Director of IT - People & Culture; HR Systems

Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential.

Pay range: USD $192,000 - $235,000 yearly. Base pay will be determined based on location, skills and experience.

Mattel is seeking a Director, People and Culture (HR) IT Systems to provide oversight, thought leadership, implementation, support and organization and optimization of the technology and systems supporting People and Culture business areas within the Global Technology Organization. Based in El Segundo, CA and reporting to the VP of Corporate and Commercial Applications, IT, this role plays a pivotal part in achieving the strategic objectives of the People and Culture (HR) department.

The Director will partner closely with Global Payroll departments, People and Culture (HR), Finance, Benefits, Time & Attendance, and Compliance to ensure chosen platforms deliver secure, accurate, compliant and efficient operations. The Director will lead the People and Culture IT Team, oversee system project implementations and enhancements, system configuration, integrations, managing vendor relationships, compliance and driving continuous improvement, and initiatives that support business growth and operational excellence.

• Work with People and Culture to plan, develop and execute the technology and AI roadmap for Human Capital Management (Workday)/Payroll systems (Dayforce).
• Partner with Global Payroll teams and People and Culture leadership to ensure accurate payroll and HCM and related systems are set up, built, tested and in place.
• Lead system releases, upgrades, testing and change management activities.
• Oversee integrations between Payroll (Dayforce) and HCM (Workday), and third‑party vendors, including for benefits, banking, taxes, identity management and other third‑party applications.
• Lead administration, configuration, enhancement, and support of Dayforce Payroll / Workforce Management, Benefits, HR, and Time and attendance modules.
• Ensure SOX, audit, data privacy and security compliance.
• Ensure governance processes for configuration management, production support, issue resolution, and system documentation.
• Analyze financials, identify trends, and assess budget compliance for the team.
• Manage relationships with implementation partners, and third‑party vendors.
• Lead People and Culture project portfolio, including new functionality, system integrations, and transformation initiatives.
• Develop departmental budgets, resource plans, service level agreements, and performance metrics.

• Drive system innovation, establishing scalable, best‑in‑class system design and implementations and enhancements to support evolving business needs.

• Mentor and develop a team of 4+ P&C IT professionals based in the US, as well as an expanding team in Hyderabad, India.
• Lead performance management, training, AI and professional development initiatives.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop high‑performing IT managers, analysts, and technical professionals.

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Sciences, Business Administration, Human Resources Information Systems, or a related field.
• Master's Degree preferred; MBA strongly desired.
• 10+ years of progressive IT experience supporting enterprise HR and payroll systems.
• 7+ years of leadership experience managing technical teams and enterprise applications.
• Functional and technical expertise with Dayforce Payroll and Workday HCM.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical capabilities and business acumen.
• Strong leadership, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with Dayforce configuration, reporting, workflows, security, integrations, APIs, and data management.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise software implementations and digital transformation initiatives.
• Strong project management, stakeholder management, and executive communication skills.
• Internal candidates to be considered based on experience relative to the position.
• Demonstrated growth mindset by staying curious and continuously learning, embracing challenges, and improving themselves.

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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 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.