Associate Manager, Hot Wheels Tracks & Playsets

Mattel•El Segundo, CA

8h•$109,600 - $137,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Product Design Associate Manager will lead and inspire a group of designers on 1 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 Product Design Associate Manager will execute and help create product design visions, strengthen the voice of our designers and will be ready for any hands-on managing that is required to keep the business moving. You will guide, nurture and grow your design team to empower the future leaders within the organization.

Requirements

4+ years of cross-functional experience in a product development
2+ years of people leading experience and managing 2 or more group of individuals
Able to thrive in the world of Hot Wheels Licensed Entertainment Tracks, Playsets and vehicle design with innovating 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

Responsibilities

You have a thorough understanding of the toy product design-development processes
With strong ability to ideate, sketch, illustrate, generate rough models
Thorough understanding on final modeling and production
Have a clear understanding of the Toy industry and entertainment Industry, with familiarity of toys both past and present within vehicles category
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 apply where necessary
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
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 medium
Working 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.
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.
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)
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 designers’ skill within the team and nurture their areas of opportunity.
You will guide your team to best fulfill strategic product needs
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