About the position
Educational Insights is on a mission to bring learning to life! For 60 years, our team of teachers, scientists, artists, coders, and kids-at-heart has created award-winning toys and games designed to spark creativity, ignite curiosity, and provide opportunities for kiddos to discover their unique passions. Our team motto is, "Where work is play." We love to laugh, ride our bright-red scooter through the halls, and delight in testing out new games. Our love of play transfers into the toys and games we create, where we aim to build confidence, celebrate diversity, and ignite the spark in every child. We pride ourselves on being committed to our employee's personal and professional development, a thriving culture and a diverse, creative atmosphere. Along with our culture and competitive benefits package, we offer opportunities for training and development by Harvard and UCLA professors as well as in-demand, motivating external speakers. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you'll come join our award-winning team today!
Responsibilities
- Spearhead the ideation and development of new Early Learning lines and products.
- Oversee all stages of development-from research and prototyping to safety testing and manufacturing.
- Conduct in-depth competitive research and data analysis to inform product development and positioning.
- Track and report on evolving educational trends making sure our products align with current educational standards and appropriate developmental milestones.
- Work collaboratively with Marketing, Sales, Quality Assurance, E-commerce, Packaging Design, and Analytics teams to align product development with market needs and promotional strategies.
- Develop and manage strong relationships with overseas manufacturers and negotiate high-value contracts with a deep understanding of the manufacturing process and materials in order to reduce costs.
- Monitor assigned product lines tracking and reporting on sales, customer feedback, and social engagement, leading to recommendations for drops, revamps, or expansion each year.
- Manage and mentor a team of direct reports, including associate and manager-level team members.
- Foster a high-performance culture by setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and facilitating professional growth.
Requirements
- 5+ years experience in children's product development, toy industry preferred.
- Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field, with a preference for education.
- 3+ years experience in leading and mentoring teams.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to analyze financial data, experience in Power BI a plus.
- Experience with Adobe Creative Suite or 3D modeling tools are ideal but not required.
- Strong collaboration skills with a focus on cross-functional teamwork.
- Excellent time and priority management capabilities.
- Commitment to team development and fostering a high-performance culture.
