Assoc. Manager, Licensing, Agencies & Retail –… at Mattel · Istanbul

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 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.

Job Description

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a commercially driven Associate Manager to lead Mattel’s Consumer Products agency model across Turkey and South Africa. This role will be accountable for the performance, governance and development of external agencies representing Mattel across all Consumer Products categories in the assigned markets. The Associate Manager will ensure agencies operate as strategic extensions of Mattel, translating regional priorities into robust market plans, building high-quality partner pipelines and delivering sustainable royalty, revenue and brand growth.

The Team :

Sitting within the EMEA Consumer Products organization, the Pan-European Markets (PEM) (Turkey, South Africa, the Middle East, Israel, Greece, the Balkans, and North Export) team leads the development and execution of Consumer Products strategy across a diverse portfolio of markets, business models and categories. The team builds and grows relationships with licensees, retailers, external agencies, distributors and other strategic partners, translating EMEA and global priorities into locally relevant growth plans. We work closely with the PEM Commercial Lead and Country Managers, as well as Global and EMEA Consumer Products, Franchise, Brand, Marketing, Product Development, Creative, Retail Franchise Development, Finance, Legal and Audit teams.

What Your Impact Will Be:

AGENCY LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE

• Act as Mattel’s primary relationship owner for external Consumer Products agencies in Turkey and South Africa.
• Set clear objectives, commercial targets, operating rhythms and performance expectations for each agency, aligned with PEM and EMEA priorities.
• Lead regular business reviews, pipeline discussions and performance evaluations, ensuring transparency, accountability and timely corrective action.
• Ensure agencies comply with Mattel policies, brand standards, approval processes, contractual obligations and reporting requirements.

MARKET STRATEGY & COMMERCIAL GROWTH

• Develop market-specific Consumer Products plans across all categories and brands, reflecting local consumer, retail, regulatory and route-to-market dynamics.
• Partner with agencies to identify category whitespace, recruit high-potential licensees and retailers, negotiate commercial opportunities and expand successful partnerships.
• Own market forecasts, royalty and revenue delivery, partner pipelines and risk management across the assigned territories.
• Use market, consumer and competitor insights to prioritize opportunities and build compelling growth recommendations.

COUNTRY & CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

• Work closely with the PEM Commercial Lead and relevant Country Managers to integrate Consumer Products priorities into broader market strategies and customer plans.
• Act as the connection between agencies and EMEA Category, Franchise, Brand, Marketing, Product Development, Creative, Retail Franchise Development, Finance and Legal teams.
• Ensure local market opportunities and constraints are represented in PEM and EMEA planning, while maintaining consistency with global brand and category direction.
• Share best practices across agencies and markets to raise execution standards and accelerate growth.

RETAIL FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT (PEM)

• Directly lead the Franchise Retail Marketing in Turkey, and act as the PEM Franchise Retail Marketing lead for the rest of the PEM region, in direct connection with the relevant Consumer Products Team members.
• Build relationships with priority retailers and identify opportunities for cross-category franchise programs, exclusive propositions and brand-led activations.
• Create and pitch compelling retailer stories using Mattel brands, consumer insights and commercial opportunities.
• Partner with Country Managers and Commercial teams to improve product listings, shelf presence, retail execution and sell-through.
• Coordinate activation plans from concept through execution, ensuring alignment with retailer objectives and Mattel brand standards.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For:

• 5+ years of experience in consumer products, licensing, commercial sales, agency management or a related field.
• Experience managing external agencies, distributors or market representatives across multiple territories.
• Strong knowledge of licensing processes, partner acquisition, negotiations, forecasting and contract governance.
• Commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to assess pipelines, manage targets and translate insights into action.
• Excellent influencing, relationship-management and communication skills across cultures and organizations.
• Ability to operate independently, manage complexity and hold external partners accountable while building trusted relationships.
• Experience in Turkey and South Africa, or comparable emerging and growth markets, is highly desirable.
• Degree in Business, Marketing or a relevant subject or equivalent experience
• Proven sales negotiation experience and commercial thinking mindset
• Fluency in Turkish and English is required.

Additional Information

What We Offer:

• Gross annual salary range of TRY 2,680,000 – TRY 3,182,500
• Bonus scheme: Participation in Mattel Incentive Plan (MIP) with the target of 10% of base salary, payout is determined by company and individual performance results
• Paid time starting from 20 vacation days + 4 Mattel Days (company day off)
• Hybrid working set-up
• Commuting allowance or lease car (for eligible roles only)
• Meal allowance
• Sport allowance
• Employee assistance program: Access to Modern Health, Headspace, and Maven
• Health Insurance including dependents coverage
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Toy discount
• Half day working option on Friday
• Seasonal gifts
• Family benefits program: 24 weeks off (for 1st caregiver) or 12 weeks off (for co-parent) fully paid on the arrival of new child, return to work program, path to parenthood, and family care leave

Mattel’s total compensation package is based on objective, gender-neutral criteria such as job grade, work location, relevant skills, and experience. This information is provided to enable informed and transparent consideration and negotiation of employment terms. If your profile is retained and we schedule an interview, we will share further details on Mattel Toys Trading Ltd Sirket’s total rewards package. Please note that (some of) the benefits above may change over time, due to changes in the company policy or in legislation. We will not ask about your previous salary history.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to Join Mattel's Talent Community and start receiving exciting updates about our company, our employees, and our culture. Also, interested in signing up for job alerts? Do so here! You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

How We Work:
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.

Our Approach to Flexible Work:
We embrace a flexible work model designed to empower a culture of growth, optimism, and wellbeing, where every employee can reach their full potential. Combining purposeful in-person collaboration with flexibility, our focus is to optimize performance and drive connection for moments that matter.

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.
Beware of recruiting scams: Mattel will only contact you through official @mattel.com or @smartrecruiters.com email addresses and will never ask for payment or sensitive personal information during the hiring process.

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.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Corporate Philanthropy