Associate Manager, Brand Strategy & Activation - Hot Wheels

Associate Manager, Brand Strategy & Activation - Hot Wheels Full-time 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 & Activation will assist with defining the long-term brand equity, positioning, and cross-category strategy while also driving day-to-day brand activations, in partnership with internal cross-functional teams and external agencies. The Associate Manager will focus on the Hot Wheels adult fan business, developing and executing strategies that define the brand strategy, accelerate brand awareness, drive launches and grow the full franchise business. The Associate Manager, Brand Strategy & Activation will assist with defining the long-term brand equity, positioning, and cross-category strategy while also driving day-to-day brand activations, in partnership with internal cross-functional teams and external agencies. The Associate Manager will focus on the Hot Wheels adult fan business, developing and executing strategies that define the brand strategy, accelerate brand awareness, drive launches and grow the full franchise business. What Your Impact Will Be: Brand Strategy Partner with Toy and Franchise Marketing to ensure brand consistency across product, experiences and retail Develops Content in partnership with Mattel Studios to ensure brand objectives and alignment Serve as the cross-functional integrator between content, product, experiences, retail, and marketing Brand Activation With leadership, plan brand “moments” (anniversaries, entertainment launches, retail programs) that supports all businesses at retail and work with commercial partners to ensure flawless execution Translate brand strategy into campaigns, content, and activations With leadership, plan integrated marketing plans (digital, retail, social, influencer, events, PR) and work with commercial partners to execute Ensure media strategy is executed well across regions, and manage day-to-day creative production Ensure creative execution stays consistent with brand positioning (via brand guardrails) and product highlights Ensure brand stories are executed well to drive demand generation, brand love, and consumer loyalty Manage day-to-day execution of agency scope in partnership with brand creative Track & report on campaign performance (awareness, engagement, conversion) Track & report on franchise health through consumer engagement, sales performance, and cultural impact. Qualifications What We’re Looking For: 5+ years (3 years with MBA) experience in brand marketing (on brand or agency side), franchise management/marketing, content marketing, or purpose-driven strategy/marketing. Experience managing a portfolio spanning multiple categories (toys, apparel, publishing, etc.). Self-starter who is detail oriented, driven, focused, pro-active and collaborative Strategic thinking: Ability to define brand vision and multi-year roadmaps. Consumer insights & research: Strong understanding of consumer psychology, brand equity drivers, and cultural trends. Ability to synthesize data and pull insights to create recommendations Thorough understanding of marketing mix and KPIs Portfolio management: Balancing toys and non-toy CP categories under a unified brand. Cross-functional leadership: Skilled at influencing Design, Product, Marketing, and