Area Sales Manager - Southwest (SoCal, AZ, NV)

Vermont Cider Company is seeking an enthusiastic sales professional to form and maintain positive partnerships in our Southwest (SoCal, AZ, NV). Orange County, CA preferred home base.

The Area Sales Manager (ASM) drives Vermont Cider Company (VCC) performance and achieves plan objectives by providing oversight of distributor management, retail execution, brand performance and development in assigned geographic market. This position will serve as a direct point of contact for our distributor network, ensuring a focus on VCC volume and distribution goals, distributor and retail execution and leadership.

The ASM is responsible for achieving the company’s sales efforts in the market by:

Areas of Responsibility

• Providing the drive towards volume, distribution and visibility and ensuring a sustainable and profitable growth.
• Leading the distributor and retail management through:
  • Managing annual/quarterly/monthly business planning
  • Executing short and long-term goals
  • Managing inventory, retails sales, POS
  • Pricing management
  • Incentive programming
  • Providing distributor training and standards
  • Drive and manage distributor objectives
  • Ensure and execute retail and merchandising standards
  • Measure performance through training and development by coaching, “work-withs”, and recapping within 24 hours
• Holding meetings with each distributor to review performance against goals, discuss marketing programs and plans for ongoing execution.
  • “A” Distributors monthly, “B” Distributors quarterly, and “C” Distributors bi-annually
• Utilize data from in-house systems as well as employ marketing tools to influence distributor focus.
• Participate in necessary trade events (industry, retail and/or consumer) such as wholesaler conferences, trade shows, events, etc.
• Monitor assigned budgets to ensure that spending stays within budget and on strategy.

On and Off - Premise Sales and Program Execution:

• Develop and maintain strong customer relationships at all levels to maximize VCC opportunities for expanded sales execution
• Drive merchandising and POS execution
• Manage pricing at agreed upon standards
• Drive activity and volume output via price special and features negotiation
• Lead National and Local Program Implementation
• Lead meaningful and impactful consumer interaction that drives local market buzz
• Collaborate with the Marketing Team on local sponsorship and special event execution
• Leads National and Local Program Implementation across Top 100 Accounts
• Drives consumer sampling activities within Key 100 accounts across PBC portfolio as relevant to the Market (on & off-premise)
• Leads meaningful and impactful consumer interaction that drives local market buzz

Administrative and Recapping Support:

• Accountable for Monthly Recap
• Follow up letters to wholesalers recapping opportunities and results (SWOT)
• Budget management for individual T&E and sales spend in your area
• Time management against wholesalers based on volume and opportunity

Complying with all VCC policies and procedures, ensuring that all activities are conducted within local, state and federal laws.

• Must have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the beverage industry with DSD and 3 tier understanding
• Possess the ability to work alone and make sound business decisions
• A minimum of 5 years of sales experience required
• Bachelor’s degree required or work experience equivalent
• Demonstrated ability to coach, train, and motivate others
• 1-2 years of experience working with P&L and at least 3 years of experience managing budgets is required
• Driven for results and able to handle complexity and change
• Propensity to learn
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required to ensure clear and concise communication with management, co-workers and vendors/distributors
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and Power Point)
• Ability to travel as required (average 25-30%).

Vermont Cider Company is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, group life & accidental and disability insurances, 401k with employer match, paid time off, paid parental leave, annual bonus plan and more!

About Vermont Cider Company
We reinvigorated American hard cider in 1991 and continue to lead the category through our commitment to crafting innovative and refreshing hard ciders. Vermont Cider Co. crafts a variety of ciders for a variety of consumers. Our portfolio is as diverse as our fans. There’s iconic Woodchuck, fruit-forward Wyder’s as well as the classic Magners, rounding out our import offerings. Most recently, in Summer 2021, Vermont Cider Co. introduced Day Chaser, a vodka based RTD canned cocktail. www.vtciderco.com.