Graphic Designer II, Merchandise Development: Original Merchandise (12-Month Fixed Term)

Get to know The Pokémon Company International The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com . Get to know the role Job Title: Graphic Designer II Job Summary: This role applies art, design, and layout skills to create visually engaging concepts and production-ready artwork for physical consumer products. The Graphic Designer develops original graphics, patterns, and visual assets for apparel, accessories, home goods, and related tangible goods. The role balances creative concepting with manufacturing-aware execution, ensuring artwork aligns with brand standards, communicates the intended message, and translates accurately across materials, scales, and production methods. This role is intended for a mid-level designer executing design work for physical products with growing independence and production expertise. This role typically manages 2–4 product sets simultaneously with staggered milestones, proactively contributes design concepts, and operates with minimal oversight while proactively escalating risks to timelines or deliverables. FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt People Manager: No Portfolio requirement: Examples of graphic focused product design for physical goods are required. What you’ll do Creative Concepting & Collaboration Collaborate with the Merchandise Development team and cross‑functional partners to understand the project assignment, product brief, audience, and intended message. Create original visual media—illustrations, graphics, patterns, and layouts—that support compelling, unified product stories. Contribute to product line briefs, concept suggestions, and overall ideation for seasonal and capsule collections. Manage 2–4 concurrent product design projects, ensuring alignment to briefs, timelines, and stakeholder expectations. Design for Physical Goods Primarily create graphic concepts for physical goods featuring a variety of Pokémon and product types by leveraging existing assets and creating new supporting graphics while ensuring all graphics respect product and production limitations. Adapt artwork to manufacturing processes (e.g., screen print, embroidery, heat transfer/heat setting, appliqué, sublimation, embossing/debossing, specialty inks, woven/printed labels, molded elements). Translate 2D artwork into production ready files that maintain integrity across various substrates, textures, and sizes (flat and 3D forms). Brand Integrity, Layout, and Typography Uphold brand standards and licensing requirements; ensure character accuracy and consistency across merchandise and packaging. Choose appropriate graphics, clip art, and stock photography; enhance choices with custom drawings and vector illustrations as needed. Select fonts and produce sample layouts/placements for approval; solve complex design problems involving brand integrity and diversified graphics. Review, Routing, and Production Route all stages of art concepts for cross department sign‑offs, ensuring work meets brand standards, briefs, and production expectations. Prepare drafts and prototypes for review; revise based on collaborative feedback to reach final approval. Support Production Design and on-time file deliveries. Partner with development and vendor teams to review strike‑offs, proofs, and samples, providing clear feedback to ensure quality and fidelity. Proactively identify and escalate risks to timelines, deliverables, or approvals to Manager and Project Manager. Research & Trend Development Research and create diversified, brand appropriate graphics and illustrations. Research seasonal trends; identify new colors, fabrics, and silhouettes for conceptual development and product storytelling. Occasionally work from pre‑existing style guides, problem solving for product design and production constraints. Process, Standards & Teamwork Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders to drive efficient processes and transparent communication. Consult with the relevant manager, director, and/or team on complex or specialized projects. Contribute design catelog submissions (6–12 per season) to strengthen catalog breadth and future product opportunities. Meet all department and corporate business requirements, including those regarding work hours, conduct, and teamwork. What you’ll bring 3–5 years of experience in graphic design for soft and/or hard goods (consumer products such as apparel, decor, packaging). Working knowledge of product design constraints within a focused category, with the ability to collaborate with Production and Design partners to resolve unknowns. Ability to navigate production templates, processes, and limitations with increasing independence. Conceptual and practical knowledge of print technology for physical goods (including, but not limited to screen print, embroidery, heat setting, sublimation). Experience preparing production ready files and working within manufacturing constraints/templates. Proficiency creating design work aligned to brand and licensing requirements Basic illustration and strong vector skills. Expert proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite on macOS; proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and similar design tools. Basic knowledge of related areas: marketing, merchandising, and licensing. High degree of originality and creativity, providing valuable design insights that support product strategy. Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to present designs to stakeholders and proactively communicate risks/schedule impacts. Ability to work collaboratively in a cross functional environment and independently with strong initia