Lead Packaging Designer - Dolls Portfolio

Mattel; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Mattel seeks a Lead Packaging Designer to shape the next generation of packaging across our Dolls portfolio. This hands-on leadership role combines strong graphic design with structure, storytelling, and production readiness, translating brand strategy into compelling shelf and online packaging experiences.

The ideal candidate brings 10+ years of packaging or graphic design experience, a robust portfolio, and the ability to lead projects from ideation to final artwork while collaborating with

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional packaging or graphic design experience in toys, consumer products, or related field.
• Portfolio demonstrating exceptional packaging design craft with strong typography, color, and storytelling.
• Experience establishing packaging brand guidelines, styleguides, and design systems.
• Experience in packaging design from concept through production, including structure, graphics, and manufacturing considerations.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled creative tools and workflows with responsible usage.

Responsibilities

• Lead packaging projects from concept through production, delivering sketches, concepts, structural ideas, 3D mockups, renderings, and presentation visuals.
• Translate brand strategy, consumer insights, and marketing plans into compelling packaging experiences.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and external partners to meet cost, schedule, and retail requirements.
• Incorporate AI-assisted ideation and visualization while maintaining core design fundamentals.
• Review production artwork, guide resources, and manage the packaging design critical path.

Skills

Packaging design

Graphic design

Adobe Creative Suite

3D visualization

AI tools in design

Brand storytelling

Collaboration

Communication

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design or related

Tools

Illustrator

Photoshop

Dimension

Job 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.

The Opportunity:

Mattel is seeking a Lead Packaging Designer to help shape the next generation of packaging across our Dolls portfolio. This is a hands‑on creative leadership role for an experienced packaging designer who combines exceptional graphic design skills with a strong understanding of structure, product presentation, storytelling, and the realities of bringing packaging from concept through production.

The ideal candidate is a highly skilled, versatile designer and visual problem solver who can translate brand strategy, consumer insights, product features, and marketing strategies into compelling packaging experiences. They understand that great packaging must do more than look beautiful—it must communicate clearly, showcase the product, create impact at shelf and online, and work within structural, manufacturing, sustainability, cost, and timing requirements.

This designer will lead projects from early ideation through final production, developing sketches, graphic concepts, structural ideas, 3D mockups, renderings, and presentation‑ready visualizations that bring ideas to life quickly and convincingly. They should be equally comfortable exploring a wide range of possibilities at the beginning of a project and obsessing over the details required to deliver exceptional final packaging.

A high level of proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite—particularly Illustrator, Photoshop, and Dimension—is essential, along with strong image‑making, typography, composition, and visual story telling skills. Experience with 3D visualization and rendering tools is highly valued, as is the ability to think dimensionally and translate a 2D design concept into a compelling physical package. The Lead Packaging Designer should also be comfortable incorporating AI‑enabled creative tools into the design process, using them thoughtfully for rapid ideation, visualization, image exploration, storytelling, and concept development. AI should complement—not replace—strong design fundamentals, enabling the designer to explore more possibilities and communicate ideas more effectively and efficiently.

This role works closely with Product Design, Marketing, Packaging Engineering, Copywriters, Development, Consumer Insights, and global production partners throughout the development process. The designer will communicate creative intent clearly, incorporate input from multiple stakeholders, provide thoughtful creative direction, and work collaboratively to solve design, structural, production, cost, and schedule challenges.

They will also help manage the packaging design critical path, maintaining accuracy and creative integrity from initial concept through final artwork and approval. This includes reviewing production artwork, guiding internal and external resources, identifying potential issues early, and ensuring that the final execution reflects the intent and quality of the original design.

Just as important as creative ability is how this person works. We are looking for someone curious, collaborative, adaptable, and low ego—a designer who brings a strong point of view without being precious about it. They should be comfortable with ambiguity, shifting priorities, feedback, and iteration, and understand that the strongest solutions often come through partnership. Excellent communication skills, openness to different perspectives, and the ability to build trust across disciplines and levels of the organization are critical to success.

What Your Impact Will Be:

• The primary role is the creation of breakthrough brand visual identities for new Mattel Venture toy packaging from concept through production.
• Help Build brand guidelines, styleguides, visual toolkits, and design systems that clarify brand codes, graphic language, typography, color, photography/illustration direction, and packaging principles
• Partner on packaging strategy, concept development, and design execution from early exploration through production, ensuring the work is strategically grounded, emotionally resonant, and visually distinctive.
• Translate insights, raw concepts, and business strategy into clear creative narratives that secure alignment and buy‑in from cross‑functional partners and executive stakeholders.
• Create high‑quality presentations, concept boards, visual frameworks, and storytelling materials that communicate design vision with clarity, taste, and strategic intent.
• Use AI tools thoughtfully and effectively to accelerate ideation, mood development, visualization, concept iteration, presentation development, and creative workflow efficiency.
• Set and maintain a high creative bar for design taste, craft, and consistency
• Partner with and direct, internal development designers and cross‑functional creative contributors while effectively briefing and art directing external illustrators, photographers and vendors.
• Partner with product design, marketing, insights, structural engineering, program management, legal, licensing, e‑commerce, and global teams to ensure packaging and graphic assets deliver on strategy and can be executed at scale.
• Balance creative ambition with cost, schedule, manufacturing, and retail realities.
• Advocate for the consumer and the brand, ensuring final creative work is compelling, ownable, understandable, and aligned with key business objectives.
• Successfully present and defend creative concepts to cross‑functional teams, senior leadership, and executive management.

What We’re Looking For:

• 10+ years of professional packaging or graphic design experience, ideally within toys, consumer products, CPG, entertainment, or another highly visual consumer‑facing industry.
• Team player (ability to work with immediate team members and cross functional partners)
• Ability to accept and give creative direction
• Up to date on current trends: graphics, advertising, fashion, technology, entertainment, social, etc.
• A portfolio demonstrating exceptional packaging design craft, including strong typography, composition, color, hierarchy, image‑making, and product storytelling.
• Experience establishing packaging brand guidelines, styleguides.
• Experience in packaging design from concept through production, including structure, graphics, hierarchy, typography, color, materials, finishes, retail impact, and manufacturing considerations.
• Demonstrated familiarity with AI‑enabled creative tools and workflows, with the judgment to use them responsibly, efficiently, and in service of stronger creative outcomes.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple projects with different delivery dates simultaneously, in order to meet tight deadlines
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Excellent presentation skills with the ability to articulate design and vision
• Experience managing external partners, freelance specialists, and global production partners.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, presentation tools, and modern design workflows; familiarity with 3D visualization, rendering, prototyping, and AI image/concept generation tools is strongly preferred.
• Self‑directed, proactive, and comfortable working through ambiguity in a fast‑paced innovation environment with multiple parallel‑path projects.

Preferred Experience

• Experience launching new brands, sub‑brands, or franchise extensions from early strategy through consumer‑facing execution.
• Experience in toys, entertainment, licensed IP, consumer products, or youth/family lifestyle categories.
• Experience developing omnichannel brand assets for retail, e‑commerce, social, digital, and presentation environments.
• Experience working with overseas partners and managing creative quality through production and commercialization.

*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.

How We Work:

• 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. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
• We innovate:At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
• We execute:We are a performance‑driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best‑in‑class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Who We Are:

Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel’s award‑winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran and protected veteran status, disability status, and or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
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