Sr Manager IT, Security Operations

Company Description

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard—when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

Job Description

The Opportunity:

The Senior Manager, Security Operations is responsible for the strategy, governance, and operational oversight of Mattel's global Security Operations program. This role provides organizational leadership and strategic direction to ensure the effective detection, investigation, response, and recovery from cybersecurity threats across Mattel's global enterprise.

As a senior cybersecurity leader, this position owns Mattel's enterprise Security Operations capability, delivered through a combination of internal cybersecurity teams and strategic Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service providers. The role is accountable for Security Operations governance, cyber incident response, cyber investigations, threat intelligence, detection engineering, identity threat detection, and third-party security incident management while ensuring operational excellence across endpoint, identity, cloud, and third-party environments.

The Senior Manager develops the long-term vision and roadmap for Security Operations, driving continuous improvement through automation, AI, intelligence-led operations, and strategic partnerships with managed security service providers. The role ensures Mattel maintains a resilient, scalable, and modern cyber defense capability aligned with business priorities and enterprise risk management.

The Senior Manager partners closely with Infrastructure, Network Security, Identity & Access Management, Endpoint Security, Enterprise Architecture, Cloud Engineering, Legal, Privacy, Internal Audit, Enterprise Risk Management, Procurement, Human Resources, and business leaders to reduce cyber risk and strengthen Mattel's cyber resilience.

The Senior Manager serves as Mattel's Cyber Incident Manager during major cybersecurity incidents, directing enterprise-wide response efforts, executive communications, cross-functional investigations, and coordination with strategic MDR providers. The role continuously enhances Security Operations through operational governance, automation, AI, and adoption of industry best practices, including the MITRE ATT&CK Framework, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and Zero Trust principles.

What Your Impact Will Be:

Security Operations Leadership

• Lead Mattel's global Security Operations program, including strategic oversight of Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, cyber incident response, cyber investigations, threat intelligence, detection engineering, and Security Operations governance.
• Define and execute the strategic roadmap for Security Operations, aligning with Mattel's cybersecurity strategy, enterprise architecture, cloud transformation, and business priorities.
• Lead and develop a high-performing Security Operations organization responsible for strategic planning, governance, cyber incident leadership, engineering, and vendor management.
• Establish governance, operational standards, playbooks, and best practices for enterprise detection, investigation, response, and operational excellence.
• Drive continuous improvement of Security Operations maturity through automation, AI, operational metrics, intelligence-led operations, and process optimization.
• Develop and manage Security Operations budgets, resource planning, vendor investments, and strategic initiatives.
• Build organizational capabilities that support Mattel's long-term cybersecurity strategy and evolving operating model.
• Present Security Operations posture, service performance, cyber risk, and strategic initiatives to executive leadership and cybersecurity governance forums.
• Influence cross-functional stakeholders to align Security Operations priorities with enterprise risk management and business objectives.

Managed Detection & Response (MDR) Governance

• Own the strategy, governance, and operational performance of Mattel's Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services.
• Lead operational governance of one or more strategic MDR providers, ensuring alignment with Mattel's cybersecurity strategy and risk objectives.
• Define service-level objectives (SLOs), key performance indicators (KPIs), escalation procedures, operational playbooks, and service governance processes.
• Define and maintain clear operational ownership, escalation paths, and decision authority between internal cybersecurity teams and external MDR providers.
• Conduct regular operational reviews and Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with MDR providers to continuously improve detection quality, investigation effectiveness, response performance, and overall service maturity.
• Coordinate high-severity cybersecurity incidents jointly with MDR providers and Mattel's internal technology, infrastructure, identity, cloud, legal, privacy, and business teams.
• Evaluate service provider performance through operational metrics such as Mean Time to Detect (MTTD), Mean Time to Respond (MTTR), detection quality, investigation effectiveness, SLA compliance, escalation effectiveness, and overall customer experience.
• Lead service transitions, continuous improvement initiatives, and operational enhancements as Mattel evolves its Security Operations capabilities.
• Manage strategic vendor relationships, contracts, and operational performance to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality Security Operations services.

Third-Party Security Incident Management

• Lead Mattel's response to cybersecurity incidents involving third-party vendors, SaaS providers, cloud service providers, managed service providers, manufacturing partners, logistics providers, and other strategic business partners.
• Coordinate assessment, investigation, containment, remediation, and recovery activities for third-party security incidents affecting Mattel.
• Leverage Recorded Future third-party intelligence to assess the potential impact of supplier, cloud, and supply chain security incidents.
• Partner with Vendor Risk Management, Procurement, Legal, Privacy, Enterprise Risk Management, and business stakeholders to evaluate business impact and coordinate response activities.
• Serve as Mattel's primary cybersecurity point of contact during significant third-party security events.
• Ensure contractual obligations, regulatory notifications, executive communications, and remediation activities are effectively managed.
• Develop governance, playbooks, and escalation procedures for third-party security incident management and supply chain cyber risk.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in cybersecurity, including Security Operations, Incident Response, or Cyber Defense.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing global cybersecurity operations teams within large, multinational organizations.
• Proven experience leading enterprise Security Operations programs, including Security Operations Centers (SOC), Managed Detection and Response (MDR), and cyber incident response organizations.
• Demonstrated experience serving as Incident Manager during major cybersecurity incidents.
• Experience leading complex cyber investigations and coordinating cross-functional response activities.
• Experience managing third-party security incidents involving cloud providers, SaaS platforms, strategic vendors, and supply chain partners.
• Experience leading enterprise Security Operations delivered through Managed Detection and Response (MDR) providers, including vendor governance, service transitions, operational performance management, and executive stakeholder engagement.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise Security Operations technologies and practices, including:

• • Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)
  • Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR)
  • Managed Detection & Response (MDR)
  • Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)
  • Threat Intelligence Platforms
  • Detection Engineering
  • Threat Hunting

• Knowledge of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and NIST SP 800-61 Incident Handling.
• Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, organizational leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity while making sound operational and strategic decisions.

*The pay range is indicative of projected hiring range, however base pay will be determined based on a candidate’s work location, skills and experience. Mattel offers competitive total pay programs, comprehensive benefits, and resources to help empower a culture where every employee can reach their full potential.

Additional Information

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel, we are dedicated to an inclusive workplace and a culture of belonging. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. Join Mattel's Talent Community and start receiving exciting updates about our company, our employees, and our culture. Also, interested in signing up for job alerts? Do so here!

How We Work:
We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations 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.

Who We Are:
Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold 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 generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel’s award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and 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 or 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.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
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