MGA Entertainment is one of the world's fastest growing and largest privately held toy and entertainment companies. Headquartered in Chatsworth, Calif. and with offices globally, the company creates innovative, proprietary, and licensed consumer products and entertainment, including toys, games, dolls, apparel, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery, sporting goods, movies, and television series. The MGA family includes award-winning brands such as L.O.L. Surprise!™, Little Tikes®, Rainbow High™, Shadow High™, Bratz®, MGA’s Miniverse™, Na! Na! Na! Surprise™, Mermaze Mermaidz™ Color Change, Micro Games of America™, Baby Born® Surprise and Zapf Creation®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgae.com or check us out at LinkedIn.
Mission: Maximize sales, profitability and promotional activity within corporate margin expectations.
Key Area and Results
Time Utilization
1.
Account Management & Development
30%
2.
Collaborative Forecasting/Planning
30%
3.
Analysis (POS, Competition, Adjacent Opportunities)
30%
4.
Communication
10%
TOTAL TIME UTILIZATION
100%
Position Requirements
Education/Experience:
- 7+ years or more of sales management/sales experience within the toy industry.
- Superior relationships with retailer management, buyers, marketing managers, replenishment & planning personnel.
- A proven track record of building sales and profitability in a competitive business environment.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or Marketing is required. (Master’s Degree preferred).
Skills/Knowledge/Ability:
- Possess elevated financial acumen - Margin/Forecast Planning/ Budget Management.
- Excellent strategic and disciplined planning skills.
- Well-developed sales, people, communication, administration, sales policy, planning and leadership skills.
- Ability to think on your feet and contingency plan.
- Formal knowledge customers’ communicative/administrative/planning tools i.e.: VDP & EDQ/ Retail Link.
- Ability to travel.
- Knowledge of LC (FOB) and Domestic shipping procedures.
- Solid computer skills (Microsoft office – Excel, Word, PPT).
Key Result Areas and Activities
Account Management & Development
Create rapport with the retailer’s entire buying team, including all executives, buyers, planners, and replenishment team.
Work with buying teams to understand their needs, performance metrics, time tables, etc.
Respond or acknowledge all customer requests in timely manner.
Be the expert on the products, categories, and competition in and outside your areas of responsibilities.
Manage day to day service issues between MGA marketing, product, customer marketing, and retailer buying teams.
Collaborative Forecasting/Planning
Establish and present timelines for line reviews, item conformation time lines, "set" and other relevant dates.
A bottom-up (item level) forecasts must be built in adherence to Global Forecast time line.
Collaborative base-line and promotional forecast must be executed with all buyers.
Seasonal Business Plans for each buyer (per category/brand) will be created. Elements of this plan will consist of the following: SAP Plan, confirmed promotional activities (ads, end caps, shelf space, other feature space, catalog, POP Signage etc.).
Review Business Plans (SAP/Promotional Plan/Forecasts) with each buyer on a monthly basis. Adjust and communicate all adjustments to SVP Sales/Marketing/and MGA Supply Chain.
Analysis (POS, Competition, Opportunities)
Must analyze POS data on a weekly basis. Look for trends, planned promotional lifts and outcomes, competitive challenges, etc. - and incorporate details with each buyer in the same Monthly Business Plan meeting.
Be in front of “Early Reads” - anticipating challenges to first of season POS.
Communication/Meetings
Provide weekly updates by Buyer - State of business/New initiatives, placement/promotional updates etc. - Recipients: SVP Sales.
Follow through recaps of buyer meetings (in season and placement feedback/conformation).
Must shop top four toy retailer stores every two weeks.
Will participate in all National Sales and Show meetings/events.
Post Line Show Meeting: Provide detailed responses to product offerings to SVP Sales/Marketing/President.
Other duties as assigned
Skills Required
- 7+ years of sales management or sales experience within the toy industry
- Superior relationships with retailer management, buyers, marketing managers, replenishment, and planning personnel
- Proven track record of building sales and profitability in a competitive business environment
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or Marketing
- Master's degree
- Financial acumen in margin, forecast planning, and budget management
- Strategic and disciplined planning skills
- Sales, communication, leadership, administration, policy, and planning skills
- Ability to think on your feet and create contingency plans
- Knowledge of customer communication, administrative, and planning tools including VDP, EDQ, and Retail Link
- Ability to travel
- Knowledge of LC (FOB) and domestic shipping procedures
- Computer skills using Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
What We Do
MGA Entertainment is a privately held toy and entertainment company that develops original and licensed consumer products and entertainment properties. Its portfolio spans toys, games, dolls, apparel, consumer electronics, home décor, and sporting goods, along with movies and television series. Known brands include L.O.L. Surprise!, Little Tikes, Rainbow High, Bratz, and MGA’s Miniverse. The company says its mission is to inspire imagination and creativity through innovative play.
