Join Our Award-Winning Team at Abacus Brands!

About Abacus Brands:

Abacus Brands, a leading children's toy manufacturer renowned for our educational products, is dedicated to fostering creativity and promoting hands-on learning in children. Our innovative products have garnered global recognition, including the prestigious Toy of the Year Award for Best STEM Educational Toy in 2022, and are available in major retailers such as Costco, Indigo, Walmart, and Amazon. We're proud of our collaborations with esteemed licenses like Bill Nye, MasterChef Junior, Smithsonian, Penn & Teller, DK books, and more, as we continue to revolutionize learning by making it fun and engaging.

Position Overview:

We are looking for a creative and driven Producer/Product Development professional to join our team. This in-office role requires a unique blend of creativity, project management skills, and a passion for educational technology and toys. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the development of new products from concept through to production, ensuring they meet our high standards of educational value and innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Content Development: Lead the creation and development of engaging, educational content for a range of products, including interactive toys, games, and digital applications.
• Storytelling and Scriptwriting: Craft compelling stories, scripts, and educational materials that align with our brand values and educational goals, captivating our young audience.
• Project Oversight: Manage content development projects from concept through production, coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and cohesion across all content.
• Research and Innovation: Conduct research to stay informed about educational trends, children's interests, and pedagogical strategies, integrating findings into content to enhance learning outcomes.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the product development team, illustrators, and educators to ensure content is informative, engaging, and accurately integrated into product designs.
• Feedback and Revisions: Gather feedback from test audiences, educators, and internal teams, making necessary adjustments to content to maximize educational value and engagement.

Qualifications:

• Experience in Content Creation: Proven track record in writing, storytelling, or content production, ideally within the educational, children's media, or toy industries.
• Creative and Educational Writing Skills: Exceptional writing skills, with the ability to create compelling and educational content for a young audience. A portfolio of written work is required.
• Project Management Expertise: Strong organizational and project management skills, with experience overseeing content development projects from inception to completion.
• Understanding of Educational Strategies: Knowledge of educational methodologies and how they can be applied to content to support learning in fun and engaging ways.
• Team Collaboration: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working in multidisciplinary teams to create integrated educational products.
• Educational Background: A bachelor’s degree in education, creative writing, journalism, communications, or a related field.

Why Abacus Brands?

• Competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth.
• A vibrant and positive work environment in the heart of Yaletown, downtown Vancouver.
• A chance to work with an award-winning team on projects that make a difference in children's learning.

How to Apply:

• Portfolio: Show us what you're proud of! No need for fancy packaging, just your best work.
• About You: Share a brief introduction about yourself or take our fun phone screen challenge to show us your personality.
• Resume: Give us a snapshot of your professional background.

Please ensure your application includes all three components to be considered. We're looking for immediate hires, so local candidates are preferred.

This is your chance to step into a role where your creative skills can shine and pave the way for future leadership opportunities within our company. If you're ready to join a dynamic team and contribute to the exciting world of educational toys, apply today!
Duties & Responsibilities of the Production Manager Role:

This role is ideal for a resourceful individual with a good eye for quality and value on goods. You’ll actively be sourcing components, creating production schedules, scheduling shipments with carriers, and managing quality control for cutting edge toy products for kids.

• Effectively negotiate to maximize margins without compromising quality or lead-time
• Components sourcing and buying
• Box materials and paper buying
• Secure and deliver on optimal production lead-times
• Light logistics such as inter-factory transfers of packaging, components and goods
• Light accounting such and issuing purchase orders and receiving invoices
• Light inventory management
• Assistance with project management for each new product or series launch

Experience & Requirements of the Production Manager Role:

While experience and qualifications are important to us, so are core values and passion for the product and company.

• Proven skills, education, and/or applicable certifications in: Production, Global Sourcing, and/or Direct to Vendor, Product component costing and negotiation skills
• Bachelor's degree or post high school education
• 3+ years of relevant experience in any or all of the following: purchasing, sourcing, logistics, supply chain, product development, quality control, accounting
• Detail oriented and excellent organizational skills
• Fluent in English & Mandarin
• Positive, upbeat attitude, with a shared passion for children’s tech products

Benefits & Perks of the Production Manager Role:

We truly feel that happy employees make the best employees! That is why we offer competitive wages and room for advancement as we grow.

• Competitive pay and opportunity for advancement within the company
• Exciting start-up environment
• Annual raises
• Paid vacation and sick days
• Great downtown location
• Ability to contribute, collaborate and be part of a growing company
• A professional, yet fun culture where you are valued
• Weekly luncheons and happy hours in the WeWork community

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,880.00-$92,798.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Dental care
• Discounted or free food
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Extended health care
• On-site gym
• On-site parking
• Paid time off
• Profit sharing
• Store discount
• Vision care
• Wellness program

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Production Management: 2 years (preferred)
• Writing: 2 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person