District Manager - Illinois

Palm Bay International; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(K)

Paid vacation

Job summary

Palm Bay International is seeking a District Manager, Illinois On-Premise, to drive sales and execute annual goals across our Chicago-area market. You will collaborate with sales reps and distributor managers, representing our portfolio personally in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires 5–7 years of alcohol beverage sales, strong relationships, and a valid drive for results. Travel 40–60% and occasional weekend work are expected as part of market coverage.

Qualifications

• Four-year college/university degree with a focus in Business Administration preferred.
• Advanced degree a plus.
• Wine Certifications - Higher level (e.g., WSET) certification is a plus.
• Must have wine certifications.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Regional Manager to ensure goal clarity in the area.
• Constant focus on achieving goals in the territory.
• Sell with Profitable Volume Growth in mind and manage budget.
• Maintain relationships with distributors and buyers; provide market insights.

Skills

Exceptional Sales leadership

Distributor leadership

Analytical mindset

Multi-brand portfolio management

Independent work style

Education

Four-year college/university degree in Business Administration

Advanced degree an option

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Pricing tools

Job description

Location: Chicago, IL (must live in the city of Chicago)

Palm Bay International, a dynamic family-owned company, offers one of the nation’s most comprehensive portfolios of imported wines and spirits, including over 50 suppliers from around the globe. Among Palm Bay’s most valued assets is its remarkable network of long-term partnerships with the foremost wholesale companies in all 50 states, as well as the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. With the crucial collaboration of these partners, Palm Bay’s portfolio is able to meet the needs of every level of the industry, from independent restaurants and retail stores, to chain accounts, supermarkets, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, duty-free accounts, and U.S. military bases. This impressive roster of brands, accounts, and relationships positions Palm Bay as a major source of fine wines and spirits and an industry leader in the U.S. marketplace. For more, visit: www.palmbay.com.

The District Manager, Illinois On-Premise, is a sales role responsible for overseeing the development of our sales and execution of our annual goals in an assigned area. This is a role for a go-getter- someone willing to be out selling our brands every day of the week. You will be the key ambassador for our company and the person responsible for working with sales reps and distributor managers to bring in the annual plan. Qualities we are looking for include:

• Go-Getter, someone who can work towards goal achievement
• Tenacity
• Reliability and integrity—your word means something
• Enjoys working with people

Objective: Attaining goals within given area

Activities to include

• Work with the Regional Manager to ensure goal clarity in the area
• Constant focus on achieving goals in the territory
• Working with the Regional Manager to provide solutions to move sales forward (Programming Ideas,Pricing Opportunities)
• Consistently updating distributors on where they are vs. goals and programs
• Selling with Profitable Volume Growth in mind
• Managing own T&E to ensure staying within budget

Experience Required

• 5-7 years of alcohol beverage sales experience in progressively responsible roles.
• Must have wine certifications
• Current relationships in the market is a bonus
• Knowledge of core pricing principles
• Knowledge of key merchandising principles in the on and off-premise
• Knowledge of how restaurants run their beverage program

Education / Professional Qualifications

• Four-year college/university degree with a focus in Business Administration preferred.
• Advanced degree a plus.

Skills

Functional

• Exceptional Sales leadership skills with demonstrated ability to grow a profitable business.
• Strong command of effective Distributor leadership skills, influencing action to meet/exceed the business plan.
• Strong understanding of the alcohol beverage category and a proven ability to successfully manage a growing business through multiple Distributor points of contact.
• Sound understanding of businessfinancials and experience in managing a budget.
• Proven ability to manage distributor teams and execute business plans reflecting year-on-year growth.
• Experience in planning and managing new product launches. Supplier market visit planning.
• Build exceptional relationships and trust with the account and buyer community
• Be equally capable and showcase the necessary interpersonal dexterity to be highly effective selling into a white tablecloth, Michelin star environment, a casual neighborhood pizzeria, a fine wine bottle shop, or a regional chain environment
• Familiarity with product sales – the ability to develop compelling selling stories to grow distribution and volume sales.
• Analytics – ability to take large amounts of data and mine the key insights that help develop a compelling sales presentation.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and experience in working with a multi-brand portfolio.
• Results oriented; thrives in a dynamic; fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently.

Technical

• Proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong presentation skills.
• Excellent Analytics – the ability to take large amounts of data and mine the key insights that help develop a compelling sales presentation.
• Experience in the utilization of pricing, forecasting, and other Sales tracking and monitoring tools
• Wine Certifications - Higher levelWSET certification or equivalent wine education is a plus.

Managerial

• Ability to manage up to make sure the Regional Manager is aware of what is happening in the market.
• Work with counterparts across the region at times on blitzes.
• Host supplier representatives, owners, and executives during in-market travel, delivering exceptional market access and sales success.Ideate and execute supplier-supported in-market value-adds, including events, blitzes, educational activities, winemaker dinners, tastings, happy hours, etc.

Essential Job Functions

• Must be able to lift 45lbs
• Must be able to travel 40-60% of the work week.
• Must be able to work some weekends and travel overseas for business purposes.

Salary Range: $100,000 - $115,000

Benefits Overview:

Palm Bay offers a competitive compensation package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(K), paid vacation, personal time off and 11 paid company holidays. Palm Bay International is an equal opportunity employer