Estée Lauder Companies Vice President, Global Public Affairs

About Estée Lauder Companies

The Estée Lauder Companies is a global leader in prestige beauty, founded in 1946 by Estée and Joseph Lauder and built on an enduring belief in creativity, high-touch service, and entrepreneurial spirit. As an employer, the Group offers talent the scale of an international house with the energy of distinctive brands across skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care. Its culture values innovation, inclusion, learning, and responsible growth, inviting professionals to shape consumer experiences from laboratory to counter, digital platform to boardroom. Employees join a purpose-led organization where heritage, artistry, and scientific excellence meet to define the future of luxury beauty.

The Vice President, Global Public Affairs shapes and advances Estée Lauder Companies’ global public policy and government engagement strategy, advises senior leadership, manages stakeholder and industry engagement, and leads public affairs teams and resources. The role is full-time regular and includes an annual base salary range of $228,250–$388,550, bonus eligibility and participation in a share incentive plan.

Role & Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the global public affairs and government engagement strategy in alignment with business priorities, key markets and enterprise objectives.
• Advise senior leaders on public policy, regulatory risk, geopolitical developments, government engagement and external political developments.
• Develop advocacy strategies to protect the company’s business and reputation, advance enterprise priorities, and identify opportunities arising from policy and regulatory changes.
• Partner with Legal, Government Affairs, Communications and business leaders to establish consistent, informed enterprise-wide positions on priority issues.
• Translate complex policy and political developments into business implications and recommendations for senior leaders and decision-makers.
• Position the company as a credible, responsible and constructive participant in legislative and regulatory discussions affecting the beauty and consumer products industries.
• Support engagement with policymakers, regulators and government stakeholders at international, federal, state and local levels on trade, sustainability, product safety, labor, global supply chains, taxation, data and technology, and emerging regulation.
• Represent company policy positions with government officials, trade associations, coalitions and other external stakeholders.
• Develop high-impact government engagement strategies in priority markets, including executive meetings, government visits and policy forums.
• Track and analyze legislative, regulatory, geopolitical, economic and societal developments; assess potential business impact and provide timely recommendations to senior leaders.
• Maintain an early-warning system for policy, regulatory and geopolitical trends that could affect the company’s business, growth agenda, operations, employees or reputation.
• Provide forward-looking analysis of political, economic and regulatory developments across priority markets, identifying emerging risks and opportunities before they become material business issues.
• Develop policy materials, including executive summaries, position papers, advocacy briefs, briefing documents and decision memos, articulating company positions and recommended actions.
• Equip senior leaders with timely intelligence and analysis for proactive, informed decision-making.
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to develop proactive mitigation and engagement strategies and inform enterprise decision-making.
• Advise senior leaders on how government engagement, advocacy, coalition-building, communications and other actions can mitigate emerging risks or advance strategic priorities.
• Partner with Communications and other relevant teams to develop and review talking points, statements, Q&A, messaging and other materials related to significant public affairs and policy developments.
• Oversee and coordinate participation in key trade associations, business organizations, coalitions and industry groups, ensuring alignment with company priorities and values.
• Assess trade association memberships and engagement strategies to ensure effective representation on the company’s highest-priority policy issues.
• Build coalitions and partnerships with peer companies and other stakeholders where collective advocacy can advance company priorities or the broader beauty industry’s interests.
• Identify valuable opportunities for senior leaders to engage with policymakers, regulators, business leaders, industry organizations and other influential stakeholders.
• Prepare and advise senior executives for external industry and government engagement, including strategic preparation, briefing materials, talking points and follow-up.
• Develop government meetings, market visits, policy forums and site visits to deepen external stakeholders’ understanding of the company’s business, brands, employees, economic contributions and role in the global prestige beauty industry.
• Lead and develop public affairs professionals and/or external advisors and consultants.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable and high-performing team culture.
• Develop the public affairs team’s capabilities and ensure clear priorities, accountability and measurable impact.
• Manage public affairs budgets and resources responsibly to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.
• Oversee external consultants and advisors, ensuring their work aligns with enterprise priorities and delivers measurable value.

Qualifications

• 12–15+ years of experience in public affairs, government relations, public policy or regulatory affairs, preferably within a global, consumer-facing organization.
• Deep understanding of legislative and regulatory processes across key markets affecting multinational companies.
• Demonstrated ability to influence outcomes through relationship-building, strategic insight and sound judgment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess complex policy issues and business implications.
• Proven experience advising senior leaders and working effectively across Legal, Compliance and business functions.
• Excellent judgment, discretion and professionalism.
• Strong leadership and team management experience, including oversight of external advisors or trade associations.
• Ability to operate effectively in complex, matrixed and fast-moving environments.
• Bold leadership, vision and ambition; ownership and accountability; agility and consumer focus; teamwork; ability to drive transformation with speed and focus; and a willingness to say “yes.”

Skills

Experience

12–15+ years in public affairs, government relations, public policy or regulatory affairs, preferably within a global, consumer-facing organization.

Workplace

Compensation

The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 228,250 to USD 388,550 per annum.

Benefits

Eligibility for a competitive bonus program, including potential performance- and company-results-based overachievement; share incentive plan; health insurance (medical, dental and vision); wellness and family support programs; life and disability insurance; retirement savings plans; paid leave programs; education-related programs; paid holidays and vacation time. Many benefits are subsidized or fully paid by the company.

Culture

The Estée Lauder Companies fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace where creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and a passion for prestige beauty are deeply valued. As a global house of distinctive brands, it offers employees an environment that encourages innovation, professional growth, and a shared commitment to excellence and consumer inspiration.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.