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Editorial Director

El Segundo, CA

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, entertain 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 Editorial Director will oversee the development of assets and materials to support licensed and vertical publishing. This role will lead the vertical publishing planning and development process, the asset development process, the audio development process and the digital publishing process to support the global publishing business. This role will lead the editorial and creative team. This role will report into the Head of Global Publishing.


What Your Impact Will Be: 

  • Working with Head of Global Publishing, develop global publishing strategy, publishing plan, and asset plan to support global licensed and vertical businesses.
  • Identify and recommend new formats aligned with brand priorities and retail market.
  • Lead acquisitions process for new titles.
  • Lead meetings with licensees and/or business leads to onboard and develop product opportunities.
  • Lead creative and editorial team to deliver final book files and assets to support global publishing business.
  • Lead team to provide product approvals for all licensed titles.
  • Deliver creative and digital files to support the Caribu platform.
  • Partner with Sound Studio to create audio files needed to support the global publishing business.
  • Present new titles to sales team as needed.
  • Present to executive teams, internal business teams, franchise and brand teams as needed.
  • Secure authors and illustrators to support publishing strategy.
  • Oversee publishing creative P&L ensuring all projects stay within budget.


What We’re Looking For: 

  • A minimum of 10 years editorial experience in children’s licensed publishing.
  • Expertise in the global children’s licensed publishing market.
  • Experience working with external global publishing licensees.
  • Experience creating guides, book pools and asset pools to support global publishing.
  • Experience in vertical publishing including publishing planning, acquisitions, and delivery of final files.
  • Ability to recommend format and cover options based on global market.
  • Ability to work with multiple brand, content and franchise stakeholders.
  • Excellent communication skills, verbal and written.
  • Excellent presentation skills with the ability to present to internal and external partners.
  • Ability to work closely with authors, illustrators, designers and agents.
  • Strong network of contacts within the publishing industry, both publishers and agents.
  • Ability to lead and develop team.
  • Ability to work with team members and licensees across the globe.


The annual base salary range for this position is between $142,000 and $200,000.


**This range is indicative of projected hiring range, however annual base salary will be determined based on a candidate’s work location, skills and experience.


Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.


What It’s Like to Work Here:

We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower the next generation 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.


Our Approach to Hybrid Work

We embrace a hybrid work model to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where everyone can deliver on our shared purpose and realize their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with tech-enabled hybrid work, our focus is to provide flexibility while enabling collaboration for moments that matter.


Who We Are:

Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO and MEGA, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries 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 children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.


Mattel is recognized for the second year in a row as a Great Place to Work™ and as one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2022.


Mattel is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers including minorities, females, veterans, military spouses, individuals with disabilities, and those of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

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