District Manager, Southern California - San Diego/Desert

Palm Bay International; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid vacation and holidays

401(k) program

Job summary

Palm Bay International in San Diego seeks a District Manager for Southern California, SD/Desert. This home-based role focuses on owning relationships, educating distributor partners, and driving a 50+ supplier portfolio across top accounts and events.

The role demands 5+ years in distributor or supplier sales, a bachelor’s degree, and strong presentation skills. Travel across California is expected, with self-drive and KPI-driven performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of distributor or supplier experience; wine and spirits sales experience preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own relationships with top accounts in California’s 100 Top Accounts.
• Partner with distributor teams to train and develop sales coverage.
• Plan and execute supplier dinners, tastings, and events to drive demand.
• Lead weekly, monthly and tertile business reviews with the Regional Manager.

Skills

Distributor experience

Sales

Wine & spirits knowledge

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

District Manager, Southern California, SD/Desert

Reports to: Regional Manager - California/Hawaii

Location: Candidate must be based in San Diego

THE BRAND

Palm Bay International is a dynamic, family-owned importer with one of the most comprehensive fine wine and spirits portfolios in the country – over 50 suppliers strong, sourced from every corner of the globe. What sets Palm Bay apart isn’t just the portfolio; it’s the network. Decades-long partnerships with the leading wholesale companies in all 50 states, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America let Palm Bay show up everywhere the industry does: independent restaurants, retail, chains, supermarkets, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, duty-free, and U.S. military bases. That reach is why Palm Bay is considered a major force in fine wine and spirits – and why the people who represent it in the field matter so much.

WHO THRIVES HERE

The right person for this role isn’t hard to picture. You may recognize yourself below.

• Tenacious by nature. You set a goal and you find a way – the account that passed once isn’t off the list, it’s next.
• Competitive and charismatic. You want to win, and people want to be around you while you do it.
• A relationship builder first. With buyers, sommeliers, GMs, and the distributor sales team – you know the name behind every account and they know your name.
• A natural educator. You know your wine and spirits cold, and you’d rather teach a distributor rep than just tell them what to sell.
• Comfortable in front of a room. A GSM, a supplier dinner, a tasting for fifty people – you don’t just present, you land it.
• Organized under pressure. Multiple accounts, multiple deadlines, multiple priorities – you keep it all moving without dropping the ball.
• Self-driven. This is a home-based role. You run your own week, and you don’t wait to be told what’s next.

HOW THIS ROLE OPERATES

• Own relationships, influence & sell in the top 100 account universe.
• Distributor work-withs are weekly – you’re in the market, side by side with the distributor sales team, not just checking in from a distance.
• Distributor education runs on a cadence – team meetings, GSMs, and special events keep the sales team sharp and selling. Enabling and teaching the teams selling benefits of our portfolio is a key to success.
• Weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews keep the whole team aligned on portfolio development.
• Direct line to your Regional Manager – sales updates, market conditions, and issues get communicated as they happen, not after the fact.

HOW THE WEEK BREAKS DOWN

Time: roughly 75% customer-facing (on- and off-premise selling), 20% distributor-facing (work-withs, training, GSMs), 5% administrative and reporting.

Geography: primarily home market in California, with periodic travel for supplier events, company meetings, and training.

WHAT YOU OWN

ACCOUNTS & RELATIONSHIPS

• Build and manage the target account universe across on- and off-premise. Sell directly to key accounts and grow Palm Bay’s footprint one relationship at a time.

DISTRIBUTOR PARTNERSHIP

• Develop and execute monthly plans and programs with distributor partners. Train their sales team, work the market alongside them, and turn every rep into a Palm Bay advocate through consistent education and communication.

EVENTS & ACTIVATION

• Plan and run supplier market visits, wine dinners, and consumer tastings that create real, visible demand for a 50+ supplier portfolio.

SALES GOALS & KPIS

• Own the annual sales plan for California defined territory. Track and deliver against KPIs across the 100 Top Accounts, on- and off-premise.

PLANNING & REPORTING

• Show up for weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews. Keep your Regional Manager current on sales updates, market conditions, and issues – the good weeks and the hard ones.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of distributor or supplier experience; wine and spirits sales experience preferred.
• A real foundation of wine and spirits knowledge, and the ability to teach it to others.
• A competitive, charismatic personality – and the comfort to present to large groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Superior organization and time management; able to juggle multiple priorities and hit deadlines.
• Self-driven, with the independence to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office.

THE FINE PRINT

• Home-based in California, with regular travel across the state to on- and off-premise accounts.
• Flexible schedule required, including evenings and weekends for tastings, dinners, and events.
• Reliable transportation and a safe driving record.
• Able to lift 35+ lbs.

Salary Range: $95,000 - $125,000

BENEFITS

HEALTH: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus life insurance.

YOURSELF: Paid vacation, personal time off, and 11 paid company holidays.

WEALTH: 401(k) program.

Palm Bay International is an equal opportunity employer.