The Opportunity:
We are seeking a Director of Talent Partnerships to lead the development of high-impact, global talent collaborations across its iconic portfolio of brands. This role will drive strategic partnerships with celebrities, entertainment talent, athletes, and cultural leaders to expand franchise relevance, unlock new business opportunities, and accelerate brand growth.
Sitting at the intersection of entertainment, licensing, and brand strategy, this leader will identify, structure, and operationalize talent-driven partnerships that extend Mattel’s IP into new cultural and commercial spaces. The role requires both sophisticated deal-making capabilities and the ability to translate partnerships into scalable, cross-platform business initiatives.
What Your Impact Will Be:
Strategic Talent Partnerships
- Define and execute a global talent partnerships strategy aligned with Mattel’s franchise and brand priorities
- Identify and secure partnerships with celebrities, actors, athletes, and cultural figures that enhance brand storytelling and reach
- Translate cultural insights and entertainment trends into actionable partnership opportunities
Deal Structuring & Negotiation
- Lead end-to-end deal development, including sourcing, valuation, structuring, and negotiation of complex talent agreements
- Partner closely with legal and business affairs on contract development, rights usage, and compliance
- Structure deals that span multiple dimensions, including licensing, content, consumer products, marketing campaigns, and co-created IP
Franchise & IP Expansion
- Leverage talent partnerships to extend Mattel brands into new categories, markets, and platforms (e.g. digital content, collaborations, experiential)
- Identify opportunities for talent-led product lines, co-branded collections, and long-term franchise integrations
- Ensure partnerships are additive to brand equity and consistent with franchise strategy
Cross-Functional Leadership & Execution
- Partner with global brand, franchise, licensing, marketing, PR, and regional teams to bring partnerships to life
- Drive alignment across internal stakeholders and manage complex, multi-market execution plans
- Oversee end-to-end partnership lifecycle from concept through launch and optimization
Relationship Management
- Build and maintain senior-level relationships with talent agencies, management firms, studios, and key industry partners
- Position Mattel as a partner of choice within the entertainment and talent ecosystem
Performance & Operations
- Establish KPIs and measurement frameworks to evaluate partnership impact across brand, cultural relevance, and revenue
- Manage budgets, timelines, and internal processes to ensure operational excellence
- Continuously refine partnership strategies based on performance insights and market dynamics