About ZURU

ZURU is a reimagination company. We look for categories that have stood still, then we build next-generation products and brands that set the new standard. ZURU Toys is reimagining play. ZURU Edge is reinventing everyday consumer brands. Rhodes Pet Science is reimagining pet science. ZURU Tech is leading the next building revolution.

ZURU started in 2003 with two brothers from New Zealand, and we're still founder-owned and operated today. Since then we've become the world's second-biggest privately held toy company, and nearly half of all Gen Y and Gen Z households with kids in the US own a ZURU product. Today we're 5,000 people in 34 offices, selling into more than 150 markets, backed by over 100 acres of fully automated manufacturing. And we're only getting started.

Position Overview:

We are looking for an exceptional Director of Trade Marketing – U.S. to help define and elevate how ZURU goes to market. This is a highly influential commercial leadership role responsible for establishing the strategy, frameworks, operating disciplines, and standards that underpin our U.S. sales organization. The Director will own ZURU's 4P commercial framework across Presence, Price, Place and Promotion, while partnering closely with our Sales Directors to elevate forecasting, account strategy, commercial planning, and execution. This person will not directly own retailer relationships; instead, they will help ensure every Sales Director and account team has the strategy, tools, insights, and operating discipline required to win. The mandate is simple: build the commercial operating system that enables ZURU to become the best sales organization in the U.S. toy industry.

Position Impact:

ZURU is one of the largest and fastest-growing toy companies globally, driven by a relentless focus on innovation, disruption, and execution. As our U.S. Toys business continues to scale, we are building the commercial capabilities required to move from being a high-growth supplier to becoming a true category leader across the U.S. market. Success in this role will mean ZURU has a clearly defined and consistently executed commercial operating model across the U.S. — with stronger forecasting discipline, sharper category and retailer strategies, and every major account backed by a robust, insight-led 4P strategy. This role will help ZURU further establish itself as a best-in class commercial organization, capable of consistently driving category growth and winning with the largest retailers in the U.S

Roles & Responsibilities:

Own the U.S. 4P Strategy & Commercial Framework:

Own and continuously elevate ZURU's U.S. 4P strategy across Presence, Price, Place and Promotion, establishing a consistent commercial standard across every retailer and channel.
Develop the frameworks, tools, scorecards, and governance required translate the 4Ps from principles immeasurable execution.
Partners with Sales Directors develop channel-specific, category-centric 4P strategies that reflect each channel's shopper, category strategy, competitive environment, and commercial opportunity.
Establish clear standards for assortment architecture, pricing and price ladders, promotional strategy, placement, merchandising, distribution, exclusivity, and new-product launches.
Create a regular review cadence tassess performance against 4P standards, identify gaps, and drive corrective action.
Act as the guardian of commercial excellence, challenging teams where plans or execution fall below the required standard

Sales Strategy & Commercial Planning:

Partner with U.S. Sales Directors build robust annual, seasonal, and account-level sales strategies.
Translate ZURU's company and category ambitions in clear retailer growth strategies, priorities, and commercial plans.
Establish frameworks for account planning that clearly articulate where we will play, how we will win, and what must be true deliver the plan.
Challenge Sales Directors tenure strategies are insight-led, commercially sound, ambitious, and executable.
Connect retailer strategies across channels tenure ZURU is making deliberate choices around assortment, exclusivity, pricing, promotional activity, launches, and distribution.
Help identify whitespace opportunities and the biggest commercial levers capable of shifting the needle across the U.S. business.

Forecasting Discipline & Business Planning:

Partner with Sales Directors, Commercial, and Finance establish world-class forecasting discipline across the U.S. organization.
Build standardized forecasting frameworks, processes, assumptions, and review cadences across retailers and channels.
Drive accountability around forecast accuracy and ensure teams can clearly articulate the assumptions, opportunities, and risks underpinning their forecasts.
Create stronger connectivity between POS performance, inventory, distribution, promotional plans, new launches, retailer commitments, and revenue forecasts.
Challenge both upside and downside assumptions, ensuring forecasts represent the team's best commercial view rather than simply a financial target.
Identify forecast risks early and work with Sales Directors to establish clear mitigation or acceleration plans.

