Retail Inventory Manager II

L.L.Bean • Freeport, ME

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

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. L.L.Bean is looking for a Retail Inventory Manager II to join our team. We welcome the opportunity for this role to be hybrid based at the corporate headquarters in Freeport, Maine. Position Purpose The Retail Inventory Manager II plays a critical role in shaping inventory strategies that drive sales, margin, inventory productivity and operational excellence across the retail stores for all categories . This position requires a passion for the retail business , a strategic mindset to influence decisions across departments , and the ability to act decisively in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment . As a trusted thought partner, this role combines analytics with strong communication and structuring skills to deliver results and help define the future vision for inventory management for stores . In addition, this position has a meaningful role within the retail leadership team as a key contributor to retail growth initiatives including a rollout of significantly more new stores each year in support of Vision 2030. Success requires the stamina and strength to keep pace with the speed of expansion and the tactical execution that underpins it.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field.
• 6+ years of experience in inventory management or retail planning, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Strong analytical, communication, and influencing skills.
• Proficiency in advanced inventory management tools and systems.
• Passion for the retail business and customer experience.
• Skilled at driving collaboration and gaining buy-in from senior leaders, peers, and cross-functional teams.
• Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment; demonstrates agility and makes confident, timely decisions amid ambiguity.
• Strategic thought partner who can help shape and drive the future vision.
• 3-5 years of experience as a people leader required
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong influencing skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong analytical thinker
• Strong PC and systems aptitude
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong leadership skills
• Strategic thinker
• Familiarity with financial performance reporting and cost benefit analysis
• Ability to develop and review comprehensive buy strategies
• Creative problem solving skills/abilities
• Self motivated

Responsibilities

• Strategic Inventory Management Lead inventory planning for retail stores across categories, ensuring alignment with company goals for sales, margin, and inventory.
• Partner with planning, forecasting, merchandising and buying teams to drive inventory needs for retail stores and influence product lifecycle decisions like markdowns and transfers.
• Own in season store allocation processes including fit-up for new store openings, leveraging advanced tools and analytics.
• Cross-Functional Leadership Collaborate with Merchandising, Store Operations, and Supply Chain teams to optimize inventory flow and meet service-level targets.
• Influence decision-making across multiple stakeholders and drive alignment on inventory strategies balancing top line growth initiatives with inventory productivity goals.
• Team Development Manage and mentor a team of planners and allocators, providing coaching and career development.
• Support succession planning and foster a culture of empowerment, accountability, data driven decisions and continuous improvement.
• Performance Optimization Monitor KPIs such as in-stock/service level rates, sell-through, and profitability; adjust strategies based on insights.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager