Malt RTD Commercial Sales Manager - MI

The Hive US; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hive US in Detroit is seeking a Malt RTD Commercial Sales Manager to lead Brown-Forman's Malt RTD business in Michigan. You will drive volume growth, maximize distribution, and manage inventory health through strong distributor and key account partnerships.

Responsibilities include developing market growth plans, executing pricing and promotional strategies, and delivering market insights to improve share and visibility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field preferred.
• 4-7 years of beverage alcohol, beer, RTD, consumer packaged goods, or related sales experience.
• Demonstrated experience working within the three-tier distribution system.
• Strong understanding of distributor management, account development, and commercial execution.
• Experience analyzing sales, depletion, and inventory data to drive business decisions.
• Excellent presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Valid driver's license and clean driving record.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute annual and quarterly market growth plans for Brown-Forman's Malt RTD portfolio.
• Drive depletion growth, distribution gains, and retail execution objectives across assigned territories.
• Identify opportunities to expand market share through new account acquisition, increased distribution, feature activity, and display execution.
• Monitor category trends, competitor activity, and consumer insights to identify growth opportunities and recommend commercial strategies.
• Partner with Brown-Forman Commercial teams to align local market initiatives with national business objectives.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for distributor leadership and sales teams regarding Malt RTD portfolio priorities.
• Conduct regular business reviews with distributor partners to evaluate performance against volume, distribution, and execution goals.
• Monitor distributor inventory levels and proactively address inventory risks, out-of-stocks, and forecasting challenges.
• Ensure distributor teams are educated on portfolio priorities, selling strategies, and market opportunities.
• Develop strong working relationships with distributor management, chain teams, and field sales personnel to drive execution excellence.
• Manage and develop relationships with key on-premise and off-premise accounts throughout the market.
• Increase product distribution, menu placements, shelf presence, cold box placements, and secondary displays.
• Execute pricing and promotional strategies in accordance with Brown-Forman commercial objectives.
• Secure incremental opportunities through retailer programs, local partnerships, and seasonal activation initiatives.
• Conduct account calls independently and jointly with distributor sales representatives.
• Ensure flawless execution of national and local commercial programs.
• Monitor retail conditions, merchandising standards, pricing compliance, and promotional effectiveness.
• Coordinate placement and deployment of POS materials and merchandising assets.
• Support strategic consumer-facing activations that drive trial, awareness, and purchase conversion.
• Conduct market visits to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

4-7 years sales

Three-tier distribution

Distributor management

Sales analytics

Negotiation

Relationship building

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field

Job description

Malt RTD Commercial Sales Manager - MI

Position Overview

The Malt RTD Commercial Sales Manager serves as the primary commercial lead for Brown-Forman's Malt Ready-to-Drink (RTD) portfolio within assigned markets. This role is responsible for driving volume growth, maximizing distribution, managing inventory health, and strengthening execution through distributor partners and key retail accounts.

Working closely with Brown-Forman Commercial Leadership, distributor teams, and key account stakeholders, the Commercial Sales Manager develops and executes market-specific strategies that accelerate depletion growth, improve retail visibility, optimize pricing and promotional activity, and increase market share across the Malt RTD category.

This role requires a highly analytical, relationship-driven sales professional who can effectively balance strategic planning with hands-on market execution.

Commercial Strategy & Business Development

• Develop and execute annual and quarterly market growth plans for Brown-Forman's Malt RTD portfolio.
• Drive depletion growth, distribution gains, and retail execution objectives across assigned territories.
• Identify opportunities to expand market share through new account acquisition, increased distribution, feature activity, and display execution.
• Monitor category trends, competitor activity, and consumer insights to identify growth opportunities and recommend commercial strategies.
• Partner with Brown-Forman Commercial teams to align local market initiatives with national business objectives.

Distributor Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for distributor leadership and sales teams regarding Malt RTD portfolio priorities.
• Conduct regular business reviews with distributor partners to evaluate performance against volume, distribution, and execution goals.
• Monitor distributor inventory levels and proactively address inventory risks, out-of-stocks, and forecasting challenges.
• Ensure distributor teams are educated on portfolio priorities, selling strategies, and market opportunities.
• Develop strong working relationships with distributor management, chain teams, and field sales personnel to drive execution excellence.

Sales & Account Management

• Manage and develop relationships with key on-premise and off-premise accounts throughout the market.
• Increase product distribution, menu placements, shelf presence, cold box placements, and secondary displays.
• Execute pricing and promotional strategies in accordance with Brown-Forman commercial objectives.
• Secure incremental opportunities through retailer programs, local partnerships, and seasonal activation initiatives.
• Conduct account calls independently and jointly with distributor sales representatives.

Market Execution

• Ensure flawless execution of national and local commercial programs.
• Monitor retail conditions, merchandising standards, pricing compliance, and promotional effectiveness.
• Coordinate placement and deployment of POS materials and merchandising assets.
• Support strategic consumer-facing activations that drive trial, awareness, and purchase conversion.
• Conduct market visits to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Analytics & Reporting

• Analyze depletion, shipment, distribution, and inventory data to identify performance opportunities.
• Track and communicate key business metrics to Brown-Forman and Hive leadership teams.
• Provide actionable market insights and recommendations based on sales performance and marketplace dynamics.
• Maintain accurate reporting on account activity, distributor engagement, and commercial execution.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Brown-Forman Sales, Marketing, Commercial Strategy, and Field teams to deliver market objectives.
• Partner with Hive leadership and marketing teams to align commercial priorities and activation support.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders regarding performance, opportunities, and market developments.

Financial Management

• Manage assigned budgets in accordance with approved spending guidelines.
• Monitor promotional investments to ensure effective return on investment and alignment with commercial objectives.
• Maintain accurate expense reporting and budget tracking.
• Oversee POS ordering, inventory, and allocation to maximize commercial impact.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field preferred.
• 4-7 years of beverage alcohol, beer, RTD, consumer packaged goods, or related sales experience.
• Demonstrated experience working within the three-tier distribution system.
• Strong understanding of distributor management, account development, and commercial execution.
• Experience analyzing sales, depletion, and inventory data to drive business decisions.
• Excellent presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Valid driver's license and clean driving record.

Preferred

• Experience with RTD, flavored malt beverage, beer, or spirits categories.
• Experience managing distributor relationships across multiple markets or states.
• Familiarity with syndicated data, distributor reporting tools, and commercial sales analytics.
• Experience working with national suppliers, large beverage organizations, or agency partners.

Key Competencies

• Commercial Acumen
• Distributor Management
• Strategic Planning
• Sales Leadership
• Business Analytics
• Account Development
• Negotiation & Influence
• Relationship Management
• Execution Excellence
• Communication & Presentation Skills
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Results Orientation

Travel Requirements

• Extensive travel throughout assigned markets is required. Territory includes all Michigan.
• Ability to work flexible schedules, including evenings and occasional weekends.
• Reliable transportation required.