Build the ZURU Sales Operating System:

Codify ZURU's Ideal Sales Vision and translate it to practical standards for how our commercial teams operate.
Develop scalable frameworks covering account strategy, 4P planning, forecasting, business reviews, new-item launches, promotional planning, retailer negotiations, and performance management.
Create best-in-class templates and tools that improve both the quality and consistency of commercial thinking across the organization.
Establish clear KPIs and scorecards measure execution against our commercial standards.
Reduce unnecessary complexity while ensuring teams have the processes and disciplines required to manage an increasingly large and sophisticated business.
Continuously identifying opportunities improve the effectiveness, speed, and quality of decision-making across Sales.

Category Analytics & Insights:

Turn data in clear commercial actions, partnering with Sales, Commercial, Category Management, and Analytics tenure retailer strategies are grounded in fact-based, category-first insights.
Develop scorecards that measure performance across the 4Ps and clearly identify gaps and opportunities.
Ensure teams understand not simply what happened, but why it happened and what we are going do about it.
Use retailer, category, shopper, competitive, and internal data identify opportunities grow ZURU brands and the categories in which we compete.
Help elevate business reviews from performance reporting in strategic, insight-led conversations with our retail partners.

Sales Leadership Partnership & Capability Building:

Act as a strategic thought partner the U.S. Sales Directors while maintaining the independence to challenge plans and execution were required.
Coach teams on commercial thinking, category storytelling, account strategy, forecasting, 4P planning, and data-led decision-making.
Identify capability gaps across the organization and develop frameworks, training, and tools close them.
Create mechanisms for sharing best practices across retailers that winning category strategies are rapidly replicated across the U.S. business.
Raise the commercial standard of the entire organization — not by doing the Sales Directors' jobs for them, but by enabling and holding them accountable to consistently exceptional standard.

Skills & Experience:

8–12+ years of experience across Trade Marketing, Sales Strategy, Commercial Strategy, Category Management, Revenue Growth Management, Sales Operations, or related commercial leadership roles.
Significant experience within CPG, Toys, Consumer Products, or another high-velocity retail environment.
Strong understanding of major U.S. retail and the commercial levers required to win across mass, club, ecommerce, value, grocery, drug, and other channels.
Deep understanding of the 4Ps: Presence, Price, Place and Promotion.
Demonstrated experience building commercial frameworks and embedding them across Sales organizations.
Strong forecasting, financial, analytical, and business-planning capabilities.
Experience translating POS, inventory, distribution, pricing, promotional, and market data into commercial decisions.
Proven ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders without relying on direct reporting authority.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex commercial problems.
Highly accountable, action-oriented, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Strong bias toward continuous improvement and raising organizational standards.
Commercially minded leader who combines strategic thinking with an obsession for execution — equally comfortable building a framework, interrogating a forecast, or working through the details of a retailer's promotional plan.

Who thrives at ZURU

This isn't a 9-to-5. We move fast, think big and set goals most companies would call impossible, then go after them. The people who thrive here are entrepreneurs at heart. They own their work, chase bold ideas and never stop raising the bar.

At ZURU, you drive your career, and we give you the platform to take it as far as you can. There are opportunities here that you won’t find anywhere else, and you'll be surrounded by talented people who make things happen. We're a true meritocracy: we reward impact, not tenure.

How we work

Big ideas happen when great people work side by side, so we're office-first by design. Being together means faster collaboration, sharper decisions and stronger teams, and it's where the real learning happens. Some flexibility may be available depending on the role, location and business needs, but most roles are office-based.

Want to see what life at ZURU really looks like? Follow @LifeatZURU on Instagram or visit www.zuru.com.

ZURU – Reimagining tomorrow 🚀

#LI-CM2

ZURU may use AI tools to help screen, assess or select applicants.

