State of Toy Industry Hiring - Q3 2026

State of Toy Industry Hiring - Q3 2026

A quarterly note from ToyRecruitment.com

Every quarter we pull together what we're seeing in the market: where the pressure points are, what roles are proving hardest to fill, and where talent is moving. This isn't a syndicated report, it's grounded in what's actually happening on the ground in toy and games hiring right now.

THE BACKDROP

It's worth starting with the wider industry context, because hiring never happens in a vacuum. After a decline in 2023 and a flat 2024, the toy industry is growing again. Circana data showed a 7% dollar increase in sales through the first three quarters compared to the prior year, with average selling price up 4% and units sold up 3%. That growth is not evenly spread: collectibles and licensed toys are driving most of it, up 33% and 14% respectively for 2025, with the wider Licensing International survey putting licensed toy growth at 4.9% year over year.

Tariff policy remains a live variable shaping hiring decisions. Toy makers are navigating shifting tariff policy while trying to protect price points, with companies looking at repackaging, logistics, and sourcing changes rather than passing costs straight to consumers. One knock-on effect worth flagging for hiring: tariff pressure has accelerated some manufacturers' push into non-US markets, which is generating a steady trickle of new international and expansion hires, a pattern we're seeing directly in our own search work.

SALARY BANDS

Toy-specific compensation data is thin compared to larger sectors, so treat these as directional rather than definitive. They're a blend of general market listings and what we're seeing directly in live searches.

Mid-level product, marketing and sales roles (US): general toy industry pay in the US averages roughly $69,000 a year, with most roles falling between about $41,500 and $91,000 depending on seniority, location and employer.

Senior and executive toy roles (US): senior toy industry professionals typically earn between roughly $59,500 and $123,600 a year, though true C-suite and VP-level compensation at major toy companies runs well above general job-board averages once bonus and equity are factored in.

Design and product development: specialist design roles show the widest spread of any function. Toy designer salaries range from around $119,000 at entry into the trajectory up to roughly $290,000 at the most senior level, reflecting how much premium the market places on proven, commercially successful design talent versus junior creative staff.

UK search and placement costs (for context on what senior hiring actually costs a business): senior roles typically run 15,000 to 35,000 pounds via retained search, and executive-level hires 25,000 to 60,000 pounds or more depending on complexity, with retained fees generally structured at 25 to 35% of base salary.

The real cost isn't the fee, it's the vacancy. A missing National Account Manager can cost 10,000 pounds or more per week in lost sales momentum, a vacant Product Manager role can delay an entire development cycle, and a gap in sourcing expertise can drive up costs across multiple product ranges. That's the number that should really drive urgency on senior searches, not the headline recruiter fee.

HARDEST ROLES TO FILL RIGHT NOW

Based on live search activity and what we're consistently hearing from clients:

1. Licensing and entertainment partnerships. Demand has spiked directly off the back of major IP deals (KPop Demon Hunters, Street Fighter, and Super Mario Bros properties all landing in 2026 to 2027 toy lines). Companies want people who can move at the pace deals are now closing at, and there simply aren't many candidates with both the retail and category instincts and the entertainment industry relationships.

   
   

2. Sourcing and supply chain. Tariff volatility has made this function far more strategic than it used to be. Candidates now need to combine classic sourcing and cost engineering skills with real-time tariff and trade policy fluency, which is a rarer combination than it sounds.

   
   

3. National accounts and senior retail sales. This has been consistently one of the slowest to fill categories for years, simply because the pool of people with genuine senior buyer relationships at the major retailers is small and rarely on the open market.

   
   

4. Cross-border commercial leads. As more companies, particularly Asian manufacturers, build out first hires in new territories, we're seeing steady demand for commercially minded generalists who can effectively be the first employee in a market, a genuinely difficult brief to fill well.

   
   

This tracks with the broader labour market too: 69% of US employers overall report difficulty finding skilled talent in 2026, so toy companies are competing for people against every other industry, not just each other.

MOVEMENT TRENDS WE'RE WATCHING

Passive candidates are staying put. Broader workforce data shows people are more reluctant to move jobs than in prior years, which mirrors what we're seeing in toys. Strong candidates need a genuinely compelling reason, not just a pay bump, to consider a move.

