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.
Job Description
The Opportunity:
Mattel, Inc. is seeking an experienced and self-motivated Designer to join its newly created publishing group. The team focuses on creating high-quality books and other publishing assets for brands including Barbie, Barney, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, Little People, Monster High, Polly Pocket, Thomas and Friends, and more. Reporting to and working closely with the Editorial Director, the ideal candidate will be extremely creative and possess the ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously.
What Your Impact Will Be:
- Manage and independently design a list of 30+ original and tie-in titles per year (including board books, 8x8s, readers, activity books, workbooks, chapter books, middle grade, novelty) plus the creation of assets to support licensees including art pools
- Review creative development from licensees on a case-by-case basis
- Work with the Editorial Director to identify new book opportunities for vertical and licensee publishing lists as well as supporting assets
- Responsible for all stages of book design from sourcing and hiring artists/freelance designers to providing art direction, routing and making changes to layouts, creating title and series logo designs, and releasing final files to printer.
- Collaborate with Design, Production, and Operations as needed to meet deadlines and ensure high quality
- Liaise with Brand and Content teams to create original stories, vet or refine book concepts, and gather supporting info and assets
- Ensure all materials have been routed to any necessary internal and external partners for approval at key milestones and make any appropriate changes
- Represent the publishing team at internal cross-category brand meetings and speak to the publishing team’s needs and strategy as needed
- Present asset development plans to global partners as well as covers at internal review meetings
Qualifications
What We’re Looking For:
- Minimum 4 years’ experience in children’s publishing, preferably licensed publishing
- A thorough understanding of the entire publishing process and of the children’s book market
- A strong portfolio of print work and outstanding book cover designs
- Proficient in InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Familiarity with Teams, Smartsheets, and Workfront is a plus.
- Experienced in prepress, particularly the 4-color printing process, and PDF workflow
- A creative and detailed-oriented person with excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to work with minimal supervision with a wide degree of creativity and independent thinking
- Ability to multitask, adjust quickly, organize and re-prioritize
- Ability to give and take creative direction and embrace change
- Self-motivated and able to work independently as well as collaboratively with cross-functional teams
- Ability to work calmly and maintain high standards in a fast-paced work environment and approach projects with flexibility and resourcefulness
- Excellent attention to detail and proven ability to meet deadlines
- Optimistic attitude and love of toys appreciated
The annual base salary range for this position is between $53,000 and $77,000
**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.
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.
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, military spouses, individuals with disabilities, and those of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Videos To Watch
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