Field Marketing Specialist - TX

Suntory Global Spirits; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Suntory Global Spirits seeks a Field Marketing Specialist to own local activation programs in Houston and surrounding markets. You will coordinate events, sampling, and brand experiences, ensuring quality execution and alignment with national priorities.

You’ll manage budgets, timelines, and vendor relationships while building marketplace partnerships and delivering actionable learnings to improve future campaigns.

Qualifications

• Experience in event and on-site activation is required.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of local spirits market and regulations helpful.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate local events, sampling programs, and brand activations.
• Support budget tracking, timelines, and vendor management.
• Develop recaps, learnings, and KPI insights for leadership.
• Collaborate with agencies, distributors, and accounts to drive growth.

Skills

Event planning

Budget management

Project management

Stakeholder communication

Multicultural marketing

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, communications, business

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Word

Outlook

Budget trackers

Job description

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At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day.

The Field Marketing Specialist owns day-to-day coordination and execution of assigned local activation, sampling, experiential, and brand-building programs. In a transformation environment, this role requires strong independence, prioritization, and judgment to deliver high-quality execution with disciplined use of available resources. The Specialist applies knowledge of the spirits category, local market dynamics, on- and off-premise programming, and consumer engagement to strengthen brand presence, build marketplace relationships, and support business growth. This role is accountable for managing details across multiple programs, identifying execution risks early, escalating tradeoffs when needed, and translating program activity into clear, actionable recaps and learnings.

Role Responsibilities

• Support and consult on national experiential platforms, including local market input, feasibility considerations, executional readiness, and agency/vendor coordination as needed
• Own local implementation of local events, sampling programs, and assigned market-level brand activations
• Prioritize activity based on business impact, brand priorities, budget, timing, and available resources; proactively escalate risks, tradeoffs, and support needs
• Coordinate and activate brand-building programs across on-premise, off-premise, and event environments
• Own day-to-day budget tracking for assigned programs, including planned versus actual spend, committed costs, estimates, invoices, and remaining budget visibility
• Track and manage programming spend, timelines, and project details specific to experiential and local activation; identify budget variances early and escalate risks or recommended adjustments
• Support budget forecasting, accrual inputs, invoice reconciliation, and spend documentation to ensure accurate financial tracking and disciplined use of funds
• Develop leadership-ready program recaps, timelines, market overview reports, PowerPoint updates, budget trackers, and project status materials
• Submit timely, accurate recaps that capture execution quality, consumer and trade learnings, budget performance, and recommendations for future improvement
• Develop and facilitate product training initiatives on core brands for customers, consumers, distributor partners, and trade audiences
• Brief, coordinate, and hold agency and vendor partners accountable to activation standards, staffing expectations, timelines, budgets, and recap requirements
• Manage on-site vendors including catering, mixologists, agency staff, trade staff, and other contractors
• Build and leverage positive relationships with distributors, trade partners, influencers, and accounts to strengthen brand engagement, achieve growth, and perform against KPIs
• Actively seek out and recommend new potential opportunities for assigned brands, target accounts, and priority consumer occasions
• Manage, coach, and develop agency and trade staff by providing clear expectations, goals, feedback, and standards related to activations and brand execution
• Implement and analyze reporting, program metrics, and KPIs to assess execution quality, adoption, effectiveness, and opportunities for improvement
• Support successful execution of local marketing and sales initiatives while balancing national priorities with local market realities
• Partner with field marketing teams to strengthen current marketplace relationships and improve consistency of execution
• Manage utilization, readiness, and storage of assets to support efficient activation planning
• Create agency and program recaps that synthesize results, learnings, issues, budget implications, and recommended changes

Qualifications

• Must be 21 years of age
• Minimum 2 years proven experience in spirits industry, on premise preferred
• Previous experience in event and on-site activation required
• Experience in Multi-Cultural Marketing or Sales
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills with ability to independently manage multiple priorities, timelines, budgets, and deadlines
• Strong skillset with Microsoft Office, with emphasis on PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, budget trackers, and web-based reporting tools
• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in advertising, marketing, communications, business, or related field
• Extensive knowledge of local spirits market, including local and state laws, preferred
• In-depth understanding of the three-tier system preferred
• Comfort operating in a changing environment with limited day-to-day direction and evolving support structures
• Strong judgment, prioritization, and escalation skills; able to identify risks, make practical recommendations, and solve problems quickly
• Ability to create clear, concise written updates, recaps, and presentations for cross-functional and leadership audiences
• Own transportation, clean driving record, and proof of auto insurance
• Outgoing self-starter with excellent problem-solving abilities
• Previous experience in a Brand Ambassador, Portfolio Manager, or Field Activation Specialist role preferred
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Strong budget management, spend tracking, reconciliation, and financial documentation skills