Director, Brand Creative – Hot Wheels

Mattel • El Segundo, CA

71d

About The Position

The Opportunity: The Vehicles Brand Creative team is seeking a visionary Creative Director to shape the future of one of the most iconic brands— Hot Wheels – the #1 selling toy in the world! This leader will drive breakthrough, consumer-centric creative across global campaigns, content, retail, digital, live experiences, and brand ecosystems. This role is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on maker, someone who can define high level brand vision and execute at ground level. Ideal candidate must inspire teams, influence stakeholders, and raise the creative bar in everything they touch. What Your Impact Will Be: Define and elevate the creative vision for the Hot Wheels brand, ensuring consistency, innovation, and cultural relevance. Lead the development of global, idea-led campaigns and brand systems that drive engagement across audiences and business results. Champion cohesive visual identities and brand foundations across all consumer touchpoints—campaigns, retail, digital, gaming, experiential, and more. Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Product Design, Packaging, Content, Digital, and Global teams to deliver best-in-class work. Provide clear, actionable direction to internal teams and external agencies to produce high-impact creative. Mentor, inspire and grow a multi-disciplinary team of designers, copywriters, and content creators. Effectively and clearly present and advocate creative work to cross functional teams and senior leadership to ensure clarity and alignment. Balance multiple high-profile initiatives, ensuring objectives are met and delivered on time and on budget without compromising creative excellence.

Requirements

• A strategic, conceptual thinker who turns insights into powerful brand storytelling.
• A hands-on creative leader with deep design sensibility and high craft standards.
• A culture-forward voice with strong awareness of trends across advertising, entertainment, gaming, retail, and social.
• Experienced in building and evolving iconic consumer brands across multi-generational audiences—from kids to collectors.
• A collaborative leader who thrives in a matrixed organization and builds strong cross-functional partnerships.
• An agency-savvy creative with experience directing and partnering with external agencies and production partners.
• A compelling communicator who can influence at all levels and inspire creative teams to do their best work
• Brand strategy and identity development
• Integrated campaign development (digital, social, retail, experiential, content)
• Visual systems and design leadership
• Multi-audience communication (youth, shoppers, adult fans)
• Creative direction across digital, video, motion, animation, retail, experiential and environments, print and packaging
• Agency management and vendor collaboration
• Team leadership, coaching, and creative talent development
• Executive-level presentation and storytelling
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and relevant creative production tools required.
• 12+ years of experience in creative leadership roles (agency or in-house), with a strong foundation in branding, art direction and graphic design
• Proven success building and evolving global consumer brands.
• Demonstrated experience in digital, social, and content-driven ecosystems.
• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Advertising, or related field (BFA preferred; advanced degree a plus).

Responsibilities

• Define and elevate the creative vision for the Hot Wheels brand, ensuring consistency, innovation, and cultural relevance.
• Lead the development of global, idea-led campaigns and brand systems that drive engagement across audiences and business results.
• Champion cohesive visual identities and brand foundations across all consumer touchpoints—campaigns, retail, digital, gaming, experiential, and more.
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Product Design, Packaging, Content, Digital, and Global teams to deliver best-in-class work.
• Provide clear, actionable direction to internal teams and external agencies to produce high-impact creative.
• Mentor, inspire and grow a multi-disciplinary team of designers, copywriters, and content creators.
• Effectively and clearly present and advocate creative work to cross functional teams and senior leadership to ensure clarity and alignment.
• Balance multiple high-profile initiatives, ensuring objectives are met and delivered on time and on budget without compromising creative excellence.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director