Product Design Manager - Barbie Design

Mattel, Inc.; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Mattel, Inc. is seeking a Barbie Design Manager to lead and inspire the Global Product Design team. You will translate consumer insights, trends and new technologies into innovative toy concepts across Barbie categories, guiding projects from concept through execution.

You will mentor designers, foster collaboration, and partner with Marketing, Engineering, Packaging and Product Management to ensure design excellence and strategic alignment in a fast‑paced environment.

Qualifications

• 7 years+ of cross‑functional experience in product development.
• Able to embrace, interpret and re‑tell long‑loved stories through toy; brand ambassador for Mattel/Disney.
• Collaborative and communicative team player who oversees projects and processes cross‑functionally.
• Self‑directed problem‑solver—proactive in tackling new challenges and uncertainty.
• Structured thinker capable of developing frameworks to support strategic decisions.
• Up‑to‑date with trends in the toy space and adjacent industries.
• Strong negotiation and relationship‑building skills.
• Self‑motivated and able to manage multiple parallel‑path projects.
• Passion for making great product.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire the product design team across multiple categories, guiding development of innovative toy concepts.
• Provide creative leadership by translating consumer insights and trends into compelling product experiences.
• Oversee design process from concept through execution, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and business goals.
• Mentor designers, fostering collaboration and design excellence while balancing hands‑on direction with team leadership.
• Partner with Marketing, Engineering, Packaging and Product Management to drive alignment and deliver successful products.

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 Team

At Barbie, our Global Product Design team is a creative powerhouse driven by passion and innovation, united by a singular goal to create the most groundbreaking, inspiring toys in the world. As a Barbie Product Design Manager, you will have the unique opportunity to be part of a team of visionary designers on a journey to shape the future of Barbie, while igniting the imaginations of the next generation of kids. Through innovative design, trendsetting styles, and a fearless approach to creativity, you'll ensure that Barbie remains not only relevant, but an enduring force in the hearts and minds of kids everywhere. Help us continue Barbie's legacy as a trailblazer - where cool, cutting-edge fashion meets inspiring, aspirational play. Come be part of a team known for "TOTY" award winning innovation that has made Barbie the # 1 Doll brand in the world!

The Opportunity

The Barbie Design team is seeking a highly skilled, experienced, and self‑motivated Design Manager to lead and inspire its product design team. In this role, you will provide creative leadership across multiple product categories, guiding the development of innovative toy concepts that resonate with today's kids by translating consumer insights, emerging trends, and new technologies into compelling product experiences.

As a Design Manager, you will oversee and mentor designers throughout the product development process, fostering creativity, collaboration, and design excellence while ensuring projects align with brand strategy, quality standards, and business objectives. You will partner closely with cross‑functional teams—including Marketing, Engineering, Packaging, and Product Development—to drive alignment, solve complex design challenges, and deliver successful products from concept through execution.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and collaborative creative leader with a strong product design background, a passion for developing talent, and a proven ability to balance hands‑on design direction with team leadership in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment.

What Your Impact Will Be

• You have a thorough understanding of the toy product design-development processes
  • From ideation sketches, illustrations, rough models, to final modeling and production
  • Have your finger on the pulse for the latest in fashion, graphics and toy trends
  • Have a clear understanding of the Toy industry, with familiarity of toys both past and present in the overall dolls and fashion dolls categories.
• You are a strategic design thinker
  • Able to contribute and execute on product design vision
  • Brings fresh POV with innovative design concepts
  • Understands systems of play in small dolls
  • Build strategy around a toy line across a variety of price points and play styles
  • Solid understanding of how to design for the target consumer, influenced by kid usability and parent expectations and needs
  • Can take in feedback and commentary on projects and revise where necessary
• You are a visual designer
  • Able to create visual design language in a product that is suitable for our Barbie audience
  • Set the visual stage in color every season by presenting and applying trends
  • Understanding of how play and design work together in product to tell a story
• An excellent communicator
  • Able to present to an audience of varying sizes both clearly and confidently
  • Can take concepts and distill them into a clear, understandable narrative to garner buy‑in throughout the organization through a variety of medium
• Collaborator
  • Work with outside licensors to build the best product. To be able to be a problem solver, partner and toy advocate. To share communication in both directions to ensure alignment across all parties.
  • Working with Mattel's Consumer Insights team to identify opportunities, consumer needs, parent, and kid purchase behaviors
  • Partner with Mattel's cross‑function team of experts in Marketing, Packaging, Engineering and Product Management.
• You are nimble
  • Able to pivot and revise on projects and strategy where business necessitates
  • Occasionally participate in design efforts outside of your area of expertise, and as your own skillset dictates
• Multi‑tasker
  • On projects with varying complexity through maximization of your design team and internal / external resources of Mattel (Internal cross function team, International Mattel partners, outside vendors)
  • Can jump in on any given situation as a hands‑on manager to assist your design team

The Team

• You are a design leader
  • You manage a team of designers and empower them to grow and foster forward thinking
  • Able to form a strong business relationship with your team gaining trust through collaboration, guidance, teamwork and empathy
  • You will maximize each designers’ skill within the team and nurture their areas of opportunity
  • You will guide your team to best fulfill strategic product needs
  • You can lead but also be led
• You are a role‑model
  • Lead by example and maintain professionalism, representing the core values of Mattel
  • You are passionate and inspire your design team to make toys that matter and make an impact

What We're Looking For

• 7 years+ of cross‑functional experience in a product development
• Able to embrace, interpret and re‑tell these long loved stories through toy. To be able to be an ambassador of a brand that represents both Mattel and Disney.
• Collaborative and communicative team player who enjoys driving and overseeing projects and processes cross‑functionally with a wide range of personalities
• Self‑directed problem‑solver - you're proactive in tackling new challenges and working through uncertainty
• Structured thinker who's able to develop frameworks to support strategic decisions
• On top of trends in the toy space and adjacent industries
• Strong negotiation & relationship building skills
• Must be self‑motivated and able to manage multiple parallel‑path projects.
• Have a passion for making great product
• 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.

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. 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.

The Culture at Mattel

Corporate Philanthropy