Brand Development Manager- Lexington, KY

Founders Brewing Company (Mahou USA); Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Founders Brewing Company (Mahou USA) seeks a Brand Development Manager based in Lexington, KY to act as the face of the brands with distributors and retailers. You will drive strategic distribution and brand-building activities, both on and off premise, and execute at retail to engage retailers and consumers.

The role requires living in the market, strong selling acumen, and the ability to travel as needed to support growth and showcases Mahou USA brand experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university with 3 years’ related experience or equivalent.
• Live in the market for which the Brand Development Manager is responsible.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Solid computer knowledge; MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Valid driver’s license with clean driving record.
• Willingness to travel overnight as required.

Responsibilities

• Develop annual distribution targets with Market Manager and drive distribution in key accounts.
• Own relationships with key accounts in on- and off-premise channels.
• Train distributor sales teams on the Mahou USA portfolio.
• Execute local sampling, events, and promotional activities at retail.
• Manage regional POS budget for merchandising and visibility.
• Leverage CRM tools to ensure flawless retail execution.

Skills

Sales mindset

Communication skills

MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint

Driver's license

Overnight travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

3 years’ related experience

Job description

SUMMARY

At Mahou USA we don’t just sell beer, we build brands.The Brand Development Manager, based in Lexington, KY, will serve as a the “face of the brands” at the local level for our Distributors and Key Retailers in critical strategic markets.Working alongside our distributor partners and under the direction of Mahou USA sales leadership, the Brand Development Manager will be the “feet on the street” responsible for driving strategic distribution and volume in both on and off premise retail accounts.In addition, they will be responsible for executing brand building activities at retail that engage both retailers and consumers in the Mahou USA brand portfolio experiences.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Includes the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Selling/Merchandising

• Work with Market Manager and Distributor to develop annual distribution targets by brand/sku’s and then drive distribution and volume in key retail accounts, both on and off premise to achieve Mahou USA goals
• Create account target list by wholesaler for priority brands/sku’s to improve distribution and generate new business for Mahou USA
• Own relationship with key accounts decision makers in both on and off premise accounts
• On a weekly basis, work with distributor sales teams to drive Mahou USA distribution, drive incremental share of mind within distributors sales team and train the distributor sales team on the benefits of the Mahou USA portfolio.
• Secure permanent draft/package placement for Mahou USA brands in the on premise and then execute proper promotional support to ensure ROS per POD, such as staff training, consumer focused promotions
• In Independent off premise, drive distribution for the right sku’s in the right accounts and ensure pricing execution, proper merchandising and display activity
• In Off Premise chain accounts ensure proper placement of mandated Mahou USA sku’s, proper price execution and any other feature or display activity
• Leverage CRM tools (Karma, CCM, Dashboards, etc) to ensure flawless execution at retail
• Monitor and submit distribution progress reports as assigned by Market Manager
• Identify and develop retail and pricing programs for underperforming packages
• Execute the local sampling plan of Mahou USA portfolio through interaction with consumers and retailers at local retail samplings, retail work- withs, special events, trade shows, etc.
• Properly manage regional POS budget to ensure effective use of merchandising tools at retail to drive proper awareness for Mahou USA brands and achieve distribution and display objectives

Pricing Responsibilities

• Responsible for executing Mahou USA price strategies by brand/sku to ensure that shelf pricing is on brand strategy while maximizing Company’s margin/profit.
• Responsible for understanding current brewery margins by brand pack and build annual objectives to improve margin profitability and mix
• Support Market Manager and GM in maintain accurate records of current pricing for Mahou USA sku’s versus competition across all distributor and retailer in assigned territory.
• Regularly conduct retail price surveys by Distributor, specified chain and/or channel of trade to ensure Mahou USA package is priced properly versus defined competitive set.
• Work with management & Pricing and Revenue Manager to initiate corrective action to improve Mahou USA pricing in all on and off premise accounts.

Budget Responsibilities

• Responsibly manage annual co-op budgets with Distributors in compliance with all Mahou USA policies and procedures.
• Responsibly manage annual travel and expense budget in compliance with Mahou USA Travel and Expense Policy Guidelines.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor's degree from four-year College or university; three years’ related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Live in the market for which the Brand Development Manager is responsible.
• Entrepreneurial spirit yet sales professional
• Team player that is passionate about selling beer.
• Follow instructions; respond appropriately to management direction yet self-starter.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Must be able to speak clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; good listening skills; and strong presentation skills.
• Understanding of, and ability to perform, basic trade math as a part of doing business in a “fact-based” selling culture.
• Ability to prioritize and plan work; attention to details; effective time management; set goals and objectives.
• Take independent actions and calculated risks.
• Display creativity and original thinking.
• Highly self-motivated and ability to work both traditional business hours as well as non-traditional business hours including, at times, nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
• Must be available for overnight travel for crew drives, meetings, training and occasional weekend events or Distributor and Retailer entertainment.
• Must have solid computer knowledge and skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push and/or pull up to 35 pounds.
• Valid driver’s license required with excellent driving record.