Director, Business Operations -Mattel Digital Studios

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.

The Team:

Mattel Digital Studios (MDS) is a cross-functional division that leverages digital innovation to amplify Mattel’s iconic brands, expanding into digital gaming, interactive experiences, and emerging technologies. The MDS Strategy and Operations team functions as the central hub for strategy, business operations, financial planning, strategic partnerships, and licensing ensuring MDS operates as “One Team” remains proactive, data-driven, and aligned with corporate priorities. 

The Opportunity: 

As Director, MDS Business Operations, you will define and institutionalize the operating model for Mattel Digital Studios, establishing the governance, portfolio prioritization frameworks, financial rigor, and business cadence required to operate with the speed and discipline of a modern digital gaming publisher. 

You will evolve, develop, and implement consistent processes across MDS, including annual operating plans (AOP), portfolio reviews, performance reporting, and collaboration mechanisms with our partners on the Global Brand Team (GBT) and beyond. 

By creating scalable processes, templates, and decision-making frameworks, you will serve as a strategic bridge between MDS senior leadership and cross-functional teams across Mattel. Your work will ensure clarity of priorities, disciplined resource allocation, and seamless execution of digital strategies. 

What Your Impact Will Be: 

This role will drive operating rhythm, portfolio governance, financial planning, and performance analytics for Mattel Digital Studios. You will establish the annual business calendar, lead quarterly business reviews, develop standardized reporting infrastructure, and drive investment tradeoff decisions across the studio portfolio. Your insights will directly influence capital allocation, greenlight decisions, and long-term studio growth. 

This role reports directly to the VP, Digital Strategy & Business Operations, and serves as a trusted strategic advisor to MDS leadership. 

Do you or someone you know have a passion to create products that inspire, entertain, and delight fans of all ages? 

Join us to create the future of play. 

What We’re Looking For:

Operational Leadership 

• Define and evolve the MDS operating model, including governance/collaboration forums, decision rights, and executive business cadence. 

• Develop and manage the MDS annual business calendar, including AOP, quarterly business reviews, portfolio reviews, and executive reporting milestones. 

• Shape and prioritize key MDS initiatives, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy while maintaining studio-level agility. 

• Establish portfolio review processes to evaluate performance across titles and initiatives, enabling informed resource reallocation and investment tradeoffs. 

• Build and maintain an operational infrastructure that scales with business complexity, balancing speed and creative freedom with enterprise accountability. 

• Identify and remove operational bottlenecks that impact time-to-market, product quality, or financial performance. 

Strategic Program Management 

• Partner with MDS Leadership to define studio priorities, shape integrated roadmaps, and manage capacity against critical business initiatives. 

• Develop and implement greenlight process for new titles, platform expansions, and strategic initiatives. 

• Lead cross-functional forums to align Product, Partnerships, Licensing, Marketing, and Finance around portfolio tradeoffs and execution plans. 

• Develop and implement scalable processes and tools for project intake, prioritization, and cross-functional collaboration. 

• Ensure operational alignment with external development partners and platform stakeholders, as applicable. 

Financial Planning and Budget Management 

• Partner with Digital Strategy, Product, Business Development, Licensing, and Finance to lead annual operating planning and long-range forecasting. 

• Aggregate, manage, and optimize budget allocations, ensuring financial resources align with business priorities. 

• Monitor budget performance, track spending, and proactively identify revenue gaps and cost optimization opportunities. 

Business Analytics and Performance Measurement 

• Develop executive dashboards and studio-level reporting infrastructure integrating product analytics and financial performance to support executive decision-making. 

• Drive executive reporting, providing leadership updates on product, partnerships, and financial health. 

• Provide clear, actionable insights to MDS leadership on overall business health and performance. 

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Business Analytics, Marketing, or related field (MBA preferred). 

• 10+ years of experience in strategy, business operations, financial planning, or digital publishing environments, including demonstrated leadership at scale. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using data-driven insights to make high-impact decisions and resolve complex organizational challenges. 

• Expertise in managing large-scale projects, ensuring successful execution on time and within budget, while effectively allocating resources across teams. 

• Strong strategic thinking, communication, and influencing skills across disciplines and leadership levels. 

• Experience in budget management, cost optimization, and performance tracking, with high proficiency in Excel, Power BI, Tableau, Mixpanel, and other financial analytics tools 

• Ability to inspire innovation and lead organizational change while aligning with company values and fostering a high-performance, inclusive culture. 

• Demonstrated a growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning, embracing challenges, and improving themselves. 

• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work cross-functionally across Finance, Product, Marketing, and Business Development. 

• Proven ability to influence senior executives and drive alignment across diverse stakeholders in fast-paced, digitally driven businesses. 

*The pay range is indicative of projected hiring range, however base pay will be determined based on a candidate’s work location, skills and experience. Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential. 

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 apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. 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!

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.

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.

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 without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran and protected veteran status, disability status, and or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Corporate Philanthropy