International Brand Manager

At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and creating safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome—both here and Outside. We value individual differences and are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive work environment where everyone can bring the best of their experience and talents and truly thrive.

Position Purpose

The International Brand Manager will lead and manage critical business relationships and brand governance across L.L.Bean’s international partnerships, with a primary focus on our collaboration with our partner in Japan. This role ensures partners’ use of the brand in product strategies, marketing, and other areas are aligned with L.L.Bean’s standards. This new role will define new processes for brand usage in market. The ideal candidate has a well-developed understanding of product and merchandising. They are a cross-functional connector with strong communication, organizational, and relationship management skills, capable of translating brand, product and business strategies into action.

This position sits in our Corporate Headquarters and is not a remote role. Must live within a commutable distance to Freeport, Maine.

Responsibilities:

Relationship Management

• Serves as the primary point of contact for our partner in Japan related to the day-to-day flow of communication and the dissemination of all information needed. Builds and fosters critical internal relationships in support of the business.

• Organizes semi-annual or more frequent review of L.L.Bean product assortment in line with corporate line adoption. Organizes semi-annual strategic review of business with partners where results and strategies are shared between L.L.Bean and partners.     

Brand Usage Approval

• Provides guidance on brand usage in key markets. Reviews proposed usage and prepares documentation and context for approvals needed within the L.L.Bean leadership chain.

Communications and Business Context

• Attends key merchandising and commercial planning meetings. Assembles & circulates information on the product line, including future direction and current performance. Highlights key merchandise and go-to-market strategies, providing important context.

• Ensures required assets are provided to Japanese and Canadian partners including creative content, product samples, Trail Guides, and other materials. Addresses gaps in partner needs.

Process Management

• Defines and builds out business milestones, deliverables, and timelines relating to how L.L.Bean works with our International partners. Ensures obligations are fulfilled on time and to expected standards. Collaborates on product development cycles and identifies process improvements.

Product Setup and Review

• May work directly or through merchandising partners to setup or correct product data in L.L.Bean internal systems. Organizes a showcase of partner products twice a year for internal stakeholder review; including receiving and merchandising samples and building materials to provide business context.

Other

• Works with internal and external legal teams to ensure timely registration of L.L.Bean brand IP in International markets. Adds product and merchandising lens to interpretation of International results across channels. Serves as the key International partner for various product-related constituents, including sourcing, quality assurance, photo operations, and merch

Health and Safety Requirement

Every employee is responsible for contributing to a safe and healthy workplace. Employees are expected to be active participants in health and safety by following all safety policies and procedures, reporting unsafe conditions or at-risk behaviors to leadership, and conducting work in a safe manner. Those in a leadership role are also expected to model safe behaviors, evaluate risk, and ensure that risks are reduced to acceptable levels.

Education Level: 4-Year Bachelors Degree required in business or marketing

Years of Experience: 5+ years of experience in brand management, international business, or merchandising.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; business, marketing, and product background desired.

• 5+ years of experience in brand management, international business, or merchandising.

• Strong cross-cultural communication and relationship management skills.

• Demonstrated understanding of brand governance and product development processes.

• Excellen