Lead Packaging Designer - Dolls Portfolio at Mattel in El Segundo, CA

Job description

The Opportunity:  Mattel is seeking a Lead Packaging Designer to help shape the next generation of packaging across our Dolls portfolio. This is a hands-on creative leadership role for an experienced packaging designer who combines exceptional graphic design skills with a strong understanding of structure, product presentation, storytelling, and the realities of bringing packaging from concept through production. The ideal candidate is a highly skilled, versatile designer and visual problem solver who can translate brand strategy, consumer insights, product features, and marketing strategies into compelling packaging experiences. They understand that great packaging must do more than look beautiful—it must communicate clearly, showcase the product, create impact at shelf and online, and work within structural, manufacturing, sustainability, cost, and timing requirements. This designer will lead projects from early ideation through final production, developing sketches, graphic concepts, structural ideas, 3D mockups, renderings, and presentation-ready visualizations that bring ideas to life quickly and convincingly. They should be equally comfortable exploring a wide range of possibilities at the beginning of a project and obsessing over the details required to deliver exceptional final packaging. A high level of proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite—particularly Illustrator, Photoshop, and Dimension—is essential, along with strong image-making, typography, composition, and visual story telling skills. Experience with 3D visualization and rendering tools is highly valued, as is the ability to think dimensionally and translate a 2D design concept into a compelling physical package. The Lead Packaging Designer should also be comfortable incorporating AI-enabled creative tools into the design process, using them thoughtfully for rapid ideation, visualization, image exploration, storytelling, and concept development. AI should complement—not replace—strong design fundamentals, enabling the designer to explore more possibilities and communicate ideas more effectively and efficiently. This role works closely with Product Design, Marketing, Packaging Engineering, Copywriters, Development, Consumer Insights, and global production partners throughout the development process. The designer will communicate creative intent clearly, incorporate input from multiple stakeholders, provide thoughtful creative direction, and work collaboratively to solve design, structural, production, cost, and schedule challenges. They will also help manage the packaging design critical path, maintaining accuracy and creative integrity from initial concept through final artwork and approval. This includes reviewing production artwork, guiding internal and external resources, identifying potential issues early, and ensuring that the final execution reflects the intent and quality of the original design. Just as important as creative ability is how this person works. We are looking for someone curious, collaborative, adaptable, and low ego—a designer who brings a strong point of view without being precious about it. They should be comfortable with ambiguity, shifting priorities, feedback, and iteration, and understand that the strongest solutions often come through partnership. Excellent communication skills, openness to different perspectives, and the ability to build trust across disciplines and levels of the organization are critical to success. What Your Impact Will Be:  The primary role is the creation of breakthrough brand visual identities for new Mattel Venture toy packaging from concept through production. Help Build brand guidelines, styleguides, visual toolkits, and design systems that clarify brand codes, graphic language, typography, color, photography/illustration direction, and packaging principles Partner on packaging strategy, concept development, and design execution from early exploration through production, ensuring the work is strate