Happy Worker is looking for a full-time Happy Production Coordinator (aka “Happy Maker of Great Things). This new team mate’s main mission is to coordinate with our factories overseas, to make sure our toys are manufactured to be their very best.
Happy Worker has been creating toys and collectibles since 2003. We exist to create happy fans and happy clients. Our small team is passionate about great work, getting all the little details right, and delivering happiness. For more about us please visit www.happyworker.com.
We’re looking for a very special kind of person. Someone who’s eager to jump in on anything + everything and do great things with a team. This role is for someone who is super organized and passionate, who enjoys fast-paced work & working on overdrive, is good at noticing & keeping track of all the pesky little details, and is an excellent writer and communicator. They’re well suited to working with other perfectionists, receiving regular constructive criticism and constantly tweaking to make things better. Ultimately they’re a born happy worker and self-starter with a professional-yet-fun attitude!
Your Mission
Happy Worker is a small entrepreneurial team... there’s more to do than we have time for :). The new teammate will lighten the team’s workload and tackle under-supported areas of our business, so that Happy Worker can bring more toys to life and spread more happiness!
- An Integral Team Member: Be a key part of a small, very busy, hard-working and energetic team. Work collaboratively with all our teams (production/manufacturing, design, and client happiness). Our core team is in Toronto, with additional teammates and partners around the world.
- Factory Production Coordination, Project Management & Communicating: Create, proof, and edit a plethora of documents, including toy specs/requirements, product blueprints, production guides, checklists, schedules… plus all sorts of other things. Communicate clearly and concisely through words, photos, and images. Oversee and manage projects by creating documents and replying to emails every day with our team and overseas factory partners.
***Important: Servicing our clients/partners well and keeping projects on-schedule often means some evening and weekend work. You must be able to work evenings and nights during time-sensitive projects to help support teams in other time zones (this can be done from home). - Shipping + Logistics Management: Arrange, coordinate, track and troubleshoot shipments, from small courier packages to large ocean, air and truck shipments; prepare customs documentation and import paperwork.
- Happy Production Partners: Ensure that our partners and vendors are treated happily and fairly, and that everyone’s focused on making great toys with sustainable manufacturing practices.
- Responsibilities: Note this is *not* a low impact role. The chosen candidate will have a large amount of responsibility and will be expected to lead and be solely accountable for numerous projects and initiatives. Please only apply if you enjoy responsibilities and challenges!
- Cheerful Customer Service: Help our client happiness team respond to toymaking inquiries by understanding project goals, participating in e-mails / phone calls, laying out project options/specifications, creating budget estimates, and preparing toymaking schedules.
- Web, Blog + Social Media: Help write exciting share-worthy articles, take photos, and post interesting content on our website, blog, and social media platforms.
- (As they pop up!) General Office Stuff & Various Odd Tasks: Help pitch in for anything and everything that helps the team – including miscellaneous things that arise that may not be the most fun but will build character and/or increase chest hair growth.
- (Always) Constant Bettering & Going Above and Beyond: Make everything that we do better!
- (Always) Happiness: Bring fun & happiness to all that you do!
Nice-to-Have Experience + Talents
- Geek Culture, Gaming, Toys and Collectibles: Have an understanding of and appreciation for geek culture, gaming, comics, toys, and collectibles.
- Well Rounded, Versatile Work Experience: If you decide to apply, we’d appreciate seeing a resume that lists all of your previous work experiences – not just the recent positions or the ones you feel relate most to this role.
- Production/Manufacturing Familiarity: Some prior experience handling projects in a production-oriented environment.
- Expert Problem Solver: Able to find solutions to difficult challenges, exhibiting good judgment and making the impossible happen.
- Great with Numbers: Knows how to calculate things like volumes, imperial to metric conversions, and costs-per-unit; can create and manage excel spreadsheets chock full of #'s and $'s.
- Thrives on Responsibility: Excited to lead and be solely accountable for numerous projects and initiatives.
- Communication Skills: Excellent writing and speaking skills in English.
- Tech Savviness: If you decide to apply, mention in your cover letter which software you know and love.
- Good with Graphics & Visuals: Some prior experience with some sort of graphic software, creating visuals/diagrams combining pictures and written copy.
- Schooling: A post-secondary degree or diploma in something; *always* learning new things.
- Comfort in Fast-paced Environments: If you decide to apply, please take a moment in your cover letter to tell us about your busiest work experience.
- Amateur Photographer: Enjoys taking photos / tinkering with cameras & lighting.
- Other Unique Talents: If you decide to apply, let us know what other specific talents or know-how you’d bring to Happy Worker. Anything goes!
- Something we want to know: Please let us know your favorite toy and your favorite snack food.
More About the Role
- Employment Type: This is a full time, permanent position.
- Location: Toronto, Ontario. The Happy Worker HQ is downtown, at Richmond + Spadina. Our office is small, open-concept, and a little crazy.
- Start Date: The successful new team member may begin immediately, or within a couple weeks of being hired.
- Salary + Compensation: Depending on experience; Growth opportunities and benefits will be provided after one year.
- Office Hours: 9am – 6pm (or sometimes later) Monday to Friday. Servicing our clients/partners well and keeping projects on-schedule often means some evening and weekend work.
- Your Team Leader: The new teammate will report to Kris Schantz who heads our production team.
About Happy Worker
- What We Do: Happy Worker designs and manufactures toys and collectibles for many of the world’s greatest gaming, entertainment, and corporate brands.
- Culture: Hardworking, communicative, reliable, fun, honest, self-critical, entrepreneurial, and family-like.
- What Motives Us: Making our next toy our best toy ever; spreading happiness to our clients, their fans, and everyone else we come in contact with.
- Team Size: We currently have 4 full time staff in Toronto, and a bunch of part time and contract teammates in other locations. We will grow our in-office team to 8 to 10 members in 2015.
- For More Info: www.happyworker.com
Applying to Become a Happy Worker
To apply for this happy mission, please send an e-mail with your resume and cover letter to [email protected] with the subject line: “I’d like to be a Happy Production Coordinator!” Please also include links to or sneak peeks at anything else you're really proud of. Pretty please ensure email is less than 10 MB.
In your cover letter, please answer the following bonus questions:
- What are 2+ things you would improve about this job posting to make it better?
- Where do you see yourself in 2-3 years?
- *Outside* of school, how do you improve your skills and knowledge?
- In past jobs/work, talk about a time when you “went the extra mile” or performed beyond expectations.