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, 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 Team:
With the explosion of growth in eCom and Amazon, Mattel has acted quickly to win in this space by evolving our operating model, team structure and brand proposition to enable us to succeed and be partners of choice for Amazon. As a result, we have seen significant sales growth ahead of the trend in this area!
The Mattel Amazon team operates as a separate Regional Team within Europe, set up in a matrix structure with dedicated Sales, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain and HR functions, located across the region in UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland and Türkiye. In addition to managing Amazon for the region, the team also drives the strategy of marketplaces and acts as a center of excellence for all things eCom.
In line with Amazon’s expansion we’ve also evolved from managing 5 European markets to 10, with Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Belgium and Ireland launching over the last 3 years. We have also introduced a new Marketing team with regional focus on Category Management and Media. This has further supported how we can partner closely with Amazon to leverage our joint strategy and solidify our strong pan-European business relationship.
Over the past few years, our sales organisation has gone through a significant transformation around centralisation, and we have formed a new Regional Sales Team that manages Amazon relationships at EMEA level. In collaboration with Amazon, we’ve structured our partnership around key strategic and operational pillars, covering all EU10 markets.
We always strive to challenge and re-invent our ways of operating to ensure we continue winning in the eCom space – if you’re motivated by this challenge then come and join us!
Job Description
The Opportunity:
In this high-impact, customer-facing role, you will lead the Direct Import (DI) business for our Amazon EMEA team. As part of the Amazon Regional Sales Team, you will help shape and grow our long-term partnership with Amazon—driving both revenue and profitability while strengthening the online presence of Mattel’s iconic brands.
You’ll play a critical dual role:
- Strategic Architect – design and lead the DI strategy for our business
- Executional Leader – drive planning, forecasting, and delivery of the number
We’re looking for a driven and ambitious SUPERSTAR to help Mattel reach its goal of being recognized as the #1 Toy Retailer on Amazon!
Think you’ve got what it takes to WIN in this role? Then we want to hear from you!
What Your Impact Will Be:
The ‘Availability – Direct Import (DI)’ role represents one half of the Availability pillar, with the other half focused on Availability – Domestic. In this role, you will lead our Direct Import (DI) business and collaborate closely with Amazon counterparts to ensure shoppers can find and purchase the products they want – driving product availability on Amazon. This role is flexible in terms of location; can be based in any of the EU markets that Amazon EMEA Team operates.
The role spans four key dimensions:
- Strategic – Develop and implement the DI playbook to guide long-term success.
- Commercial – Lead and close negotiations both externally with Amazon and internally across teams.
- Planning – Work with sales forecasting, and demand planning, to ensure we source the right products.
- Operational – Oversee operations to ensure we bring the number and deliver our forecasts & targets.
The four key stakeholder groups are:
- Amazon counterparts – Your primary external partners.
- EMEA Amazon commercial team – your adjacent contacts for everything from brand strategy to financial targets.
- Mattel global teams – Supporting operations and order fulfilment.
- Agency partners – Managing order processing and troubleshooting.
Key Tasks:
- DI Playbook development: together with finance & supported by Sales Analysts, develop the DI Playbook to give strategic guidance to the team on key topics including, but not limited to: evaluation criteria to identify DI items, pricing strategy and profitability targets, optimal DI share, bets & deals core selection. Aspire to create a best practice for Mattel.
- Pricing & cost negotiations: lead the cost price negotiations in very close collaboration with finance and leadership team, to create an aligned and approved cost price list. Ensure there are no blockers operationally at Mattel or Amazon to proceed with the orders.
- JBP & execution: serve as the primary point of contact for Amazon’s Direct Import business. Manage both internal and external stakeholder relationships. Lead the submission of quote sheets, ensuring timeliness and accuracy. Jointly own the Availability pillar of the Joint Business Plan (JBP) with the Domestic Availability lead.
- SOTB (shipping): based on latest business intelligence and orderbook, own DI Gross Billing performance, and call the DI SOTB number for FY / quarter / month. Own the DI inputs for the consumption model. Regularly share order information with the business to keep stakeholders, including sales management, Sales Forecaster, and finance, up-to-date.
- AVN: work closely with sales and finance leads and other pillars to support AVN, provide a reliable forecast, and remain connected to Amazon counterpart to be aligned on impact calculations.
- Process & timelines: partner with Amazon and internal stakeholders to align on DI process & timelines, and make sure we follow what is agreed.
- DI landing / Amazon availability: collaborate within the Availability pillar to maintain a current, integrated view of DI and Domestic inbounds, and have an accurate picture of Amazon availability. Prepare and follow-up actions, and inform stakeholders.
Qualifications
What We’re Looking For:
- University degree in Economics, Business Administration or related field (Bachelor/ Master/ Diploma) OR demonstrable relevant experience
- Seasoned experience in Consumer Goods/ Sales/Marketing with solid Key Account Management experience in a multinational Company, of which at least 2+ years have been invested in dealing with E-Commerce & Digital Marketing – preferably Amazon!
- Selling & negotiation skills in international environment, preferably acquired in a global company with high seasonality
- Understanding of online / digital metrics
- Exceptional Strategic thinking and planning abilities
- Strong analytical, problem solving and project management skills
- Highly competitive mindset & Business results oriented: ability to perform, to budget and manage forecast
- Ability to work in wide variety of projects with tight deadlines
- Ability to build relationships within a matrix business environment and handle diverse audiences
- A confident and articulate communicator capable of inspiring strong collaboration within an organization
- Proactive, positive and innovative mind
- Fast learner – ability to work in a high energy, fast paced environment
- Fluency in English
Additional Information
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.
Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.
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, individuals with disabilities, and those of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
