ensure products are industrialised effectively, with clear understanding of capacity, lead times, risks and mitigation options.

Risk Management & Senior Escalation

Proactively identify, assess and manage risks across delivery timelines, cost, margin, compliance, safety, quality and supplier capacity.

Provide early, evidencebased visibility of delivery risks, feasibility constraints or capacity pinch points to support informed decisionmaking.

Escalate material risks, tradeoffs or unfeasible requests promptly, supported by clear impact analysis, options and recommendations.

Actively protect the business from overcommitment by maintaining execution realism, delivery discipline and operational integrity.

People Leadership & Ways of Working

Lead, coach and develop a highperforming Product Development and Creative leadership team, setting clear expectations, objectives and accountability.

Drive strong engagement, performance management and talent development through regular feedback, structured reviews and clear role clarity.

Embed disciplined ways of working, ensuring agreed systems and processes (including BeCPG) are used consistently as the single source of truth.

Maintain clear, confident communication across teams and senior stakeholders within WeCool and the wider Paladone Group.

What we need you to bring to the team:

This role is suited to a senior product development leader with the credibility and experience to operate at strategic level.

Minimum 10 years' product development experience at management or senior leadership level

Toy industry background, with strong understanding of toy safety and compliance

Proven licensed product development experience

Strong manufacturing and industrialisation expertise, including Far East supply bases

Experience working crossfunctionally within a group or multibrand environment

Willingness and ability to work from our Point Pleasant, New Jersey office at least 3 days per week

What we will offer in return:

In alignment with US statebystate regulations, specific benefits may vary by location; however, our broader US benefits package includes support for work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health and medical benefits, and personal development.

Beyond benefits, this role offers something more distinctive.

Paladone is a fastgrowing global consumer products business, with WeCool Toys playing a critical role in shaping the Group's future toy portfolio. This role provides the opportunity to be part of that growth story at a senior level with real ownership, visibility and influence.

As Product Development Director, you won't just inherit established processes, you'll have the scope to shape how product development operates and leave a lasting mark on the way innovative, licensed toy products are brought to market.

If you want to work somewhere that values creativity, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, this could be the perfect fit.

What is next?

If you're ready to take on a senior leadership role with genuine accountability and impact within WeCool and the wider Paladone Group, we'd love to hear from you.

Click Apply and submit your resume and cover letter.