Associate Manager, Brand Strategy & Transformation

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 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. 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.  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. Partner