Sales Director

JOB DESCRIPTION: Sales Manager or Director

Summary:

Our company is a Women Owned business in the Spirits industry, championing diversity and sustainability as a way for the industry to keep moving forward into a positive future. We pride ourselves on a clear vision of how we are going to grow this 5 year old business into a $100 million business in 10 years, and we are hiring for a critical sales role to make this happen. To date, we have already launched new offices in Mexico, Italy and India, achieved Inc. 5000 status, achieved Enterprising Women’s 2023 award, and more.

The Leadership Team will provide you with all the information you need on our vision, our values, what we believe in, what we are the best at, and why every Bourbon, Whiskey, Rum and Vodka (and more!) brand should want to work with our company. Your mission will be to find the right people to communicate that to, and the best way to get us opportunities to our company their packaging.

What we make is primary and secondary packaging. What we DO is our company’s way and it gets our clients the packaging items they need, faster and more sustainably than anyone else.

Here is how we think you are going to do it and some of the essential functions of this role:

1. Create sales strategy to appeal to each of our target markets and core values:
a. Meet them through Women of the Vine, WBENC, Diverse Powered Brands, etc. Use our credibility as a leading woman owned business, Inc 5000 company.
b. Networking though DISCUS and WSWA. All the big players are there. Figure out how to allocate more marketing dollars there. Create more meaningful relationships. Potentially identify other industry groups that can also showcase our company.
c. Register our company in supplier diversity portals to obtain new business. Keep all registrations up to date with annual certifications and expanded offerings, locations, technology, etc.,
d. Create value through sustainability efforts. Lean hard into sharing new materials and Pioneers who have documented and quantifiable sustainability offerings. Reach out to people through networking from sustainability events, press, etc.
e. Lean into LinkedIn. Connect with important folks in the industry. Talk about these important topics. Engage in other peoples posts to have meaningful conversations about the things that align with our company’s core values.
f. Global Sales strategy offering all the marketing materials and training to our offices in Mexico, Italy and India. Teach them how to present our company’s way while allowing them opportunities to customize in each of their countries. Regularly meet with them to troubleshoot and brainstorm new sales strategies in their countries.
g. When all of these activities are done – analyze the results – what’s working? Did we get good ROI? Should we do that thing again?

2. Create direct and specific sales strategy for potential customers. Our goals are:
a. As many of the big 20 as we can get (Campari, William Grant, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard, Brown Forman, Constellation, Campari, Moet Hennessey, Beam Suntory, etc.). Find out what “makes them tick” – how to win them, how to present to them, who needs to be convinced. Our goal is to have 5 of these – and we currently have one (Diageo).
b. Medium sized established brands.
c. Our core focus is NOT: Tiny distilleries, companies with only one brand, or startups.
d. Manage the standards of the our company Target List to make sure all clients we are prospecting are clients we want. Don’t swing at everything. Be strategic. Responsible for bringing in qualified leads that meet what our company wants.

3. Perform sales strategy as identified by the owners and offer additional ideas and suggestions. Some steps are:
a. R&D New Product offerings.
b. Draw on social media content.
c. Offering products to multiple customers that we are developing for one customer (for example our sustainable offering for paper 6 pack rings could be offered to all clients who have RTD’s; offering bags for Blanton’s because we do bags for Crown Royal).

4. Work together with R&D in a mutual feedback loop. Sales role to share with R&D what the industry trends are and what prospective clients are asking for, to create the priorities and pipeline for R&D. At the same time, R&D will be working independently on new product offerings for the sales role to share with potential customers.

5. At some point, you are going to talk to someone who is going to say they have a product they want us to work on. At that point, this needs to be communicated to the Dir of Operations to identify the right process for this new customer. It could be:
a. PD and design resource because this client wants us to design something from scratch.
b. PD resource because the product is already designed and the client only wants sourcing and manufacturing
c. The PD team will take over the project from there. Your role can stay in touch on a casual basis and include this customer on other future marketing and sales activities to interest them in other products and services offered by our company.

6. Work with CEO to create quarterly sales strategies for the US and global offices. Manage each team and achieve every goal every time!

7. Implement and manage companywide CRM. Populate with all potential customers and use CRM to conduct outbound prospecting activities.

8. Competitor research (Berlin Studio 111, Tricor Braun custom packaging, Pavisa/Saverglass, IPL, GPA, Hunter Luxury). Make sure we are leading them on diversity and sustainability in our messaging. Watch for industry news about the plays they are making in the industry. Report back to CEO and Leadership Team. Maintain list of competitors. Conduct ongoing analysis on large opportunities currently served by competition including estimated spend.

COMPETENCIES

1. Comfortable working in a fast-paced, highly dynamic work environment.
2. Ability to influence stakeholders in both large and small organizations across various countries.
3. Enthusiastic, pro-active and eager to learn.
4. Innovative and creative thinker who is also pragmatic (fresh, big-picture thinking)
5. Effective and proven problem-solving skills

QUALIFICATIONS

1. 10+ years of business development experience, preferably in packaging industry.
2. International business development experience
3. Business/thought leadership (leads through influence and knowledge)