About the company

ZURU operates across three global sectors—toys, consumer goods, and construction technology—designing, manufacturing, and distributing products worldwide using advanced automation. In toys, it markets brands like Bunch O Balloons, Mini Brands, and Robo Alive through major retailers in over 120 countries and partners with Nickelodeon, Disney, Universal, and DreamWorks. ZURU Edge targets Baby Care, Personal Care, Beauty, Home Care, and Health & Wellness with new-generation brands for modern consumers, while ZURU Tech aims to speed up and simplify construction through flexible processes. The company stands out through its large-scale automation, fast product development, and a disruption-driven, integrated model that combines design, manufacturing, and distribution to offer high-quality products at competitive prices and expand globally.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Yau Tsim Mong District, Hong Kong

Founded

2003

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl launched April 2, 2026, adding playable music collectibles.
Slime Mart launched July 7, 2026, riding TikTok slime demand and sensory play.
ZURU hired Stu Mallarkey in 2026 to scale in-house creative output toward NZ$5 billion revenue.

What critics are saying

ZURU sued the U.S. government on March 20, 2026, over tariff refunds.
The 2025 nappy trial ended August 30, 2025, after claims of evidence destruction.
If U.S. tariffs return, ZURU's US$2 billion American revenue faces catastrophic margin compression.

What makes Zuru unique

ZURU pairs software-driven automation with global manufacturing across 30 locations.
ZURU turns licensed IP into collectible hits, including Mini Brands and Care Bears.
ZURU expands beyond toys with Tytan Toys, strengthening construction play distribution.

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Benefits

Wellness Program
Professional Development Budget
Flexible Work Hours

Company News

Mojo Nation

Jul 30th, 2026

Cloudco Entertainment teams with Zuru for Sad Baby Care Bears Keychains.

Cloudco Entertainment teams with Zuru for Sad Baby Care Bears Keychains. Posted on 30th July 2026 By Billy Langsworthy Cloudco Entertainment has partnered with Zuru and its Starbox line for a range of Sad Baby Care Bears Keychains. The range blends seven Care Bears characters with Starbox's Sad Baby design style, in a blind box format. The range includes Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, and Share Bear, alongside Wish Bear and a 1-in-128 super-rare Togetherness Bear. "Care Bears continues to find its way into new formats, and Starbox's Sad Baby aesthetic lets us show up in a completely new, unexpected way, while still feeling unmistakably Care Bears," said Robert Prinzo, Head of Global Licensing at Cloudco Entertainment. "This type of cultural relevancy and multi-generational engagement is exactly what's fuelling our momentum heading into our 45th anniversary." Gavin Correia, Licensing Manager at Zuru, added: "Care Bears is one of the world's most beloved nostalgic brands, making it a natural fit for Sad Baby's premium collectible aesthetic. "We've focused on creating a range with unmatched quality and attention to detail that stays true to these iconic characters while giving them a fresh new look for today's kidult collector. Seeing Cheer Bear, Funshine Bear, and the rest of the crew receive the Sad Baby treatment has been one of our favourite collaborations yet, and we can't wait to see fans collect them all."

Bizcommunity

Jul 7th, 2026

Zuru brings viral global toy sensation Slime Mart collection to SA.

