Senior Manager, Sales - Specialty Retail

The Coca-Cola Company; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The Coca-Cola Company is seeking a Senior Manager, Sales - Specialty Retail to lead growth across the Southeast Region, including Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, and Maryland. You will drive strategic business planning, customer relationships, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver sustainable beverage growth in specialty retail and on-site channels.

You’ll forecast sales and manage partnerships with executives, bottlers, and distributors, while translating insights

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of sales or account management experience in CPG, foodservice, or retail.
• Proven ability to develop and manage customer relationships delivering long‑term results.
• Experience negotiating and executing sales programs across multiple purchasing tiers.
• Analytical strength with data‑driven business cases and actionable growth insights.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and detail.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship‑building skills.
• Comfort in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments with collaboration.
• Understanding of retail and foodservice distribution channels preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership and drive for operational excellence in sales.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual and multi-year collaborative business planning with customers and internal teams.
• Forecast annual sales volume, revenue, and expenses aligned with goals.
• Negotiate and influence decisions through data and business cases.
• Conduct regular business reviews with specialty retail partners.
• Monitor performance against plans and adjust products/programs as needed.
• Build and maintain relationships with customer executives and distributors.
• Partner with supply chain and distributors to design direct supply strategies.
• Analyze market trends and share competitive intelligence.
• Collaborate across finance, marketing, and operations to leverage Coca‑Cola resources.
• Lead strategic discussions on innovation and new commercial opportunities.
• Use data and traffic insights to tailor business solutions.
• Serve as go-to CRM resource for Southeast Region; ensure service and engagement.
• Foster collaboration among bottling and distributor contacts.

Skills

Sales leadership

Account management

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Data-driven decision making

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Relationship building

Problem solving

Education

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

Job description

At The Coca‑Cola Company, our vision is to create loved brands, done sustainably, for a better shared future. We combine innovation, design, and marketing excellence to help retailers deliver experiences that delight consumers and strengthen our shared business. The Senior Manager, Sales - Specialty Retail plays a key role in advancing this vision within the Southeast Region—including Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, and Maryland—by driving growth across specialty retail and on‑site channels.

This role leads strategic business planning, customer relationship management, and cross‑functional collaboration to deliver sustainable growth. The ideal candidate is a passionate, results‑oriented sales leader who thrives on building partnerships, translating insights into initiatives, and executing with discipline. By blending commercial strategy, operational leadership, and a deep understanding of customer dynamics, this leader will accelerate Coca‑Cola’s beverage performance and ensure our brands continue to inspire consumers across diverse retail experiences.

What You’ll Do for Us

• Lead annual and multi-year collaborative business planning processes with customers and internal teams, developing clear growth objectives, category programs, and partnership initiatives.
• Accurately forecast annual sales volume, revenue, and expenses while aligning with strategic goals and account priorities.
• Guide complex negotiations and influence decision‑making through fact‑based selling, data insights, and business case development that creates mutual value.
• Conduct regular business reviews with specialty retail partners to assess needs, resolve challenges, and uncover opportunities for continued growth.
• Monitor performance against business plans, track progress toward goals, and recommend new product or program adjustments based on insights and results.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with customer executives, outlet managers, distributors, bottling partners, and internal stakeholders to ensure alignment across all levels of the organization.
• Partner with supply chain, product supply, and foodservice distributor teams to design direct supply strategies that enhance operational efficiency and product availability.
• Analyze market trends and communicate competitive intelligence across assigned territories to inform planning and strengthen commercial response.
• Collaborate across cross‑functional teams—including finance, marketing, revenue growth management, and operations—to leverage Coca‑Cola resources and deliver impactful results.
• Lead strategic discussions around innovation, sharing insights that anticipate consumer and customer needs while helping brands activate new commercial opportunities.
• Use data analytics and customer‑specific information such as sales patterns, store layouts, and traffic insights to recommend tailored business solutions and enhance performance.
• Serve as the go‑to resource for customer relationship management expertise within the Southeast Region, ensuring consistent service, operational excellence, and partnership engagement.
• Foster collaboration and accountability among bottling and distributor contacts to steward execution and promote shared success.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field required.
• Minimum of 3 years of successful sales or account management experience within consumer packaged goods, foodservice, or retail environments.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage customer relationships that deliver long‑term business results.
• Proven experience negotiating and executing sales programs across multiple purchasing tiers and retail models.
• Analytical strength in building data‑driven business cases, interpreting customer feedback, and developing insights into actionable growth strategies.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong attention to accuracy and detail.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship‑building skills across internal and external stakeholders.
• Comfort in fast‑paced, entrepreneurial environments with a collaborative and solution‑oriented approach.
• Understanding of retail and foodservice distribution channels strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities and a commitment to driving operational excellence across all aspects of sales engagement.

What We’ll Do for You

• Provide an opportunity to represent Coca‑Cola’s iconic and innovative brand portfolio—including Coca‑Cola, Simply, fairlife, and Topo Chico—across diverse specialty retail locations.
• Equip you with tools, data insights, and collaborative networks to deliver strategic customer engagement and measurable business growth.
• Enable opportunities to work with expansive customer segments spanning retail, entertainment, restaurant, and emerging on‑site environments.
• Foster development through exposure to sustainable business leadership practices, innovation projects, and ongoing professional growth opportunities.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.