Manager of Product Design

Manager of Product Design

Regular Full-Time

hand2mind, Vernon Hills, IL, US

Salary Range: $ To $ Annually

For more than 60 years, hand2mind has inspired learning through play by creating hands‑on, classroom‑tested materials that help children learn by doing. We’re a growing, family‑owned company recognized as a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace and trusted by teachers and families alike. We create a wide range of educational products—classroom tools like Hands‑on Standards®, consumer products for Number Blocks®, and innovative items like our new Bubble Plush™ Yoga Balls.

If you’re curious, collaborative, and a kid at heart, you’ll feel right at home here. Join us in shaping the future of learning with our award‑winning team!

As Manager of Product Design on hand2mind’s Design team, you will be responsible for bringing products to life. The Manager of Product Design will manage a team of industrial designers and oversee the entire product design process. This includes setting high standards for industrial design and safety standards; tracking budgets; planning resources effectively; and working cross‑functionally with the Product Development and Marketing teams.

• Manage and coach a team of Industrial Designers to foster creativity and ensure new products are developed within budget
• Oversee the industrial design process, encouraging innovative brainstorming, sketches, mockups, 3D CAD, and renderings
• Balance workload among the team and freelancers, adapting to the business’s evolving needs throughout the year
• Collaborate with Product Development, Marketing, and Sales to shape go-to-market strategies
• Manage or support product revamps as needed throughout the year
• Participate as an integral part of the Product Development Leadership Team, demonstrating flexibility to take on projects as needed

• Develop fluency of project management workflow in  within 3 months
• Within in the first 90 days, assess current design projects and establish a prioritization based on company goals and key deliverables.
• Oversee and contribute to industrial design of 25-40 new products within the first 12 months.
• Within the first 6 months, audit the design process and propose initiatives to integrate more continuous improvement and testing.
• Act as a primary liaison with other departments (such as Product Development, Marketing, and Sales), setting up check-ins and collaborative sessions as needed. Continually develop management skills, attending 3-5 training sessions per year.

• BS/BA in Industrial Design, Toy Design or equivalent
• 8-10 years of consumer product development experience in the toy and game industry
• Excellent sketching, rendering, and graphic design skills
• Able to meet multiple, challenging deadlines and work within budgets
• Excellent at solving problems creatively and/or knowing when to seek help
• Proficient in Adobe Creative suite, specifically Illustrator and Photoshop
• Proficient in 3D CAD (Rhinoceros preferred), Key Shot and 3D printing
• Intimately familiar with plastic materials and general manufacturing process
• Able to effectively communicate with key stakeholders including colleagues, executive team, vendors, and customers
• Portfolio demonstrating innovative thinking with on-trend designs in consumer products, preferably with some toy design
• Travel to trade shows 1-2 times per year
• Travel to China up to 1 time per year

We are a drug‑free workplace and an EEO employer.

$125,000 – $132,000 annual salary – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here).