Beverage Brand Manager

Preston Harris Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Preston Harris Group is seeking a hands-on Brand Manager – Emerging Brands to drive the next generation of beverage brands. You will lead strategy, in-market activations, and distributor collaborations to accelerate growth across select regional markets.

You will balance strategic planning with real-world execution, building consumer connections at bars, restaurants, and events, while translating insights into scalable programs with measurable impact.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of brand marketing experience, beverage or consumer-driven category preferred.
• Strong understanding of three‑tier beverage alcohol system and distribution.
• Proven ability to build brands in regional or emerging markets.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with bias toward action and execution.
• Experience developing consumer-facing marketing programs from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute brand strategies for growth in targeted regional markets.
• Build localized programs to drive awareness, trial, and loyalty.
• Partner with sales teams, distributors, retailers, and on-premise accounts to grow the brand.
• Lead experiential, sampling, event, social, and influencer programs.
• Manage budgets, calendars, agencies, vendors, and external partners.

Skills

Brand marketing

Entrepreneurial mindset

Distributor collaboration

In-market activation

Effective communication

Job description

Brand Manager – Emerging Brands (Innovation)

We are seeking an entrepreneurial, commercially minded Brand Manager – Emerging Brands to help build and accelerate the next generation of beverage brands.

This is an opportunity for a hands‑on brand leader who understands the fundamentals of the beverage alcohol industry and the three‑tier distribution system, while also bringing the creativity and entrepreneurial mindset needed to build genuine consumer connections in emerging and regional markets.

The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable developing a strategic brand plan, working with distributors and sales teams, activating in‑market, and walking into a premium bar or restaurant to personally represent the brand.

What You'll Do

• Develop and execute brand strategies designed to create significant growth in targeted regional markets.
• Build localized marketing programs that generate strong consumer awareness, trial, and loyalty.
• Partner closely with sales teams, distributors, retailers, and on‑premise accounts to drive brand growth.
• Develop and execute experiential, sampling, event, social, influencer, and consumer engagement programs.
• Identify opportunities to create outsized local successes that can ultimately scale nationally.
• Manage brand budgets, calendars, agencies, vendors, and external partners.
• Translate consumer insights and market trends into actionable brand initiatives.
• Work directly with distributor partners and sales representatives to ensure strong execution in the market.
• Represent the brand at key events, bars, restaurants, and industry functions.
• Monitor performance, analyze results, and continuously optimize marketing programs.
• Help establish the foundation for significant national brand growth over the next several years.

What We're Looking For

• 5+ years of brand marketing experience, preferably within beverage alcohol, CPG, or another highly consumer‑driven category.
• Strong understanding of the three‑tier beverage alcohol system and how brands work with distributors and retailers.
• Demonstrated ability to build brands within regional or emerging markets.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong bias toward action and execution.
• Experience developing consumer‑facing marketing programs from the ground up.
• Strong understanding of premium beverage, on‑premise, and experiential marketing.
• Comfortable working directly with sales teams, distributors, bartenders, retailers, and consumers.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Willingness to be hands‑on and in the market rather than operating solely from behind a desk.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with detailed execution.
• Passion for emerging brands and the ability to identify opportunities before they become obvious.

Why This Role?

This is a chance to join an organization focused on building the next generation of beverage brands. The immediate objective is to create meaningful, measurable successes in select regional markets over the next six months — with the long‑term goal of turning those successes into nationally recognized brands over the next two years.

If you're an entrepreneurial brand builder who understands beverage alcohol, loves being in the market, and wants the opportunity to make a visible impact, we'd like to hear from you.

Compensation:

$150,000–$180,000 base salary + potential bonus