Growth-stage and DTC toy brands are hiring senior talent earlier than they used to. Companies that previously wouldn't have needed a dedicated Head of Licensing or VP Sales until much later in their growth are now making these hires sooner, often poaching from larger, more established players.

International expansion hiring is up. This is directly tied to the tariff-driven push into non-US markets. Expect more mandates over the next two quarters for first-market hires in Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia.

Licensing and collectibles expertise commands a premium. Given these categories are driving the industry's growth, candidates with a genuine track record here are getting multiple approaches and can be selective.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HIRING PLANS

If you've got a senior search on the horizon in licensing, sourcing, national accounts, or international expansion, expect it to take longer and require a wider net than a typical mid-market role. The strongest candidates aren't actively looking, and they're getting approached by several companies at once. Early engagement and a well-scoped brief matter more than ever.

If you'd like a candid read on how a specific role is likely to play out in the current market, get in touch, happy to talk it through.

ADVICE FOR HIRING MANAGERS

A few things we'd flag to anyone planning a senior hire this quarter.

Move your timeline expectations, not just your budget. The strongest candidates in licensing, sourcing, and national accounts are not actively looking. Getting in front of them, building interest, and moving them through a process takes longer than a standard contingency hire, so plan searches in months, not weeks, for these functions.

Have your story ready on tariffs and stability. Good candidates are now routinely asking how a company is handling tariff exposure and cost pressure before they'll seriously engage. It's become a genuine differentiator between offers, not just a nice to have talking point. If you don't have a clear, honest answer, expect it to cost you candidates at the final stage.

Sell the IP and category story, not just the role. With collectibles and licensed toys driving most of the industry's growth, candidates increasingly want to know what's in the pipeline, what IP, what categories, what's actually exciting about the next 12 months, before they'll take a call seriously.

Don't underestimate the cost of a slow process. A drawn-out interview process is one of the most common reasons a strong passive candidate quietly drops out. They weren't looking in the first place, so a stalled process gives them every reason to stay put. Compress decision points wherever you can.

Widen the net for cross-border and expansion hires. If you're hiring a first employee into a new territory, resist the temptation to only look at people from within the category. Some of the strongest candidates for these roles come from adjacent consumer sectors with the right entrepreneurial instinct, not a toy-industry CV.

Budget realistically for senior search. As the fee ranges above show, proper retained search for a genuinely senior or hard to fill role is a real investment, but weigh it against what a prolonged vacancy or a bad hire actually costs your business, not just the recruiter's invoice.

ADVICE FOR JOBSEEKERS

If you're weighing a move in the toy and games industry right now, here's what we'd suggest.

You have more leverage than you might think, if you're in the right function. Licensing, sourcing, and senior national accounts talent is in genuinely short supply. If that's you, don't undersell yourself or rush into the first offer, there's likely more than one company that would be interested.

Ask about the IP and category pipeline before you ask about salary. Given how much of the industry's current growth is coming from licensing and collectibles, a company's answer to "what's exciting in your pipeline over the next year" tells you a lot about how strong a bet the role really is.

Get comfortable talking about tariffs and cost pressure. Employers are increasingly testing candidates on how they think about trade policy, sourcing risk, and cost management, even in roles that aren't traditionally supply chain. Having a considered point of view here is a real differentiator.

Don't assume loyalty will be rewarded with recognition. Staying with one employer through a difficult few years is valuable experience, but it won't speak for itself. Be ready to actively articulate what you achieved and how you adapted, rather than assuming a long tenure tells the story on its own.

Consider international and expansion roles even if they feel like a stretch. With more companies hiring first employees into new markets, these roles reward adaptable, commercially minded people over narrow category specialists, often a faster route to genuine seniority than waiting for the next rung at a large company.

Confidentiality works both ways. If you're open to a move but not actively job hunting, a good specialist recruiter should be able to explore opportunities on your behalf discreetly, without your current employer or wider network finding out. Don't be afraid to have that conversation even if you're just curious.

www.ToyRecruitment.com  - specialist search for the global Toy and Games industry.

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