Manager, Global Collaborations, Collections, & Celebrity, MAC

Description

About the job

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, and is a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. The company’s products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, and BALMAIN Beauty.

Role Overview

Ignite cultural chaos. Spark global fandom. Inspire the world to only wear M·A·C.

Reporting into — and working in strategic partnership with — the Executive Director, Global Brand Partnerships & Advocacy, the Senior Manager, Global Brand Collaborations & Celebrity Partnerships plays a pivotal role in shaping M·A·C’s next era of cultural influence. In this collaborative leadership model, the Senior Manager owns defined strategic pillars and end-to-end execution responsibilities while co-leading broader initiatives under the Executive Director’s overarching vision.

Together, this team drives the strategic frameworks, key relationships, and operational excellence behind M·A·C’s celebrity initiatives and culturally relevant brand collaborations. The role is central to building brand heat, fueling meaningful global conversation, and delivering measurable business impact.

Rooted in M·A·C’s legacy of cultural provocateurs — from Doja Cat and Mary J. Blige to Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, and Teyana Taylor — this leader transforms cultural moments into influential brand statements, high-performing collaborations, and globally resonant campaigns that reinforce M·A·C’s position as a cultural and commercial force.

Key Responsibilities

•  Strategic Leadership & Cultural Vision
• In close partnership with the Executive Director, support the development of global strategies for celebrity initiatives and brand collaborations that ignite cultural chaos, spark fandom, and reinforce M·A·C as the original influencer brand.
• Independently lead select strategic pillars and partnership workstreams while contributing to broader cultural relevance strategies set by the Executive Director.
• Translate consumer, cultural, and commercial insights into actionable roadmaps, campaign architectures, and partnership pipelines that reflect the brand’s long-term vision.
• Identify whitespace and emerging opportunities across art, beauty, culture, design, entertainment, fashion, music, and sport to ensure M·A·C stays culturally ahead.
•  Celebrity Partnerships & VIP Ecosystem
• Co-lead the development of M·A·C’s global ambassador, celebrity, and VIP strategy with the Executive Director, shaping partnerships that deepen brand affinity and drive measurable impact.
• Manage day-to-day relationships for assigned ambassadors and VIPs, including activations, asset reviews, content development, contract oversight, deliverables, events, meetings, negotiations, performance tracking, risk mitigation, and seeding.
• Support high-visibility talent moments in collaboration with the Executive Director, ensuring strategic alignment and flawless execution.
• Cultivate a world-class network across talent agencies, management teams, stylists, publicists, and cultural communities.
•  Brand Collaborations & Cultural Partnerships
• Own end-to-end development of assigned brand collaborations — from partner identification and concepting to product development and global activation.
• Support the Executive Director in driving high-impact, globally significant collaborations and bringing culturally resonant ideas to life.
• Partner closely with Design, Marketing, Product Development, Visual Merchandising, Packaging, Supply Chain, and Creative to ensure concept authenticity, design excellence, and global relevance.
• Co-create experiences, stunts, and limited-edition products that generate cultural resonance and commercial success.
•  360° Campaign + Activation Leadership
• Lead campaign development and execution for assigned programs, including briefing, creative alignment, shoot production, asset delivery, and toolkit creation.
• Partner with the Executive Director on major global campaigns, ensuring alignment with brand priorities and seamless cross-functional integration.
• Collaborate with Global Consumer Engagement, Regional Marketing, PR, Social, Retail, and E-Commerce to deliver cohesive global activations.
• Integrate talent and brand partners into experiential moments, cultural events, and retail experiences such as “I Only Wear M·A·C” takeovers.
  