Zuru brings viral global toy sensation Slime Mart collection to SA. South African children can now join in on the global slime phenomenon as Zuru officially launches its latest collectible range: the Slime Mart collection. 7 Jul 2026 Combining the hugely popular worlds of slime and pretend food play, the new collection invites children to create, customise and squish their own realistic-looking slime snacks, transforming burgers, pizzas, waffles and desserts into tactile sensory experiences. The launch comes as slime continues to dominate social media, with more than 68 billion slime-related views on TikTok, highlighting the growing demand for creative, hands-on toys that encourage imaginative play beyond digital screens. Turning food into fun. Designed for children aged 4+, Slime Mart allows young creators to mix textures, decorate miniature food creations, and experiment with different slime combinations inspired by popular treats. Each product is packaged as either a portable Slime Mart Bag, a larger Slime Mart Basket, or the deluxe Slime Mart Shopping Cart, offering multiple ways for children to build their own miniature foodie world. The collection includes a variety of themed creations ranging from Burger Stack and Pizza Party to Bubble Tea Bliss, Sundae Swirl and Waffle Wonderland, giving children more than 15 collectible snack-inspired experiences to discover. Capitalising on the sensory play boom. The launch reflects growing demand for toys that combine creativity, tactile engagement and collectability. Sensory toys have become one of the fastest-growing categories in the global toy industry, with slime remaining particularly popular thanks to its satisfying textures, calming qualities and strong appeal across social media platforms. According to Glenn Ambrose, country manager for Zuru South Africa, Slime Mart builds on that momentum by introducing an entirely new way for children to interact with slime. "Slime Mart is the latest evolution in slime play, where creativity, realism and sensory fun collide," says Ambrose. "We're thrilled to bring this playful, tactile experience to local kids who love expressing themselves through hands-on fun." Ways to play. The Slime Mart range has been designed around different play experiences and price points. The Slime Mart Bags offer portable play, with surprise snack themes including strawberry cheesecake, doughnuts, waffles and fruit tarts, complete with miniature accessories for decorating slime creations. For children looking for a more immersive experience, the Slime Mart Baskets include either a burger or pizza-themed slime set, complete with moulds, texture mix-ins, charm toppings and mini containers for building customised foodie creations. The premium Slime Mart Shopping Cart expands the experience further, featuring four recipes including a BLT sandwich, pancakes, chocolate cake and banana split. Collectability drives repeat play. A key feature of the range is its collectible element. With 15 different foodie themes available, children are encouraged to build their own slime-inspired menu while mixing accessories and textures across different sets. The combination of surprise reveals, customisation and sensory interaction aligns with some of the strongest trends currently driving the global toy market. Bringing creative play back home. As parents increasingly seek activities that encourage creativity away from screens, products like Slime Mart continue to gain traction by combining imaginative storytelling with tactile learning and open-ended play. The range offers children the opportunity to experiment, create and rebuild their slime creations time and again. The Slime Mart collection is now available at leading toy retailers and Checkers stores nationwide. *One warning remains firmly in place, however: while the burgers, waffles and desserts may look delicious, they're made for squishing - not eating.

SCG Media

Jun 15th, 2026

Zuru appoints Stu Mallarkey as executive creative director.

Zuru appoints Stu Mallarkey as executive creative director. Zuru Group has appointed Stu Mallarkey from Special as executive creative director. The appointment comes as Zuru scales towards a projected NZ$5 billion in annual revenue and doubles down on creativity as a core competitive advantage. Mallarkey brings a proven track record of delivering culturally resonant, globally recognised and digitally driven work. At Zuru, he will lead a newly formed in-house creative agency, tasked with elevating social and content output across the company's brands, spanning categories from toys to FMCG. An epic opportunity. Nick Mowbray, Zuru co-founder, says: "We built Zuru by refusing to accept that incumbents couldn't be beaten - moving faster, thinking bigger and backing ourselves. "The next chapter is about turning that same energy into brands the world genuinely falls in love with. Stu is one of the most talented creative minds out there. Bringing him in is a clear signal of how serious we are about becoming one of the great brand-building companies of our generation." Mallarkey says: "This is an epic opportunity. To help build and shape world-famous brands that live in social and culture is incredible. "The ambition, scale and energy at Zuru is infectious and I can't wait to build something that can re-define what an internal creative agency can look like."

NZME

Jun 8th, 2026

Zuru grows annual profit to $2.49m despite flat external sales.

