Wholesale Intern

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.

A summer internship at L.L.Bean is an introduction to our company that provides an opportunity for the right individual to contribute to moving the business forward and gain exposure to key areas of the organization. Interns supporting the Domestic Wholesale team will support day-to-day wholesale operations, with a strong emphasis on marketing, competitive research, and understanding the broader retail landscape. The role will provide hands-on experience analyzing competitors and market trends, developing marketing and presentation materials, and supporting initiatives that help strengthen and grow the Domestic Wholesale business. Interns may also gain exposure to Sales and Merchandising based on business needs. Internship periods are typically 9 weeks in duration, beginning June 1, 2027 and ending July 30, 2027. This is a 32-36 hour/week role.

This is an in-office role based at our Freeport, Maine headquarters, with an expectation of being onsite at least four days per week, Mon-Thurs.

A Wholesale Intern’s primary responsibility will be to support the daily operations of the Domestic Wholesale channel, with a strong emphasis on marketing, retail industry research, and competitive benchmarking. An ideal candidate will have a background in Business, Finance, Marketing, Merchandising, or related fields with a strong background in data analysis and an interest in the retail industry and competitive landscape.

Domestic Wholesale is a fast-paced, rapidly growing business channel with a culture of high performance. An intern joining this team will be expected to learn and adapt quickly, be comfortable receiving assignments and feedback from various partners, prioritize multiple due dates and timelines, and be able to work well with ambiguity. While we anticipate interns will have a focus in one of our functional areas, they may be asked to support cross-functional partners depending on business need.

Interns will be expected to balance their time between daily tasks and longer-term project work, including research and analysis of competitors, market trends, and industry best practices, culminating in an end-of-assignment presentation of their project work output.

Responsibilities:

• Support daily Wholesale Marketing operations, data visualization, seasonal marketing activity support, Marketing supply organization, and creation of decks, slides, and presentation materials. 

• Conduct competitive benchmarking and research across the retail and wholesale landscape to identify relevant trends, opportunities, and industry best practices.

• Support marketing initiatives through research, analysis, presentation development, and other project-based work.

• Monitor and develop an understanding of the competitive environment, including how brands position themselves, market their products, and engage wholesale and retail customers.

• Support process improvement and daily support of wholesale partners.

• Assist in developing compelling brand and marketing presentations that effectively communicate insights and recommendations.

• Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills in a fast-paced and dynamic retail environment with often-challenging deadlines.

• Assume additional responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Must be currently enrolled in a 4-year college or university degree program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

• Must live within a commutable distance to our Corporate HQ located in Freeport, ME. This is an in-office role with expectations of being in the office at least 4 days a week.

• Must be able to find personal housing accommodations within a commutable distance to Freeport, ME (housing leads and referrals will be provided), with reliable transportation to get to the office.

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Excel. Ideal candidate will have a solid foundation in MS Excel, with an understanding of how to use/write formulas.

• Passion for the outdoors and L.L.Bean’s core activities.

• Demonstrated interest in retail, consumer brands, marketing, merchandising, or the broader outdoor industry.

• Curiosity about the competitive retail environment and an interest in understanding consumer, brand, and industry trends.

• Ability to research, synthesize, and communicate competitive and market insights in a clear and compelling way.

• Capability to build strong partnerships and work collaboratively to achieve goals.

• Ability to maintain a high level of enthusiasm, motivation and a positive attitude.

• Established time management and organization skills.

• Comfort communicating with various levels of management.

• Ideally has long-term interest in the outdoor apparel and gear industry.

• Some previous customer service experience preferred (retail, restaurant, hospitality, etc.).

• Strong business acumen with an analytical mindset and interest in using data and research to inform business and marketing decisions.

• Ability to lift and move items weighing up to 40 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Housing Stipend Eligibility: Interns who do not have access to housing within 50 miles of the Freeport Headquarters may be eligible to receive a housing stipend to help relieve travel or living costs for the summer. All requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to confirm eligibility and individual circumstances. 

Health and Safety Requirement: Ensures compliance with the L.L.Bean Comprehensive Health and Safety program by knowing and following all safety guidelines, policies, procedures and expectations.  Take immediate and appropriate action to rectify any unsafe conditions.   

L.L.Bean is for everyone. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging, creating safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome - here and in the outdoors.

L.L.Bean uses a market-based compensation approach. The anticipated starting base pay for this position is $20 - $22 /hour. Individual compensation may vary based on factors such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, education, geographic location, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.

If you care about the outdoors, joining L.L.Bean is a great way to feel good about what you do. Our benefits package makes a good thing even better, with programs and perks designed to support your health and financial goals. Plus, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and re-charging outside are all part of the plan.

If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you'd be great at this role, we'd love to learn more about you!   At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us.  We strive to reflect this every day in our commitments to employees and partners and in our efforts to promote belonging.