Manager, Creative Content Kids & Preschool (Vehicles, Action Figures & Fisher Price)

The Opportunity:

Mattel Studios is seeking a Manager, Creative Content to help lead the development and execution of a dynamic slate of kids and preschool animated programming based on Mattel’s vehicles, action figures, and Fisher-Price brands. This role will serve as a key creative lead across multiple projects and platforms, partnering closely with internal stakeholders and external creative partners to deliver premium, brand-defining storytelling for television, streaming, YouTube, and emerging digital platforms.

Reporting to a Director, Creative Content, this position requires a strong creative executive with demonstrated experience managing projects across development and production, shaping franchise strategy through content, and driving cross-functional collaboration. The ideal candidate is a proactive and detailed leader with strong creative instincts, excellent communication skills, and deep knowledge of the evolving kids and family entertainment landscape.

What Your Impact Will Be:

Responsibilities

Lead on the creative development and execution of a slate of animated long-form and short-form projects across TV, streaming, YouTube, and digital platforms

Serve as the primary creative executive on select projects while partnering with senior creative leadership on high-priority franchise initiatives

Drive strong story and franchise development in collaboration with writers, producers, studios, showrunners, and creative talent to ensure compelling, brand-aligned storytelling

Provide strategic creative leadership and actionable feedback across all stages of development and production, including pitches, outlines, scripts, visual development, casting, animatics, edits, and final delivery

Partner cross-functionally with Franchise, Consumer Products, Marketing, Digital, Publishing, and other internal teams to support cohesive franchise-building strategies through content

Manage and strengthen relationships with external production studios, creators, agents, writers, and industry partners

Identify and cultivate emerging creative talent, new storytelling opportunities, and innovative content formats that support Mattel’s long-term franchise goals

Oversee multiple concurrent productions and development pipelines, ensuring creative quality, brand consistency, and alignment with business priorities

Guide the development of digital-first and platform-native storytelling strategies, with an understanding of audience engagement across YouTube, streaming, and broadcast ecosystems

Collaborate with production and studio teams to proactively solve creative and production challenges while maintaining timelines and quality expectations

Contribute meaningfully to internal greenlight discussions, franchise strategy conversations, and content planning initiatives

Stay current on trends in animation, kids and family entertainment, digital media, and audience behavior to inform creative direction and competitive positioning

Support presentation development, pitch materials, and executive-facing creative documents for internal and external stakeholders

Serve as a key liaison for asset requests, cross-functional creative needs, and communication between departments

What We’re Looking For:

5–8 years of experience in animation, television, streaming, or digital content development and production

Proven experience managing creative projects and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders across multiple stages of production

Strong understanding of storytelling fundamentals, including character development, structure, pacing, comedy, and emotional resonance for kids and preschool audiences

Demonstrated ability to lead creative discussions, provide thoughtful and constructive notes, and influence decision-making

Experience working with franchise-driven or brand-based entertainment content

Strong visual storytelling sensibility and understanding of animation production pipelines from development through delivery

Experience developing content across multiple audience demographics, including preschool and kids/family programming

Familiarity with digital-first storytelling and audience engagement strategies, particularly on YouTube and emerging platforms

Highly organized with strong project management skills and the ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills

Passion for animation, kids’ media, and the evolving entertainment landscape

Preferred Skills

Experience overseeing both long-form and short-form animated content

Understanding of platform-specific content strategies across broadcast, streaming, and digital ecosystems

Existing relationships within the animation and kids entertainment creative community

Experience collaborating on global franchise and brand initiatives

Strong PowerPoint and presentation storytelling skills

What Success Looks Like

Delivery of high-quality, audience-driven content that strengthens Mattel’…