Zuru grows annual profit to $2.49m despite flat external sales. Mon, 08 Jun 2026 0 Comments / 0 New Zuru directors Mat Mowbray and Nick Mowbray (pictured have been ranked as New Zealand's richest family. (Image: Supplied) New Zealand-owned global toy manufacturer Zuru has grown its local net profit 34.8% year on year, latest results show. The toy and consumer goods business reported a net profit of $2.4 million for 2025, up from last year's profit of $1.8m. Zuru NZ released its annual report for the year ended Dec 31, 2025, to the Companies Office on Monday. A strong turnaroundRevenue grew 7.1% to $51.6m in 2025 while gross profit jumped 27.7% to $35.2m, the report shows. Despite revenue growth, external goods sales were flat year on ye... * Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news * Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal * Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers Minimum password length of 8 characters. Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. Annual - including full access to The Wall Street Journal $349.00 Monthly 50% off the first two months (usually $44/month) $22.00 All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel. Not convinced yet? Low debt means it has the resiliency to grow when the time is right, it says. Richard Wyeth resigned as CEO a month ago. Demand for steel has softened as global tensions and tariffs cloud outlook. Benefits are loud, but someone always quietly pays a price. Why Airways NZ keeps sending its best to this exec programme. 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The company, which owns stations including More FM, The Breeze and The Rock, has reportedly hired Jarden's New Zealand banking team to manage a sale process. That move comes as MediaWorks announces its fi Staff reporters 21 Apr 2026 Cotton On New Zealand's profits have plummeted by 60% year on year, despite an increase in sales. The retail fashion chain reported a total comprehensive profit of $2.18 million for the 52 weeks ending June 29, 2025. The company, which operates Cotton On, Cotton On Body, Cotton On Kids and Typo stores, previously recorded a net profit after tax o Jaime Lyth 20 Apr 2026 By Natalie B. Compton A few days after my wedding in 2024, my husband and I found ourselves happy, jet-lagged and starving in Paris. We'd been on a heater: The spring weather was crisp and sunny, and I'd just found the perfect sweater at a quaint boutique in the 9th arrondissement (or district). Now we just needed a good lunch. I popped open Google The Washington Post 19 Apr 2026

Toy World

Apr 2nd, 2026

Zuru brings music to life in miniature vinyl form.

Zuru brings music to life in miniature vinyl form. Published on: 2nd April 2026 Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl blends music merchandise with pop culture, tapping into the vinyl resurgence and growing demand for functional, displayable collectibles. Zuru has announced the launch of its latest Mini Brands range: Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl, an innovation in collectibles that allows real music to be played back within the world of miniature. The range marks Mini Brands' entry into licensed music following over two years of development. At its core is a simple but powerful innovation: mini vinyl records that actually play music. By combining chart-topping music IP, blind capsule play and true functionality, the range pushes the mini trend into an entirely new category. Mini Brands boasts billions of views across owned social channels and continues to resonate and engage with a global fanbase of Miniacs. Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl builds on this momentum by introducing real, playable music from some of the world's biggest artists, unlocking a broader audience across collectors, music fans and gift-givers. From global hits like Birds of a Feather, Not Like Us and Sucker, to iconic classics such as Good Vibrations and Every Breath You Take, the range spans decades of music culture, tapping into both nostalgia and modern fandom. These are era-defining songs with billions of streams and global recognition, bringing instant familiarity and emotional connection to every unboxing. Launching at retail from mid-May, the range comprises two SKUs designed to drive both collectability and repeat purchase. The Capsule SKU delivers the signature blind unboxing experience, featuring five items per capsule, including four surprise mini vinyl records and one accessory. In total, there are 45 mini vinyls to collect, alongside standard accessories and rare chase items including a gold vinyl record and music award trophies. Each mini vinyl features a real audio clip from a globally recognised track as part of a fully playable system. The Playset SKU elevates the experience further and is where the concept truly comes to life. Featuring a working, rechargeable mini record player, the playset goes beyond display and allows consumers to physically play their mini vinyl records and hear real music clips from some of the biggest artists in the world. The Playset includes the chart-topping track APT as an exclusive vinyl. Featuring built-in sound, spinning functionality and a sleek display stand, it recreates the experience of playing vinyl in a compact, collectible format, blending hands-on play with authentic music functionality and positioning it as a standout innovation in the collectibles space. Will Collinson, General Manager of Zuru UK & Europe, commented: "Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl represents a major step forward for the brand. For the first time, we're not just replicating real-world products in miniature; we're recreating the experience. The fact that these mini vinyl records play music from globally recognised artists is what truly sets this range apart. "We've combined everything consumers love about Mini Brands - surprise, collectability and detail - with chart-topping music IP and real functionality. The resurgence of vinyl culture, combined with demand for interactive, display-led collectibles, presents a strong opportunity at retail. This is a product that doesn't just sit on shelf, it creates a moment."

Zuru

Trade Marketing Director

About the job