Account Development Specialist

Breakthru Beverage; Kansas City, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Breakthru Beverage Group is seeking an Account Development Specialist to lead revenue and market share for a defined beverage portfolio. The role emphasizes field time, strategic account plans, and in-market activations to drive brand growth across key accounts.

The position requires strong relationship building with stakeholders, expert beverage knowledge, and the ability to train and align sales teams with supplier goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in related field.
• 3–5 years in sales or industry-related experience for category roles.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to operate a vehicle.
• Proficient with MS Office and presentation software.
• Strong verbal/written communication and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive revenue and market share for assigned portfolio in base accounts.
• Present products and conduct monthly business reviews.
• Develop beverage and marketing strategies for growth.
• Plan high-end consumer activations and in-market events.
• Collaborate with on-premise and retail sales teams.
• Lead training for sales teams, customers, and suppliers.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders in accounts.
• Ensure brand priority through account plans and POS needs.

Skills

Sales experience

Verbal communication

Customer service

Multi-tasking

Analytic and Reporting

MS Office proficiency

Presentation software

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Equivalent training or work experience

CSS Certification or WSET Spirits level 2; or be working toward

Tools

MS Office

Presentation software

CRM software

Job description

Time Type: Full time

Remote Type:

Job Family Group: Sales

Job Description Summary

The Account Development Specialist is the sales lead for their assigned portfolio within a targeted account base. They are focused against increasing share and velocity of their assigned commodity using tactics that help sell-in the right brands to customers and sell-out to consumers via planning and execution of brand activations. This role must maintain strong relationships with the key stakeholders/gatekeepers of the supplier accounts and be the expert consultant for the accounts. The Account Development Specialist will be active with in-market events and education.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Drive and deliver on revenue and market share of assigned portfolio in assigned account base spending 80% of working time in market
• Serve as the expert and resource for the division or group in developing beverage and marketing strategies and plans for growth of assigned category or large supplier, in which they have advanced knowledge.
• Research trends, category, and portfolio to ensure that the group or division and company meet supplier goals as established.
• Present new products and beverage offerings and conduct monthly business reviews.
• Plan high-end consumer activations within key accounts to elevate category awareness based on customer needs.
• Drive real time market insights to inform, apply, unlock and accelerate growth.
• Lead, organize, report, field intel and insights for assigned territory and categories.
• Collaborate with on-premise & retail sales teams, developing creative solutions to help drive business and growth in assigned categories across their assigned territory
• Develop and deliver training modules to the sales team, customer, and supplier regarding sales trends
• Establishes merchandising objectives relative to brand priority for each account by understanding company priorities and defining POS needs to the supplier
• Focus on increasing share and velocity of assigned category.
• Ownership of account plan and execution based on brand plans
• Obtains appropriate distribution of category throughout account base by presenting and selling based on the brands’ features and benefits, including beverage menu development
• Conduct staff educations and building of the category.
• Maintain and build strong relationships with the key stakeholders/gatekeepers of the assigned accounts
• Participate in supplier and category specific work-with sales calls.
• Attend educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks to build and maintain specialized industry and/or commodity knowledge.
• Work to obtain all relative advanced certifications for the brand(s)/product becoming the market expert and resource in your assigned product or major supplier brand.
• Maintains customer confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Maintains a safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations.
• Drive specific market share based on work in either retail or on-premise accounts
• Retail ADS will focus on number of facings and their placement, cold box share and additional displays to planogram placement
• On-Premise will focus on menu placement (featured or within the cocktail list), customer visibility at the bar
• Responsibly handle beverage alcohol product & conduct safe and responsible interactions with the public.
• Other duties, as assigned by the jobholder’s supervisor, may also be required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related field and/or equivalent training and work experience
• Minimum of 3-5 years in sales or industry related and category expertise experience for category specific roles
  • CSS Certification or WSET Spirits level 2; or
  • Category specific certifications (Whiskey, Tequila, Sake or Beer); or
  • Fine Wine Accreditation Preferably WSET Level 2 or Similar (CSW, Level II Court of Master Sommeliers)
• Specialized knowledge of category or responsibility that this role will support
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to operate a motor vehicle; require
• Proficient PC skills using MS Office and other various computer programs including presentation software
• Must be a results-oriented professional with verbal/written communication skills using diplomacy and discretion as well as customer service skills
• Ability to multi-task, work independently and/or within a team, pay attention to detail and meet deadlines
• Analytic and Reporting skills
• Utilize sound judgement and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work in fast-paced, high-volume, team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• On-premise/hospitality experience
• Strong understand or background of consumer engagement mechanics
• For Spirits Specialty
  • Experience managing a Beverage Program or Bartending/Mixology
  • Previous experience cocktail costing, inventory, menu creation, P&L analysis, budgeting, batching, staff training, etc.
  • A proficient knowledge of elevated-execution beverage techniques including but not limited to frozen cocktails, infusions, smoking, barrel aging, clarifying, creating foams, garnishes. Etc.
• For Wine Specialty
  • Previous experience with a wine supplier
  • An in depth understanding of wine styles, different regions and grapes, aging potential for various wines, and specific flavor profiles.

Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to, stand, sit; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone

Competencies

• Accountable for results which impact the department.
• Selects best option from a set of defined procedures/ solutions using common sense and experience of similar situations.

This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks and duties. Responsibilities, tasks, and duties of individual jobholders may vary from the above description.

Breakthru Beverage Group is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO is the Law poster is available here. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please call [phone] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.