Associate Franchise Retail Manager

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.

You’ll be joining the Polish Commercial team as Associate Manager Retail Development. This role will be based out of our office in Warsaw.  

You will manage the day-to-day retail business relationships delivering a retail-first mindset  covering all key retailer partners – delivering all aspects of management, whilst driving Top Licensing partners and toy plans as per our growth strategy.  Along with our Commercial Senior Leadership team you will partner to help build and activate the retail strategy, building relationships and programs with leading retailers. 

What Your Impact Will Be:  

• Manage Retail Strategy for key campaigns across the Mattel Portfolio, building retail calendars and activations.
• Assist the Head of Consumer Products to manage the Licensing Marketing strategy, working with Brand marketing, and retail marketing to develop Franchise-first retail & marketing campaigns 
• Manage Mattel’s Licensing retail initiatives, and execute against pre-existing programmes 
• Represent Mattel at trade events and presentations where required 
• Present and sell in brands to retail to support work of category managers and licensees 
• Deliver the retail strategy and drive these relationships with Licensing programs. Work with the Mattel Sales teams to deliver best in class programs. Effectively partner with all stakeholders as part of the process. 
• Assist on delivering detailed joint business plan for top 6 retail partner that includes retail calendar and activation plan. 
• Conduct regular 1-1 meetings, arrange quarterly business reviews, bi-annual top to tops and track activations for key partners. 

Job Objectives:  

Manage the day-to-day retail business relationships and cross-category programs in Poland delivering a retail-first mindset, covering all retailer partners as per our growth strategy. Along with the Poland Sales, Marketing & Consumer Products teams, you will partner to help build and activate Poland retail strategy, building relationships and programs with leading retailers in Poland.  

Key Result Areas:  

• Engage whole organization with franchise mindset (driving growth of Mattel core and licensed business integrally) 
• Retail strategy: Analyze the market with SWOT, gaps, opportunities, retailers / category priorities. Develop go to market and retail channel strategy for licensing products, based on in-depth retail/ customer and franchise expertise. Deliver PL Retail strategy and drive retail relationships (stake holders management) with Consumer Products programs. Work with Mattel Sales and Consumer Products teams to deliver best in class programs. Manage all stakeholders as part of process. Assist sales and CP team on delivering Joint business plan (JBP) for top retailers.  
• Manage timelines of pitching and business reviews cross functions internally and externally. Follow up on key initiatives and on progress. 
• Boost Sales: boost Sales via additional retail activation via developing and implementing pitch plan; contribute into CP forecasting process via on-time updating retail activation plan. Support Sales, marketing and CP team to deliver and ensure detailed joint Poland marketing plan per partner that includes licensee investment that is aligned with Mattel Consumer Products goals. Ensure marketing support for top items. Help find innovative ways to grow the business. 
• CP in trade execution: Expand the licensing product presence in Polish retail (all channels): identify additional opportunity in line with local Mattel strategy and regional Consumer product’s one, amplify CP deals via extended retail execution and franchise activations in close cooperation with local Mattel marketing and Sales; present and sell in brands to retail to support work of Consumer Products team. Assist in managing the Poland Consumer Products Marketing strategy, working with Brand marketing, and licensing agency to develop Franchise-first retail & marketing campaigns. Support Consumer Products team in brand, trade and industry events.  
• Manage brand budget for joint marketing activation 
• Contribute into CP product development: Share insights with the local and regional Consumer Products teams and work closely with creative team to develop key brand tentpoles/themes, new collections of licensed products, in line with retailers' needs in terms of category, price points, seasonality, occasions etc. Identify and pitch new category opportunities and prospective clients.  
• Provide alignment between Licensing and core business: Foster a culture of collaboration and alignment between the Licensing and core Mattel business in Poland. Partner with Marketing and Sales teams to develop joint plans, fully leverage Mattel’s strengths in the market and advocate and implement Franchise approach 

Key Relationships:  

Internal Working Relationships:  
Sales & Marketing, Consumer Products teams in PEM and EMEA, Finance & Legal teams  

External Working Relationships:  
Retailers, Licensees, marketing/PR Agencies, designers, Market Research bodies, Industry bodies  

Technical:  

• Microsoft office including Powerpoint, Excel  
• Fluent Polish both written and verbal  
• Fluent English both written and verbal  

Behavioral:  

• Strategic thinker  
• Strong commercial drive  
• Gravitas – able to influence at all levels – negotiation skills 
• Excellent communicator at all levels  
• Manages complexity well, and able to drive significant results despite ongoing challenges  
• Business and financial acumen 
• Effective project management skills 
• Demonstrate a growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning 
• Creativity, looking for out of box ideas, solutions 

Education:  

• Business or Marketing Degree, or other graduate qualification  

Experience:  

• Retail management & execution experience  
• Experience of managing within an international, corporate environment  
• Experience in Licensing Management would be a benefit