Associate Manager, Brand Strategy & Transformation

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.

Job Description

The Opportunity:

The Associate Manager, Brand Strategy & Transformation is an execution-focused role responsible for driving day-to-day delivery across assigned global brand strategy and transformation workstreams. Reporting directly to the Director, this role operates with a high degree of autonomy and judgment-providing structure, coordination, and oversight to ensure strategy initiatives are executed with rigor, consistency, and clarity.

While this role does not hold formal ownership of headcount, budgets, or enterprise programs, it is accountable for translating strategic direction into actionable plans; coordinating contributors and partners; and ensuring high-quality outputs are delivered on time. The Associate Manager serves as a key extension of the Director, enabling effective decision-making and disciplined follow-through across the global brand strategy operating model.

What Your Impact Will Be:

Core Accountabilities

1. Strategy Execution & Workstream Oversight

• Drive day-to-day execution of assigned global brand strategy and transformation workstreams.
• Translate strategic priorities into structured plans, tasks, and deliverables.
• Synthesize and validate inputs to ensure alignment, quality, and readiness for leadership reviews and decision forums.

2. Materials, Tools & Documentation

• Oversee the development and maintenance of decks, trackers, templates, and documentation aligned to brand strategy standards.
• Review materials for clarity, accuracy, and adherence to established methodologies prior to leadership engagement.
• Ensure consistency, version control, and accessibility of strategy resources.

3. Adoption Tracking, Issue Resolution & Follow-Through

• Monitor progress, milestones, and adoption of brand strategy processes and tools across initiatives.
• Identify risks, gaps, and dependencies; recommend corrective actions and drive resolution.
• Escalate issues requiring leadership input with clear context, implications, and options.

4. Cross-Functional Coordination & Day-to-Day Direction

• Serve as a primary point of coordination for assigned initiatives across Brand, Franchise, Creative, Commercial, and Strategy partners.
• Provide day-to-day guidance on task sequencing, priorities, and deliverables to ensure coordinated execution.
• Support preparation and facilitation of working sessions, governance forums, and leadership reviews.

Decision Rights

This role:

• Makes day-to-day execution decisions within approved brand strategy frameworks and operating models.
• Sets priorities and provides direction to support timely and high-quality delivery across assigned workstreams.
• Provides analysis, recommendations, and options to inform leadership decisions.
• Escalates risks, conflicts, and decisions requiring leadership input directly to the Director.

Scope & Impact

• Scope: End-to-end coordination and oversight of defined brand strategy and transformation workstreams.
• Impact: Improves consistency, rigor, and momentum of strategy execution; enables Directors and senior leaders to focus on decisions rather than day-to-day orchestration.
• Stakeholders: Directors, Managers, and cross-functional partners supporting Global Brand Strategy & Operations.

Qualifications

What We're Looking For:

Experience

• 4-6 years of experience in strategy, analytics, brand operations, consulting, or related fields.
• Minimum 2+ years of or equivalent work experience in management consulting, transformation management, investment banking, private equity, or in-house strategy
• Experience supporting planning cycles, transformation initiatives, or cross-functional programs.

Key Capabilities

• Analytical rigor and synthesis
• Structured execution and follow-through
• Strong judgment and prioritization
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Cross-functional coordination and collaboration
• Attention to detail and reliability

Success Metrics

• High-quality, timely delivery of workstreams with minimal rework.
• Effective coordination and clarity across contributors and partners.
• Early identification and resolution of risks and dependencies.
• Consistent confidence from the Director in execution quality, judgment, and follow-through.

*The pay range is indicative of projected hiring range, however base pay will be determined based on a candidate's work location, skills and experience. Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential.


Additional Information

Don't meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. Join Mattel's Talent Community and start receiving exciting updates about our company, our employees, and our culture. Also, interested in signing up for job alerts? Do so here!

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 collaboration with the world's leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel's award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

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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.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Corporate Philanthropy