Packaging Designer II / III, Senior, Licensed Consumer Products

🏢 About FOCO

Team Beans/Forever Collectibles (FOCO) is a global leader in officially licensed sports and entertainment merchandise. FOCO proudly holds licenses across major professional sports leagues, including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS, as well as NCAA collegiate properties and a growing portfolio of entertainment and character-based brands.

Our diverse product portfolio spans apparel, accessories, footwear, home goods, toys, plush, bobbleheads, collectibles, and novelty items—designed and manufactured through a robust global supply chain. We bring fans closer to the teams, players, and characters they love through innovative, trend-driven design.

🎯 The Opportunity

FOCO is seeking an experienced Senior Packaging Designer to lead the creative development and technical execution of packaging across our licensed sports and entertainment consumer products business.

This is a senior-level, hands-on design role responsible for developing innovative, commercially effective packaging solutions from initial concept through production. You'll oversee complex packaging projects, establish high creative and technical standards, and help ensure FOCO's products stand out across major retail and eCommerce channels.

The ideal candidate combines strong creative vision with deep knowledge of packaging design, dielines, prepress production, printing methods, materials, and global manufacturing.

You'll collaborate with Product Development, Licensing, Sourcing, Sales, Merchandising, and international manufacturing partners to deliver packaging that balances visual impact, brand integrity, functionality, and cost.

This position also offers opportunities to provide creative guidance and mentorship to junior designers while remaining actively involved in design execution.

🎨 What You'll Do

📦 Packaging Design & Creative Direction

• Lead the design and development of retail packaging across licensed sports and entertainment product categories.
• Develop creative packaging solutions for bobbleheads, collectibles, toys, plush, apparel, footwear, accessories, and seasonal merchandise.
• Create packaging graphics, structural concepts, dieline layouts, and presentation-ready mockups.
• Design packaging formats including retail boxes, window boxes, blister cards, hangtags, header cards, sleeves, inserts, and point-of-purchase displays.
• Develop distinctive packaging concepts that improve shelf presence, brand recognition, and the consumer experience.
• Balance creativity with commercial requirements, retailer specifications, packaging costs, and production capabilities.

📝 Technical Packaging Design & Production

• Own the preparation and review of production-ready packaging artwork, dielines, and mechanical files.
• Ensure artwork includes accurate dimensions, bleeds, trim areas, typography, branding, legal copy, barcodes, and required product labeling.
• Apply advanced knowledge of CMYK, Pantone colors, color management, print production, prepress, and finishing techniques.
• Review print proofs, color standards, materials, prototypes, and production samples for accuracy.
• Work with Sourcing and manufacturing partners to resolve technical packaging issues and identify cost-effective solutions.
• Maintain high standards for artwork accuracy, quality, and production readiness.

🏈 Licensed Brand & Packaging Compliance

• Lead packaging execution within the guidelines of major sports leagues, collegiate properties, and entertainment licensors.
• Work closely with Licensing teams to support submissions, approvals, and revisions.
• Ensure packaging artwork incorporates approved trademarks, logos, copyrights, and required brand elements.
• Partner with Quality Assurance and Compliance teams to incorporate required warnings, age grading, labeling, and retailer-specific information.
• Identify and address packaging risks early to prevent approval delays or production errors.

🌏 Vendor & Factory Collaboration

• Work directly with international packaging suppliers, printers, and manufacturing partners.
• Review supplier capabilities, packaging specifications, samples, materials, and production constraints.
• Provide clear technical direction and feedback to overseas vendors, particularly manufacturing partners throughout Asia.
• Identify opportunities to improve packaging quality, material efficiency, production costs, and consistency.
• Participate in supplier discussions and packaging development reviews as needed.

🔥 Trend Research & Packaging Innovation

• Monitor packaging trends across toys, collectibles, consumer products, sports merchandise, entertainment, and mass retail.
• Identify opportunities for innovative packaging formats, finishes, materials, and structural solutions.
• Develop packaging concepts for seasonal launches, licensed collections, limited editions, and exclusive retail programs.
• Evaluate packaging designs for shelf impact, customer experience, production feasibility, and cost effectiveness.
• Support improvements to packaging standardization, sustainability, and material efficiency.

🤝 Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Partner with Product Development, Licensing, Merchandising, Sourcing, Sales, and Production teams from concept through final execution.
• Independently manage multiple packaging projects, deadlines, and approval requirements.
• Present creative concepts and technical recommendations to design leadership and internal stakeholders.
• Provide creative feedback, technical guidance, and informal mentorship to junior designers.
• Help establish and maintain packaging design standards, templates, and production procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve creative workflows, approval processes, and packaging development efficiency.

• What You'll Bring

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Design, Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Industrial Design, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in packaging design, preferably within consumer products, toys, collectibles, retail, or licensed merchandise.
• Proven ability to independently manage packaging projects from concept through final production.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.
• Strong understanding of packaging dielines, mechanical artwork, production files, and print specifications.
• Experience with commercial printing processes, including CMYK, Pantone colors, proofing, and finishing.
• Strong knowledge of packaging materials, construction methods, and manufacturing considerations.
• Excellent typography, color, layout, composition, and visual storytelling skills.
• Experience working with vendors, printers, or packaging suppliers.
• Strong organizational, communication, presentation, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work on-site at FOCO's Piscataway, NJ headquarters.
• A professional packaging design portfolio is mandatory.

Preferred

• Experience designing packaging for licensed sports merchandise, toys, collectibles, or entertainment products.
• Familiarity with major sports leagues, team branding, and entertainment licensing approval processes.
• Experience supporting packaging programs for mass-market retailers, specialty stores, or eCommerce.
• Knowledge of 3D packaging visualization, structural mockups, or design software such as Adobe Dimension, Blender, or similar tools.
• Experience working with overseas factories, particularly in Asia.
• Familiarity with retailer packaging standards, barcode requirements, and consumer product labeling.
• Experience mentoring junior designers or reviewing packaging artwork.
• Knowledge of sustainable packaging materials and packaging cost optimization.
• Passion for sports, entertainment, collectibles, and consumer product innovation.

🚨 Portfolio Requirement — Read Before Applying

A professional packaging design portfolio is REQUIRED for this position.

Candidates must provide a portfolio URL or PDF demonstrating:

• Completed retail packaging designs for consumer products
• Packaging concepts, layouts, and production artwork
• Dielines, technical execution, and print-ready files
• Examples of products taken from concept through production
• Strong typography, branding, and visual communication skills

Experience with licensed products, toys, collectibles, or mass-market merchandise is strongly preferred.

Applications submitted without a portfolio will not be considered.

🧠 Key Competencies

• Packaging design and creative development
• Technical packaging and prepress production
• Packaging dielines and structural concepts
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Licensed brand and packaging compliance
• Print production and color management
• Vendor and manufacturing collaboration
• Cost-conscious commercial design
• Project ownership and creative mentorship

🌟 Why FOCO?

• Lead packaging design for products representing some of the world's biggest sports leagues and entertainment properties.
• Create packaging seen by consumers across major retail and eCommerce channels.
• Influence packaging innovation, visual presentation, and production quality.
• Collaborate with global product development and manufacturing teams.
• Help establish creative standards and mentor emerging design talent.
• Join a fast-growing, creative consumer products company.

Benefits: Medical, dental and vision coverage; 401(k); paid time off and holidays; and employee merchandise discounts, subject to applicable plan eligibility and confirmation.

🎉 Tryouts are open at FOCO!

If you're an experienced packaging designer passionate about licensed sports and entertainment products, creative innovation, and exceptional design execution, we'd love to see your work. Apply now!