Director, Design & Development

The Director, Design & Development, is responsible for leading a diverse fashion creative team and driving a creative vision rooted in the contemporary consumer, while supporting and owning category growth objectives. This role provides creative and strategic leadership across a broad portfolio, overseeing all Fashion & Living responsibilities spanning Universal Studios, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation, TV and E-commerce businesses for licensing and Parks. In addition, the role fosters a professional and inspiring creative environment that encourages smart, innovative design solutions at every level. Responsibilities Creative Leadership & Vision Lead and oversee the creative vision across multiple categories, ensuring brand consistency, innovation, and elevated design execution. Develop innovative concepts, visual storytelling, and brand-right creative solutions that resonate with target consumers and strengthen brand equity. Act as the creative bridge between licensors, licensees, retail partners, and internal teams to maximize brand value through design. Ensure alignment between creative vision, brand strategy, and commercial objectives across all product categories. Influence cross-functional stakeholders across Category Management, Retail Development, Licensing, and Parks to align creative strategies with business priorities. Maintain exceptional standards of design quality, craftsmanship, and execution across all creative outputs. Drive informed creative solutions by leveraging global and local market trends, consumer insights, and emerging cultural influences. Product Development & Design Execution Partner with Retail Buying teams, licensees, and Category Leadership to develop strategically aligned and commercially viable product assortments. Lead and manage all creative aspects of fashion and product design, ensuring trend-forward development and timely execution. Actively participate in concept development, sketching, illustration, and visual asset creation. Interpret and evolve style guides while creating original graphic assets, design applications, and innovative expressions of IP. Translate trends in materials, silhouettes, fashion aesthetics, and consumer behavior into compelling licensed products. Create impactful presentations and creative assets for regional and internal stakeholders, licensors, licensees, and retail partners. Demonstrate strong expertise in composition, typography, color theory, and fashion design principles including manufacturing and printing processes, assortment planning, graphic and pattern development, branding and trim development Licensing & Brand Stewardship Manage end-to-end licensor approvals, ensuring all products meet brand standards, contractual obligations, and creative expectations. Interpret and elevate licensor feedback, refining product design while maintaining authenticity and brand integrity. Partner closely with intellectual property holders to create differentiated and market-leading pr