Director of Distribution

Temeculawines; Temecula (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards is seeking a senior leader to own and grow our national distributor and broker network across all states. You will set strategy, manage pricing and programs, and drive profitable growth through effective field and executive-level collaboration.

The role requires 7+ years in distributor/broker management, strong relationships with top accounts, and willingness to travel 50% or more nationwide while ensuring compliance with all laws and company policies.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree or related work experience.
• 7+ years in a similar role with national or multi-state distributor/broker management (alcoholic beverage industry preferred).
• Strong relationships with national distributors, brokers, and key accounts at executive level.

Responsibilities

• Lead national distributor and broker network development and management.
• Own pricing strategy and consumer-facing programs to maximize margins.
• Travel extensively to drive sales and manage accounts nationwide.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

Multi-state distributor management

Executive-level relationships

CRM & project tools

MS Office proficiency

Extensive travel

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Spotio

CRM

MS Office

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

Lead and grow Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards' national distribution business. Set the strategy for, and manage, the Company's distributor and broker network across all states, own key account and pricing strategy, and drive the sales, budget, and reporting discipline needed to deliver profitable, sustainable growth.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Include the following non-inclusive list. Other duties may be assigned. Nothing in this job description reflects management's right to assign or reassign duties to this job at any time. All duties are to be performed in compliance with Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards policies and procedures.

• Represent the company effectively nationwide, and in international locations as needed, by achieving sales and promotion objectives
• Develop and execute the Company's national distribution growth strategy in partnership with ownership and senior leadership
• Develop multi-level distributor or broker business relationships with exceptional sales techniques and business knowledge while managing multiple tasks
• Plan and manage activities for multiple markets to ensure achievement of targeted objectives
• Lead distributor general sales meetings and hold regular business reviews to align on priorities and results
• Assist business partners' efforts by delivering effective sales presentations and programs, as required, that support achievement of company sales and merchandising objectives
• Make comparisons to competition and the market environment as needed
• Obtain appropriate distribution and share of business within assigned accounts
• Develop positive customer relationships in the process of visiting targeted accounts
• Present the entire portfolio and current programs to generate maximum dollar and case sales volume
• Adhere to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverage products in accounts
• Own pricing strategy and develop consumer-competitive pricing structured to provide targeted margin to the company
• Educate business partners on company history, product quality, programs, standards, and market objectives
• Develop programs to influence the consumer at the point of purchase to maximize the potential for impulse sales and brand loyalty
• Build distributor share of mind by maximizing efforts of all staff and leveraging all support to exceed expectations
• Manage levels with company and partners support to market needs, maximizing sales and merchandising opportunities
• Provide management with specific, current information on market conditions
• Formulate recommendations for all business needs that will grow all market results
• Submit required reports promptly and accurately as directed by management and maintain up-to-date market records as specified by management
• Maintain adequate, well-organized inventories of sales tools and merchandising materials while following policies and procedures
• Lead and execute sales objectives during marketing-sponsored functions within the areas of responsibility
• Assist in the communication process for all parties (marketing team/distributor) to ensure promotion success and targeted results
• Manage resources in accordance with fiscal policies and legal regulations, including trade spend, promotional budgets, and account P&L accountability
• Stay within stated quarterly/annual budgets and anticipate potential budget deviations
• Work to assess the need for budget revisions or exceptions and obtain necessary approval prior to exceeding the budget

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree (4-year) or related work experience
• 7+ years of experience in a similar role, including national or multi-state distributor/broker management (alcoholic beverage industry preferred)
• Strong national distributor, broker, & chain account relationships at the executive level
• Good communication, business development, and people management skills
• Comfortable working with pricing, trade spend, budgets, and depletion/syndicated data
• Familiarity with Nielsen reports (store-level sales tracking) and VIP/iDig reports (depletion tracking) is a plus
• Experience with CRM and project management tools such as Spotio is a plus
• Proficient in computers, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Valid driver's license
• Willingness to travel extensively (50% or more) nationwide

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state law, the Company will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and will engage in a timely, good-faith interactive process as required by law.

This position is primarily performed in a field sales environment, with the majority of work conducted outside of the office and while traveling to distributor, broker, and account locations nationwide. Frequent travel by automobile and air, including prolonged periods of driving, is required, and employees may encounter varying traffic, road, and weather conditions. Occasional evening, weekend, and long-distance travel is required based on business needs. The position requires the ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Contact

Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards
Jake Lawless