Senior Manager, Brand Integrity

As the Senior Manager, Brand Integrity, you’ll play a pivotal role in protecting, elevating, and expanding the magic of Squishmallows across the globe. Reporting directly to the VP, Brand Integrity, this dynamic role bridges the gap between creative excellence and sharp business acumen. You will collaborate closely with world-class licensees and internal partners to ensure our signature quality, plush consistency, and demographic-spanning charm shine through every consumer touchpoint. As the day-to-day champion for our partners, you’ll lead creative direction, streamline approvals, drive process improvements, and inspire a talented team of direct reports to keep our brand integrity as soft and secure as our plush.

What You Will Do:

• Act as the primary creative contact for assigned licensees; lead regular meetings, share feedback, and provide direction that reflects brand standards and market trends.
• Translate trend insights and consumer data into differentiated, brand-aligned creative strategies tailored to various customer age ranges and retail channels.
• Ensure product differentiation by channel and support the retail strategy through informed creative oversight.
• Strong Graphic design skills to help our partners with creative solutions.
• Review and comment on product designs, packaging, and marketing collateral to ensure alignment with brand identity and age-appropriate appeal.
• Review product and packaging submissions, articulate clear direction to ensure brand integrity is preserved.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with retail, marketing, social, global events, and business teams to maintain alignment and elevate brand presence.
• Monitor product approval calendars, manage deadlines, and support on-time delivery of assets and reviews.
• Meet licensee timelines and provide clear creative direction, work at a fast pace to achieve both.
• Curate creative that reflects a brand-right elevated products (mock-ups) to inspire licensees and influence product collections.
• Communicate regularly with our licensees and support brand business objectives to maximise presence in the category.
• Build strong relationships with partners internally and externally.
• Manage pre-production and contractual samples.

Supervisor Responsibilities:

Manages People: Yes

• Manage and mentor direct reports, fostering professional growth and high creative standards.
• Delegate effectively across projects, providing constructive feedback and ensuring accountability.
• Promote a collaborative and inclusive team environment that values curiosity, ownership, and innovation.

What We Are Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, design, business, brand management, or another related field is a plus.
• 7+ years of experience in brand, marketing, licensing (or another related field) in a consumer goods industry, ideally in a design-focused or creative strategy role.
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership role.
• Adobe Creative Suite Expertise is a must (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally and leading creative conversations with external partners or licensees.
• Strong knowledge of branding principles.
• Skilled in managing multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven experience managing or mentoring junior team members, with the ability to delegate effectively, provide feedback, and support team development.
• Strong mass and specialty market design awareness; ability to interpret trends across multiple age groups and categories.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing constraints and product development cycles.
• Experience designing across multiple age groups and product categories.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and communication skills (both written and verbal).
• High attention to detail, adaptability, and ability to work independently or in a team setting.
• Proactive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented.
• Passion for design, trend forecasting, and brand building.
• Strong presentation skills, comfortable presenting creative direction and brand decisions to internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Embodies the company values: humility, passion, and collaboration.
• Prior experience in the toy industry a plus.