Senior Sourcing Specialist

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.

The Senior Sourcing Specialist leads end‑to‑end sourcing for assigned product categories and vendor partners, with clear ownership of cost, quality, on‑time delivery, and supplier performance. You'll work closely with cross‑functional teams and global suppliers to bring L.L. Bean products to market-ensuring they reflect our high standards for quality, value, and social responsibility.

With a high degree of autonomy, you'll manage medium‑ to high‑complexity initiatives that are critical to executing sourcing strategy, mitigating risk, and delivering results. This role offers the opportunity to build and demonstrate strong, emerging leadership through influence, sound judgment, problem‑solving, and project ownership. You'll also have the chance to coach and mentor others, providing technical expertise and informal leadership support as part of a collaborative sourcing team.

Responsibilities:

Cross‑Functional Collaboration:

• Serve as a trusted sourcing partner to Product Development, Merchandising, Inventory Management, Supply Chain, Distribution, Risk Management, Global Compliance, QA, and other cross‑functional teams, balancing competing priorities to deliver shared business outcomes.

Sourcing Management:

• Partner pre‑season to review assortments, assess sourcing implications, and define sourcing requirements that support business objectives.
• Own sourcing plans and timelines, proactively managing dependencies, risks, and cross‑functional alignment.
• Negotiate delivery schedules and manage production capacity with vendors and planning teams to support service and inventory goals.
• Lead sample development and production readiness, including specifications, lab dips, photo samples, and approvals.
• Manage raw materials sourcing, including pricing, testing, quality standards, and delivery timing.
• Monitor tech pack accuracy and timeline adherence; identify issues early and drive resolution with partners.
• Recommend and support process, system, and workflow improvements that enhance efficiency, visibility, and execution discipline.

Vendor Management:

• Represent L.L. Bean Sourcing in the selection, development, and ongoing management of vendor partnerships.
• Maintain strong, professional vendor relationships through clear expectations, consistent communication, and performance feedback.
• Assess vendor risk and performance across cost, quality, capacity, delivery, financial stability, and social responsibility; drive corrective actions as needed.
• Establish and monitor Vendor Performance Management (VPM) goals, on‑time delivery metrics, and action plans.
• Negotiate product costs, payment terms, lead times, and production minimums in alignment with business needs.
• Partner with Risk Management and Legal to mitigate vendor, contract, and recall‑related risk.
• Mentor Sourcing Specialists and support resolution of near‑term vendor or production issues.

Quality Management:

• Own quality outcomes for assigned products and vendors, partnering closely with Quality Assurance.
• Collaborate with QA to monitor quality benchmarks, identify risks, and drive preventive actions upstream.
• Ensure accurate documentation and execution of product specifications and quality requirements within FLEX PLM.

Sourcing Strategy:

• Support execution of short‑ and mid‑term sourcing strategies aligned to cost, quality, delivery, and growth objectives.
• Assess sourcing risks related to geography, vendor concentration, and core programs; recommend mitigation strategies, including dual sourcing where appropriate.
• Stay informed on business growth priorities and contribute forward‑looking sourcing solutions.

Cost Management:

• Oversee terms of sale and COGS management for assigned categories and vendors.
• Maintain cost accuracy and resolve invoice discrepancies.
• Support cost‑based pricing and savings initiatives.

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.

Skills & Qualifications:

• BS/BA required
• 5+ years of relevant experience required
• Textile and/or sourcing experience preferred
• This role requires periodic domestic and international travel to supplier locations and sourcing offices
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills with the ability to apply sound judgment
• Highly organized and detail‑oriented; able to manage complex work systematically
• Proven ability to deliver high‑quality results in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment
• Effective communicator who can influence across functions and work directly with vendors
• Collaborative, results‑oriented partner with strong interpersonal skills
• Self‑motivated, resilient, and comfortable navigating ambiguity and change
• Demonstrates emerging leadership through influence, mentoring, and accountability
• Curious and growth‑oriented; seeks continuous learning and diverse perspectives
• Able to balance detail with big‑picture thinking to support objective, business‑focused decisions

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.