Brand Design Lead

JOB SUMMARY:

At Outward Hound, we create thoughtful, innovative products that strengthen the bond between pets and their people. We love creating products that are not only cute and full of personality, but also innovative, functional, and genuinely fun to use - bringing playful ideas to life in ways that surprise and delight customers every day. We are looking for a Senior Industrial Designer to help lead product design and innovation initiatives across our portfolio and help shape the future direction of our brands.

We are looking for someone who is deeply passionate about pets, consumer products, and innovation - someone energized by building meaningful products and contributing beyond the minimum expectations of the role. This role is intended for a highly experienced industrial designer who can operate independently, influence cross-functional decision-making, and drive products from opportunity definition through commercialization.

We are specifically looking for a designer with deep experience across both hard goods and soft goods product design, as well as a strong ability to create emotionally engaging products through character-driven design, storytelling, and brand expression. For this role, you will come with experience combining exceptional design judgment with strong business awareness, manufacturing expertise, and the ability to lead at a systems level.

Work Performed:

Tasks:

DESIGN

Exceptional storytelling skills - clearly communicating vision, impact, and rationale to leaders and partners
Strong ability to create emotionally engaging, character-driven products with broad consumer appeal, particularly for female-driven purchasing audiences
Design across multiple pet categories, including both dog and cat products, spanning a portfolio of distinct brands
Ability to design cohesive products across plush, textiles, molded toys, and hybrid construction products while maintaining strong emotional appeal, functionality, and manufacturable execution
Strong understanding of form, proportion, usability, and emotional product experience
Strong eye for color, print/pattern and material finish, with the ability to create cohesive palettes and make thoughtful color choices that enhance brand identity and visual appeal
Ability to distinguish between meaningful innovation and unnecessary complexity
Create initial tech pack drawings for handoff to soft goods development team and suppliers
Maintain and develop brand identity via the established visual design language
Hold consistent high standards of design refinement and detail resolution
Experience with safety-focused product design for toys and accessories. Able to integrate consumer safety standards and risk mitigation throughout the design process, while partnering closely with Product Integrity (PI) teams to evaluate materials, testing protocols, and product performance to ensure safe, compliant, and durable products
Demonstrated adaptability and flexibility by quickly shifting between projects, evolving business priorities, and cross-functional needs while maintaining high-quality design execution and collaboration across teams
Comfortable handling detailed, repetitive production tasks at times
LEADERSHIP, AUTONOMY, COMMUNICATION

Independently drive momentum and product design initiatives with minimal day to day direction or oversight in fast-moving environments
Proactively identify risks, gaps, and development challenges before they escalate
Bring forward solutions, recommendations, and clear decision-making rationale
Consistently deliver high-quality work on schedule through strong prioritization, proactive communication, and disciplined time management
Identify opportunities for innovation before they are formally defined
Partner with VP to lead ideation efforts that push beyond incremental improvements toward meaningful product innovation. Bring a strong, consistent point of view on trends, play patterns, consumer behavior, and future product opportunities
Actively identify whitespace opportunities, emerging consumer needs, and unmet market opportunities across categories
Contribute original thinking that helps shape category direction and long-term portfolio growth
Operate as a creative force within the organization, consistently generating new product concepts, systems, and experiences
Skilled at effectively managing upward communication
Understanding that successful product development requires both creative innovation and consistent execution, with the ability to stay engaged through refinement, problem-solving, and production details
Thrive in a fast paced product development environment with the resilience, initiative, and work ethic needed to push projects forward and deliver exceptional results
Influence design outcomes through mentoring other design stafF
Consistently bring a positive, enthusiastic attitude to the team, collaborate well with others, and follow specific direction effectively
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
Design storytelling and visual communication
Injection molding design principles
DFM/DFA (Design for Manufacturing & Assembly)
Plastics material selections
Tooling and manufacturing process knowledge
Durability and performance-driven product design
Cost-conscious design and development collaboration
Prototype evaluation and iterative refinement
Soft goods construction methods
Plush and textile product development
Fabric/material specification and sourcing
Hybrid soft/hard goods integration
Trim, embroidery, appliqué, and character detailing
CAD modeling (Fusion 360 preferred)
3D printing skillset
Knowledge of AI tools used to expedite workflow
Rapid prototyping
Keyshot or equivalent rendering software
Adobe Creative Suite proficiency
Physical prototyping and model-making
Personal interest and experience as a pet owner is a plus
Familiarity with IP/patent process is a plus
Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Degree in Industrial or Toy Design required

Years of experience: 6+ years of Design experience required; experience in Consumer Products preferred

Salary range: $105,000-$125,000 Depending on experience

Our Benefits (for full-time employees)

Medical / Dental / Vision/Accident
HSA
401K & 100% Employer Match (Fully vested after 1 year)
Flexible Paid Time Off (includes vacation and sick time)
Paid Family Leave
Basic Term Life and AD&D (Employer Paid)
Voluntary Term Life and AD&D
Pet Insurance
Tuition Reimbursement
Annual Bonus Potential
We invite all candidates to apply!

Outward Hound is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and we strive to create an inclusive and equitable environment for all our employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status.