Director, Strategic Partnerships & Growth - Mattel 163

Company Description

Why This Role Matters

This role will help shape the future growth trajectory of Mattel163 by strengthening our strategic position across three critical areas:

• Deepening partnership and alignment with Mattel
• Expanding influence with platform partners and the broader gaming ecosystem
• Identifying strategic growth opportunities through partnerships, talent, and corporate development

The successful candidate will play a direct role in helping define Mattel163's next chapter as we expand beyond our current portfolio and build the future of Mattel's interactive entertainment business.

About Mattel163

Mattel163 is the internal game development studio of Mattel – it was born out of a joint venture between Mattel and NetEase Games, combining Mattel's iconic global brands with world-class game development and live operations expertise. Our portfolio includes UNO! Mobile, Phase 10 Mobile, Skip-Bo Mobile, UNO Wonder, and a growing slate of new gaming experiences across mobile, PC, console, and emerging platforms.

• As we enter our next phase of growth, we are seeking a senior leader to help strengthen our North American presence, deepen partnerships with Mattel and external partners, and identify new opportunities to accelerate growth.

Job Description

The Opportunity: 

The Director of Strategic Partnerships & Growth will serve as a key liaison for the CEO and COO, acting as Mattel163's senior representative in North America.

This individual will help drive cross-functional initiatives with Mattel, cultivate relationships across the gaming ecosystem, spearhead strategic partnership efforts with various platforms, and identify opportunities for internal and external growth.

The ideal candidate combines strong strategic thinking, relationship-building capabilities, gaming industry expertise, an understanding of marketing/franchise building, and a knack for navigating complex organizations and partnerships.

What Your Impact Will Be: 

Mattel Partnership & Strategic Enablement

• Serve as a primary North American liaison between Mattel163 and key stakeholders across Mattel.
• Build trusted relationships across Brand, Franchise, Marketing, Digital, Consumer Products, Strategy, and Executive Leadership teams.
• Help accelerate decision-making and cross-functional alignment between Mattel and Mattel163 by working across both teams.
• Partner with Mattel teams to identify opportunities that drive growth for Mattel163's existing and future game portfolio, lead M163 internal team to execute the joint collaborations and campaigns to achieve business impact.
• Support strategic planning efforts and help develop business cases for new initiatives.

Marketing & Branding Execution

• Work on the ground in LA directly with Mattel Global Brand and franchise teams, to move forward and execute on franchise-level initiatives to promote Mattel163’s games.
• Be the advocate and voice on the ground for Mattel163’s digital game portfolio in cross-functional discussions with Mattel’s Global Brand, Digital and Consumer Insights teams.
• Advocate to help secure resource for Global Mattel franchise support of Mattel163’s game portfolio.

Strategic & Platform Partnerships

• Build and maintain relationships across the global gaming ecosystem, including developers, publishers, technology partners, and licensors.
• Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships that can accelerate product, technology, publishing, or growth objectives for Mattel163.
• Represent Mattel163 at select meetings, industry events, and executive engagements in the U.S. Via meetings and relationship building, help to strengthen Mattel163’s visibility and reputation in the global gaming community.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For:

• 10+ years of experience in gaming, technology, gaming corp dev, strategic partnerships, or business development.
• Deep understanding of the global gaming ecosystem across mobile, PC, console, and other platforms.
• Direct or adjacent experience in brand marketing activations and working with marketing teams on holistic campaigns.
• Demonstrated success building relationships and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and strategic problem-solving capabilities, as well as ability to make things happen in real-time.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to operate independently in highly ambiguous environments.

Preferred

• Experience working with global organizations and cross-cultural teams.
• Familiarity with mo