  
  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Continued

•  Gifting, Seeding & Cultural Heat Programming
• Lead the creation of bespoke VIP gifting, seeding moments, and cultural heat programs for assigned initiatives.
• Contribute to broader brand heat strategies in partnership with the Executive Director, ensuring global consistency and impact.
• Build toolkits that enable regional teams to execute programs on-brand and at scale.
•  Relationship Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for assigned celebrities, partners, and cultural stakeholders.
• Partner closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams — including Creative, Legal, Finance, Product Development, Consumer
• Engagement, and Regions — to ensure alignment and seamless execution.
• Support the Executive Director in managing senior-level external relationships and key partnership negotiations.
• Lead risk assessments, creative approvals, and operational governance for assigned programs.
•  Negotiation, Contracting & Operational Excellence
• Lead negotiations and contract management for assigned collaborators and talent, ensuring clarity on deliverables, KPIs, usage rights, exclusivity, and timelines.
• Collaborate with Legal and Procurement on rights, compliance, and IP considerations.
• Uphold operational excellence across timelines, budget stewardship, invoicing, and project documentation.
•  Insights, Analytics & Performance Measurement
• Define and track KPIs for assigned celebrity and collaboration programs, including brand heat, earned media, engagement, sell-through, and ROI.
• Deliver insight-driven recaps and strategic recommendations to optimize future programs and guide long-term planning.
• Monitor cultural trends, competitor activity, and emerging platforms to identify new partnership opportunities proactively.
•  Internal Leadership & Team Development
• Provide mentorship, clarity, and strategic guidance to junior team members, contributing to a high-performing global partnerships function.
• Partner with the Executive Director to continually evolve internal processes, frameworks, and global toolkits across the celebrity and collaborations ecosystem.
• Uphold excellence in communication, cross-functional alignment, and global coordination.
•  Financial Management, Vendor Operations & Fiscal Accountability
• Manage budgets, track expenses, and ensure programs operate within financial guidelines.
• Open and oversee POs and ensure timely, accurate payment to talent, vendors, and partners.
• Lead vendor onboarding in partnership with Finance and Procurement.
• Proactively communicate payment status, respond to finance inquiries, and escalate issues as needed to maintain seamless execution.
  
  
  

The Ideal Candidate

• Moves at the speed of culture and understands how to convert momentum into measurable impact.
• Operates confidently at the intersection of art, beauty, culture, design, entertainment, fashion, music, and sport.
• Navigates high-stakes talent environments with clarity, confidence, and professionalism.
• Balances creative ambition with operational discipline, ensuring ideas are not only bold but fully executable.
• Brings an entrepreneurial spirit — resourceful, solutions-oriented, and energized by building, experimenting, and driving initiatives forward.
• Approaches challenges with proactive thinking, sound judgment, and a forward-looking mindset.
• Embraces emerging technologies — including AI — to enhance creativity, streamline workflows, and inform decision-making.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, global environment and is comfortable working nights, weekends, early mornings, and traveling as needed to support talent, events, and major cultural moments.
  
  
  

Pay Range

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $85,000.00 to $139,600.00. Exact salary depends on several factors such as experience, skills, education, and budget. Salary range may vary based on geographic location. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for participation in a highly competitive bonus program with the possibility for overachievement based on performance and company results.

In addition, The Estée Lauder Companies offers a variety of benefits to eligible employees, including health insurance coverage, wellness and family support programs, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plans, paid leave programs, education-related programs, paid holidays and vacation time, and many others. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is Company's policy not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The Company will endeavor to provide a reasonable accommodation consistent with the law to otherwise qualified employees and prospective employees with a disability and to employees and prospective employees with needs related to their religious observance or practices. Should you wish to apply for this position or any other position with the Company and you believe you require assistance to complete an application or participate in an interview, please contact USApplicantAccommodations@Estee.com.

Michigan Applicants: Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for employment must notify the company in writing of the need for an accommodation within 182 days after the date the person with a disability knew or reasonably should have known that an accommodation was needed.

Philadelphia Applicants: Philadelphia's Fair Chance Hiring Law

Rhode Island Applicants: The company is subject to chapters 29-38 of title 28 of the general laws of Rhode Island and is therefore covered by the state's workers' compensation law.