Development Program Mgmt Associate I

Job Description

American Girl is seeking a Development Program Management Associate I to join our highly cross-functional team at our Middleton, WI location. Along with the team you will support mixed material toy development. This includes working with plastic, wooden materials, metal, fabric, book production and girls apparel development. You will take these items from concept through production in collaboration with a worldwide, cross-functional team. You will work with Design, Quality, Supply Chain, Marketing and others to make the best toys in the world.

• Work on a fast-paced rewarding team to develop hard goods toys, doll fashions and girls apparel items including clothing, slippers, and accessories. Knowledge of kid’s apparel is required.
• Managing multiple projects of varying product types and complexities while maintaining cost and schedule targets.
• Working closely with overseas development, tooling, and manufacturing to ensure successful project completion.
• Troubleshoot production level samples and make suggestions to fix defects, and guarantee end-consumer satisfaction.
• Develop, maintain, and drive schedule execution of worldwide products.
• Act as liaison between Middleton teams and overseas locations throughout the product life cycle.
• Reviewing concept sketches and providing support for products in the preliminary design phase.
• Develop size specs alongside an apparel vendor for 18m+ through size 20 (XL) Girls’ apparel.
• Working with external development sources to engineer the product when working with hard goods materials.
• Managing project schedules and product costs.
• Working in a team environment with Design, Packaging, Fit models, Product Integrity, Marketing, Planning, Model Shop, Electrical Engineering, Materials Lab, manufacturing plants, and offshore development sources.
• Develop cost estimates and provide cost /financial analyses for different types of products.
• Guide cross-functional teams into optimizing the content and features of products given the constraints of selling price and margins.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in Apparel Design & Development, Mechanical Engineering, or related degree.
• 1+ years of relevant Project Management experience.
• Proven ability to juggle multiple projects, make quick decisions and possess excellent problem-solving skills.
• Must be comfortable leading a cross-functional team so strong project management experience, preferably in consumer products, is preferred.
• Excellent organization skills are a must.
• Must be comfortable with systems and data entry.
• Relationship-building skills and good customer-facing skills a must.
• Interest to learn about all toy development and develop a portfolio of toys and apparel that fall into many different material categories.

Additional Information

We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower the next generation 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.

Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO and MEGA, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries 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 children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.