Company Description

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard—when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Team:

Sitting within the EMEA Consumer Products Organisation, who are responsible for providing leadership and direction for the development and implementation of Consumer Products strategy across all Mattel Brands.  We are responsible for steering and achieving key brand, category and fiscal objectives by identifying and collaborating with Global, Regional, Multi Territory and Local licensees. We work in partnership across the business with the Global Consumer Products, Regional Franchise, Local Brand, Regional Marketing, and Regional Product Development teams, as well as with the Audit, Finance and Legal Divisions.

Job Description

The Opportunity: 

You’ll be joining the Consumer Products team in a role for the Associate Manager, Consumer Products - Retail Development. This role could be based out of our Italy office in Milano, or our Spanish office in Barcelona; you’ll report directly to the Head of Consumer Products, Italy & Iberia.

You will manage the day-to-day retail business relationships delivering a retail-first mindset in Italy and Iberia covering all retailer partners – delivering all aspects of partner management, whilst driving Top Licensing partners as per the our growth strategy.  Along with Head of CP, you will partner to help build and activate the retail strategy, building relationships and programs with leading retailers.

What Your Impact Will Be: 

• Manage Retail Strategy and manage all Consumer Product campaigns across the Mattel Portfolio, building retail calendars and activations.
• Assist the Head of Consumer Products to manage the Consumer Products Marketing strategy, working with Brand marketing, and retail marketing to develop Franchise-first retail & marketing campaigns
• Manage Mattel’s Consumer Products retail initiatives, and execute against pre-existing programmes
• Maintain and grow retail relationships focusing on all categories
• Represent Mattel at trade events and presentations where required
• Act as point of contact and represent Mattel Consumer Products retail for key Retailers/Buyers
• Present and sell in brands to retail to support work of category managers and licensees
• Manage all existing retail relations, across pitching, presenting, contact management and strategy
• Deliver the retail strategy and drive these relationships with Consumer Products programs. Work with the Mattel Sales teams to deliver best in class programs. Effectively partner with all stakeholders as part of the process.
• Assist on delivering detailed joint business plan for top 6 retail partner that includes retail calendar and activation plan.
• Present retail plans to top Licensing partners 
• Conduct regular 1-1 meetings, arrange quarterly business reviews, bi-annual top to tops and track activations
• Support category team to deliver and ensure detailed joint Italy marketing plan (per top country) per partner that includes licensee investment that is aligned with Mattel Consumer Products goals. Ensure marketing support for top items.

New Business:

• Support Category team to Research, identify and pitch new category opportunities and prospective clients
• Attend Trade Fairs or category specific shows

Strategy:

• Support Head of Consumer Products on key strategies
• Analyze the market with SWOT, Gaps, opportunities, category priorities
• Research, identify and pitch new category opportunities and prospective clients
• Keep current with changing trends & competition
• Implement marketing and promotional strategies in liaison with internal & external stakeholders
• Gather and share category best practice from across the EMEA region with local teams
• Help find innovative ways to grow the business
• Manage extension of local deals into additional EMEA countries
• Gather and share category best practice from across the EMEA region with local teams
• Prepare brand pitch and marketing presentations across Mattel’s IP portfolio of brands

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For:

• Demonstrated a growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning, embracing challenges, and improving themselves.
• Solid licensing experience/industry experience
• Strong understanding of licensing and retail
• High level understanding of business objectives, related to marketing/brand management
• Strong negotiation and commercial skills
• Strategy and ability to drive vision
• Expert presenting and ability to build compelling stories in PowerPoint
• Strong communication – internal and external in a matrix org
• Business and financial acumen – profit driven, forecasting, analyze and stat focused
• Fluent English is required and Spanish and/or Italian is preferred.
• Effective project management skills

#LI-AW1

Additional Information

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

How We Work:

We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:

• We collaborate: Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
• We innovate: At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
• We execute: We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Who We Are:

Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in more than 195 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies.

Mattel is recognized as a Great Place to Work™ and as one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2022.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers including minorities, females, veterans, military spouses, individuals with disabilities, and those of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Mattel Investor Highlights