Associate Manager, Retail Franchise Development

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.

Sitting within the EMEA Consumer Products organization, the team provides leadership and direction for the development and execution of Consumer Products strategy across Mattel's portfolio of brands. We grow our franchises by building strong partnerships with retailers, licensees and internal teams, and by translating brand and category priorities into compelling consumer-facing programs. The Retail Franchise Development team works closely with Category, Franchise, Commercial, Sales, Marketing, Creative, Product Development, Finance, Legal and market teams across EMEA.

The Opportunity: We are seeking a commercial, relationship-led Associate Manager to drive Retail Franchise Development within an assigned EMEA territory or market cluster. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Retail Franchise Development EMEA, this role will translate regional franchise and category priorities into locally relevant retailer stories, cross-category programs and consumer experiences that strengthen retailer relationships, increase distribution and accelerate growth. The role will act as the day-to-day Retail Franchise Development partner for the assigned geography, building strong relationships with priority retailers and connecting local market needs with the wider EMEA retail strategy. Success will require a strong understanding of the territory's retail landscape, excellent storytelling and selling skills, and the ability to coordinate multiple internal and external stakeholders from concept through execution. What Your Impact Will Be: TERRITORY STRATEGY & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Develop and execute the Retail Franchise Development plan for the assigned territory, aligned with EMEA Franchise, Category and Commercial priorities. Translate the EMEA retailer segmentation, activation calendar and strategic frameworks into market-relevant plans based on local customer, consumer and competitive dynamics. Build clear annual priorities, territory account plans and performance measures for the assigned geography, with regular reporting to the Senior Manager, Retail Franchise Development EMEA. Identify whitespace opportunities across brands, categories, channels and retailers, converting insights into actionable growth proposals that strengthen franchise presence and improve retail execution. Support the identification and development of strategic Direct-to-Retail (DTR) opportunities aligned with EMEA Category and Commercial priorities. Identify new retail concepts, emerging business models and partnership opportunities that can accelerate franchise growth. Build and maintain a robust pipeline of future retail partnership opportunities. Develop long-term retailer growth strategies by combining Mattel brands, multiple product categories and licensing partners into compelling retail propositions. Develop channel-specific growth strategies aligned with retailer priorities, shopper behaviour and market dynamics. Leverage market, retail and consumer insights, together with competitive intelligence, to identify growth opportunities, influence EMEA Category, Franchise and Commercial strategies, and share best practices across the region. RETAILER PARTNERSHIPS & ACTIVATION Own and develop day-to-day relationships