Job Description

BUILDING BRANDS THAT WIN ON CAMPUS & BEYOND

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Do you fill out multiple March Madness brackets? Are your Saturdays better with a game on? Can you hold your own in conversations about collegiate rivalries, NIL deals, or last weekend's upset?

If those questions excite you, this role may be for you.

We're looking for a strategic and driven Brand Manager – Licensing to lead the marketing strategy and expression of our licensed brands across collegiate and approved properties. This role serves as the primary marketing owner for our Licensing division (Blue84 Licensed, Zephyr Licensed, Elite) and is responsible for elevating our brand presence across the collegiate space.

You'll collaborate closely with Sales, Product, Creative Directors, and external licensing partners to ensure our brands show up clearly, compliantly, and competitively - whether that's in catalogs, store-within-a-store concepts, retail activations, or campus-driven opportunities.

This role blends strategy with hands-on execution and offers the opportunity to define what best-in-class licensed brand marketing looks like for our business as we grow and evolve.

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm

Join us and be a part of a company that values teamwork, innovation, and making work enjoyable every day! The wage range for this position is $75,000-$95,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications, with flexibility for exceptional experience in collegiate licensing.

Open to onsite or remote. To be considered for remote you must reside in one of the following states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KA, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NV, NY, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS | Strategize + Activate + Collaborate + Elevate

• Brand Strategy Leadership: Own and evolve the brand strategy, voice, and positioning for licensed brands including Blue84 Licensed, Zephyr Licensed, and Elite
• Market Presence: Build and strengthen our brand presence across the collegiate and licensed space, identifying opportunities to differentiate and elevate
• Licensing Approvals: Manage submission and approval processes with third-party licensors (Disney, Marvel, Warner Bros., Hello Kitty, collegiate licensors, etc.), ensuring compliance with brand guidelines prior to launch
• Catalog Ownership: Lead licensed catalogs end-to-end including timeline management, content direction, messaging, and cross-functional approvals
• Content Direction: Define storytelling, content direction, and messaging to ensure our materials resonate within the collegiate marketplace
• Sales Collaboration: Partner with Sales to understand growth opportunities, prioritize requests, and ensure marketing tools align with business goals
• Request Management: Review and prioritize incoming marketing requests through established workflows (e.g., Monday.com), ensuring clarity and alignment
• Store Within a Store Development: Collaborate on and help define "store within a store" concepts, merchandising experiences, and branded environments within collegiate retail settings
• Onsite Activation & Events: Partner on developing and evolving onsite activations, campus events, and experiential marketing opportunities; help define execution standards and success metrics
• Trade Show Partnership: Collaborate with the broader marketing team on licensing-related trade show presence and materials; serve as a strategic partner (this role does not directly oversee trade shows)
• Social Media Influence: Influence and help guide the direction of future licensing-focused social media efforts
• NIL & Influencer Awareness: Support exploration of NIL opportunities and understand how to activate athletes or influencers within licensing guidelines (experience in this space is a plus)
• Performance Insight: Help define how we measure effectiveness of activations, catalogs, and marketing initiatives within the licensing channel
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work in close partnership with Creative Directors to ensure visual execution aligns with brand strategy, while respecting product design ownership
• This role does not: design products, manage SKU setup or inventory processes, oversee website management or DTC execution, directly manage tradeshows, or function solely as a production-level project manager

QUALIFICATIONS | Strategic Thinker + Sports Mindset + Brand Builder

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 3–7+ years of experience in brand management, marketing strategy, sales enablement, or related field
• Familiarity with collegiate sports culture and/or licensing environments strongly preferred
• Experience managing licensed brands or navigating approval processes is highly desirable
• Strong eye for content that resonates within the collegiate and licensed marketplace
• Ability to think strategically while executing tactically
• Highly organized and comfortable managing multiple timelines simultaneously
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and comfortable learning project management systems (e.g., Monday.com)
• Clear and confident communicator, both written and verbal
• Collaborative leader who can influence without direct authority
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Adaptable multitasker who thrives in a fast-paced environment
• Understanding of NIL programs, influencer activation, or athlete partnerships is a plus
• Strong cultural contributor who embraces and enhances our unique company culture
• Willingness to travel occasionally for events, activations, or industry engagements
• Go with the flow mentality; able to switch gears at the tug of a t-shirt
• Must love dogs (we kinda like them and we hope you do, too)

REMOTE QUALIFICATIONS I Minimum Requirements:

To effectively fulfill your responsibilities, we expect remote team members to have a reliable internet connection that meets the following minimum requirements:

• Download Speed: A minimum download speed of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) is necessary to ensure swift access to online resources, efficient communication, and seamless collaboration with your colleagues. We recommend 200 Mbps download.
• Upload Speed: Your internet connection should have a minimum upload speed of 20 megabits per second (Mbps). This speed allows for smooth sharing of files, participating in virtual meetings, and contribution to our collaborative work environment. We recommend 50 Mbps Upload.

