Sr Category Advisor

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 Opportunity: 

As a Senior Category Advisor for the Dolls and Vehicles categories, you will lead a three-person, two-category team devoted to assisting the Walmart Dolls and Walmart Vehicles buyers in improving Omni merchandising strategy and execution via your insights development, industry perspective, and data-led storytelling skills.  This job requires the ability to understand and leverage data to provide expert insights into shopper decisions, the business acumen to align recommended tactics within Walmart’s strategies, and the vision to build a recommended merchandising strategy that drives long-term Category gains.  Externally, you will work to execute your Walmart buyer’s vision and centrally manage your Walmart buyer’s strategies and tactics with Walmart analysts, modular planners, replenishment teams, and vendors critical to Category success.  Internally at Mattel you will manage, coach and develop two associate category advisors, lead category reviews and competitive tracking to inform recommendations to your Walmart buyer, lead all cross-team projects  , and actively manage Mattel office interactions and data access to preserve complete confidentiality.

What Your Impact Will Be: 

Retail:

• Design and recommend product mix, and placement strategies that maximize performance and profitability for Walmart
• Supervise your Walmart buyer’s listing strategies and quality of execution across all Doll and Vehicles category modular (planogram) configurations
• Proactively analyze and provide recommendations on vendor-controlled factors to optimize Shopper Navigation Tree and Purchase Occasions
• Regularly leverage Mattel and Walmart data and research to recommend ways to optimize segmented store traits (store groups)
• Co-develop robust dot com merchandising strategy that creatively improves shopper experience and conversion for the category

Organizational Intelligence:

• Design interactive reports that elevate the Walmart merchant team’s visibility into critical category trends
• Enhance reporting utilizing dashboards and data storytelling to improve comprehension and reduce time required to unearth insights
• Evaluate space to sales performance, competitive insights, industry and retail best practices, and highlight gaps and growth opportunities
• Strategize with your Walmart buyer to augment Modular Walk-Throughs with data-led insights that help align stakeholders’ investment

Leadership:

• Lead your Dolls and Vehicles Category Advisor teams with passion and accountability, focusing on category growth via achieving Walmart modular and site excellence
• Effectively develop relationships with and engage Walmart merchant team members for high performing, goal-achieving results
• Balance projects, budgetary impact, and workload across both Dolls and Vehicles while staying accountable to priorities with both merchant teams 
• Successfully build relationships and partnerships to support key objectives, goals and outcomes for the Walmart business
• Harness the power of Mattel’s industry expertise to grow category sales at Walmart 
   

What We’re Looking For:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience, MBA or Masters in Analytics a plus
• Established team leadership and coaching background
• 7+ years of experience in category management, analytics, trade marketing, merchandising, sales forecasting/analysis, consumer and/or sales research
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint - expert knowledge of Excel a plus
• Experience with JDA Space Planning or similar space planning tool a plus
• Familiarity with analyzing data from Retailer POS and/or syndicated data
• Tableau dashboard design experience a plus
• Demonstrated a growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning, embracing challenges, and improving themselves.
• Strong analytic knowledge and expertise, with ability to frame insights into stories
• Proven ability to synthesize data sources, conduct in depth analyses, uncover insights, and deliver creative and actionable recommendations
• Creative, collaborative approach to test and learn opportunities
•  Attention to detail, common-sense approach to data validation, and accountability for accuracy
• Experience with Panel and/or Luminate data a plus
• Fun, smart and engaged team-player
• Ability to adapt to changing needs and priorities on a daily basis 
• Proactive problem solving and a positive attitude while dealing with challenges 
• Desire to grow career, skill set and leadership within Mattel

The annual base salary range for this position is between $118,000 and $145,000
**This range is indicative of projected hiring range, however annual base salary will be determined based on a candidate’s work location, skills and experience.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. 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.

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 Affirmative Action/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
Mattel Investor Highlights