Assoc Manager Product Designer

Posting Title: Assoc Manager Product Designer

Requisition Number: R235929

Company: Mattel HQ, Inc.

Location: El Segundo, California 333 Continental Blvd 90245

Job Category: Design

Pay Range: USD $115,000 and $140,000 Yearly

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.

The Team
The Hot Wheels Tracks and Playsets design team is a group of passionate and inspired designers with the goal of creating the best toys on earth. We are looking for motivated, challenge seeking, innovative thinkers to create the next Hot Wheels Licensed Entertainment toys for kids.

The Opportunity
The Product Design Associate Manager will lead and inspire a group of designers on one or more of our key segments of business in Hot Wheels Licensed Entertainment Tracks and Playsets, creating innovative products. This Design manager must be on top of the latest in kids trends, pop culture, entertainment, kid insights and fun play. The role supports product design visions, strengthens the voice of our designers and will be responsible for hands‑on managing to keep the business moving.

What Your Impact Will Be

You have a thorough understanding of the toy product design‑development processes

Strong ability to ideate, sketch, illustrate, generate rough models

Thorough understanding of final modeling and production

Clear understanding of the Toy industry and entertainment Industry, with familiarity of toys both past and present within the vehicles category

You are a strategic design thinker

Able to contribute and execute on product design vision

Brings fresh POV with innovative design concepts

Solid understanding of how to design for the target consumer, influenced by kid usability and parent expectations and needs.

Willingness to lead and be led, taking in feedback and commentary on projects and applying where necessary

You are a visual designer

Able to create visual design language in a product that is suitable for our core audience and maintains the Hot Wheels edge

Understanding of how play and design work together in product to tell a concise story

An excellent communicator

Able to present to an audience of varying sizes both clearly and confidently

Can take concepts and distill them into a clear, understandable narrative to garner buy‑in throughout the organization through a variety of media

Collaborator

Work with Mattel’s Consumer Insights team to identify opportunities, consumer needs, parent, and kid purchase behaviors.

Partner with Mattel’s cross‑function team of experts in Marketing, Packaging, Engineering and Product Management.

You are nimble

Able to adapt fast to new design challenges

Capable of pivoting and revising projects and strategy where business necessitates.

Occasionally participate in design efforts outside of your area of expertise, and as your own skillset dictates.

Multi‑tasker

On projects with varying complexity through maximization of your design team and internal/external resources of Mattel (Internal cross‑function team, International Mattel partners, outside vendors)

Can jump in on any given situation as a hands‑on manager to assist your design team (You will be able to take on design projects as well)

Team Leadership

You manage a team of designers and empower them to grow and foster forward thinking

Able to form a strong business relationship with your team gaining trust through collaboration, guidance, teamwork and empathy

You will maximize each designer’s skill within the team and nurture their areas of opportunity.

You will guide your team to best fulfill strategic product needs

You can lead but also be led

You are a role‑model

Lead by example and maintain professionalism, representing the core values of Mattel

You are passionate and inspire your design team to make toys that matter and make an impact

What We’re Looking For

5+ years of cross‑functional experience in a product development

2+ years of people‑leading experience and managing 2 or more groups of individuals

Able to thrive in the world of Hot Wheels Licensed Entertainment Tracks, Playsets and vehicle design with innovative forward thinking

Data‑driven decision maker with strong analytical and quantitative thinking

Collaborative and communicative team player who enjoys driving and overseeing projects and processes cross‑functionally with a wide range of personalities

Self‑directed problem‑solver – you’re proactive in tackling new challenges and working through uncertainty

Structured thinker who’s able to develop frameworks to support strategic decisions

On top of trends in the toy space and adjacent industries

Strong negotiation & relationship building skills

Must be self‑motivated and able to manage multiple parallel‑path projects

Minimum of 2+ years of experience in production related capacity

Have a passion for making great product

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran and protected veteran status, disability status, and or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

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.

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