It is important to note that these above requirements are based on the assumption that your internet connection is dedicated primarily to work-related tasks during business hours. We understand that many households have multiple users and may engage in activities such as streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, etc. However, your work-related activities must receive the necessary bandwidth and remain uninterrupted.

All remote employees are also responsible for the following:

• Must have both Cable and DSL for Internet Types
• Must supply their own equipment (including but not limited to monitors, cameras, and computer accessories)
• Employees must have two monitors for work tasks
• Please note that Chromebooks are not compatible with our systems.

WHY LAKESHIRTS IS THE PLACE YOU WANT TO BE. At Lakeshirts, we believe in making work as awesome as the apparel we create. We're not just a t-shirt company- we're also a hat, sticker, and sock company (and so much more!). We're a place where creativity meets culture, where ideas and innovation are encouraged, and where the atmosphere is truly one-of-a-kind. As one of the largest screenprinting manufacturers in the U.S., we decorate a variety of garments and accessories for the resort, licensed collegiate, and K-12 markets, supported by over 1,000 ah-mazing team members from sea to shining sea.

OUR CULTURE TRULY SETS US APART. Life at Lakeshirts is all about embracing our core values, having fun, and working with great people who make every day an opportunity to thrive. We're looking for those who want to roll up their sleeves and make an impact while enjoying a culture that values creativity, teamwork, continuous improvement, and empowering each team member to define and elevate their success. We also foster a strong sense of community and are dedicated to wowing our customers on the daily

LIFE'S BETTER IN A T-SHIRT & SO IS WORK! Here's what you can expect when you join the Lakeshirts team:

• Compensation| Work Hard. Get Rewarded: Guided by our value of meritocracy, we offer a compensation package that reflects your unique skills, talents, and contributions. You are not just a number-your success, ideas, and efforts directly shape your growth and earning potential, empowering you to take your career to the next level. And there is an option to be paid daily!
• Insurance Benefits | We've Got You Covered: From health and life insurance to voluntary benefits like dental, vision, short-term/long-term disability, and critical illness & accident coverage, we've got you covered; benefits kick in the first of the month following 60 days of full-time employment
• Paid Time Off | Life Outside of Work: Enjoy up to 22 paid days off during the first year because we know life happens outside of work & we want you to be able to enjoy
• Profit Sharing | If We're Profitable. You're Profitable: When we win, you win
• Retirement Planning | Free Money? Yes, Please!: Our 401(k) program helps you plan for the future
• Onsite Perks |Get in my Belly: At our HQ in Detroit Lakes, enjoy hot breakfast, lunch, and snacks from our subsidized cafeteria
• Dogs @ Work| Yes. It's A ThingAnd It's Pawsome: Bring your furry friend to work, because we believe dogs just make everything better
• Relaxed Dress Code | Wear What Makes You Feel Your Best: Whether it's jeans, tees, and flip flops- we believe comfort fuels creativity, and we offer an employee merchandise discount to keep you & your family well-stocked
• Flexible Work Schedules | Full Time, Part Time & Everything In Between: Because we understand the importance of work-life balance
• Unique Culture | That Is Priceless: We make work fun; we believe in teamwork, giving back to our communities and doing what we love with great people, and always rocking a t-shirt, a hat, and some cool socks

Cognitive or Mental Requirements of the Job:

Employee must be able to see and hear, read and write. Requires adaptability, analyzing, assessing, calculating, decision making, dependability, judgment, reading, speaking, following direction, handling multiple priorities, reasoning.

Physical Demands:

CONTINUOUSLY: Sit

OCCASIONALLY: Lift, Stand, Walk, Carry, Push, Pull, Climb, Balance, Bend, Twist, Crawl, Reach, Lift under 10 lbs., Lift 10-50 lbs., Lift over 50 lbs., Carry under 10 lbs., Carry 10-50 lbs., Carry over 50 lbs., Reaching above, at, and below shoulder height

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and should in no way be considered a contract or guarantee of employment. Employee may perform other related duties as needed based on the ongoing needs of the business. Minnesota is an Employment-At-Will state and implies no specific length of employment