Sr. Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives-SCC

Job Summary:

The Sr. Manager of Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives acts as a force multiplier for Sustainability, Culture & Communications by advancing strategic partnerships, leading cross-functional initiatives, and enhancing organizational effectiveness. This role provides dedicated leadership for initiatives that span multiple business functions, ensuring strategic priorities are aligned, executed, and delivered with measurable impact. Working closely with senior leaders across the organization, the position builds and strengthens relationships among customers, employees, community partners, educational institutions, industry organizations, and other key stakeholders.

The role identifies opportunities, solves complex business challenges, influences decision-making, and leads initiatives that advance enterprise objectives. This position strengthens organizational capacity, improves execution of strategic priorities, enhances knowledge sharing and scalability, and expands Estes' ability to build meaningful partnerships that support long-term business success.

• Develop and lead strategic relationships with customers, community organizations, industry groups, educational institutions, and other key stakeholders to advance business objectives and strengthen Estes’ market position.
• Partner with Sales, Customer Experience, Operations, and functional leaders to identify and advance customer strategic customer, community, and business engagement opportunities.
• Identify emerging trends, business challenges, and partnership opportunities, providing recommendations that enhance customer experience, organizational effectiveness, brand reputation, and business performance.
• Represent Estes and SC&C in customer meetings, conferences, industry forums, community events, and other external engagements, serving as a trusted ambassador for the organization.
• Connect and align charitable giving, sustainability, employee engagement, recruiting, and customer experience, and corporate reputation initiatives to maximize impact.
• Develop and expand community engagement strategies that support organizational priorities in partnership with the Charitable Giving Program Manager.
• Serve as a trusted ambassador and extension of SC&C leadership, strengthening relationships and advancing strategic priorities.
• Lead complex cross-functional initiatives and special projects that advance enterprise and departmental strategic priorities.
• Serve as a liaison between SC&C and key business leaders to build alignment, navigate competing priorities, and drive successful execution of key initiatives.
• Conduct research, evaluate business challenges, analyze opportunities, and develop recommendations that support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Lead onboarding, knowledge management, and departmental resource development.
• Develop and maintain governance tools, frameworks, playbooks, SOPs, templates, and training resources.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase efficiency, collaboration, consistency, and scalability.
• Lead capability-building and continuous improvement across the department.
• Prepare stakeholder briefings, strategic recommendations, stakeholder analysis, business cases, presentations, meeting materials, and follow-up plans for leadership.
• Maintain awareness of strategic priorities, stakeholder commitments, organizational risks, and opportunities while proactively identifying actions needed to advance business objectives.
• Monitor emerging trends, issues, competitive developments, customer expectations, and partnership opportunities relevant to SC&C and the business.
• Drive the development and execution of leadership, customer, community, and partnership initiatives that advance Estes' strategic…