Area Manager, Retail - Houston

Johnson Brothers•Houston, TX

About The Position

Looking for a rewarding career? Johnson Brothers is a leading family-owned distributor of wine, spirits, and beer, delivering exceptional service since 1953. We proudly represent the world’s top beverage brands and are committed to excellence, innovation, and growth. Johnson Brothers offers exciting opportunities in a variety of areas. Join our passionate team and help shape the future of the liquor industry! We are searching for a high-energy and motivated Area Sales Manager to lead and develop a team of District Sales Managers (DM) and their Sales Consultants (SC). This role is responsible for managing, developing, and motivating DM teams; implementing sales plans; achieving company and supplier goals; monitoring, developing, and maintaining key account relationships; and ensuring operational excellence across the designated region. Leadership, people development, business planning, and supplier management are key elements of this position.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Minimum 2+ years in a District Manager role, (or higher) required.
4+ years overall sales experience, preferred in the wine or spirits industry.
Proven leadership, coaching, and talent-development capabilities.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to influence across organizational levels.
Exceptional analytical, planning, and problem-solving skills with strong financial acumen.
Proficient in MS Office and familiar with PowerBI, Pocket Advantage, Workday, and JB pricing/profit tools a plus.
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. of product.
Valid driver’s license, satisfactory driving record, and reliable transportation.
Must pass criminal background check and MVR.

Nice To Haves

4+ years overall sales experience, preferred in the wine or spirits industry.
Proficient in MS Office and familiar with PowerBI, Pocket Advantage, Workday, and JB pricing/profit tools a plus.

Responsibilities

Create and communicate a clear, compelling vision for the area that aligns teams to company priorities and performance goals.
Lead change initiatives across the area, fostering innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Make sound strategic judgments by recognizing patterns, risks, and opportunities across multiple districts and market segments.
Inspire commitment and collaboration across districts to achieve results.
Manage, coach, and develop DMs to ensure strong leadership of their teams and effective execution in all accounts.
Provide direction, supervision, training, evaluation, and development to support each DM team’s success.
Reinforce consistent work-with schedules; conduct coaching days in the field with DMs and Sales Consultants.
Collaborate with DMs on personnel matters and territory alignment; maintain overall responsibility for area personnel issues and team structure.
Establish area-wide accountability standards, conduct performance evaluations for DMs with clear development plans and measurable goals.
Lead talent planning, recruiting, onboarding, and succession planning for leadership roles across the area.
Cultivate an inclusive, high‑achievement culture and address escalations professionally and promptly.
Assist the Division leader in developing and executing a successful business plan for the area.
Manage portfolio profitability to meet plan goals; ensure pricing discipline and guardrails are followed.
Maintain accurate inventory levels and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to balance supply, demand, and execution.
Monitor KPIs (distribution, depletions, revenue/margin, display/feature compliance, new item speed‑to‑shelf) to keep the area on plan; analyze results and course‑correct as needed.
Ensure routing, workload balance, and operational efficiency across districts.
Assist in developing sales plans, quotas, and supplier objectives, including the methods to achieve those goals.
Set sales goals at the area and district level; guide DMs in building actionable plans to achieve them.
Review and communicate sales vs. goal progress regularly.
Ensure execution on new item launches, priority brand programming, retail placements, and sell‑through.
Educate and develop staff to improve product knowledge and execution excellence.
Present in the market with DMs and their teams to evaluate execution, coach in real time, and strengthen retailer and supplier relationships.
Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers; represent the area in business reviews, planning meetings, and market visits.
Work closely with supplier partners to create a positive, solutions‑oriented environment and achieve mutually established goals.
Align supplier goals with area and district plans; manage portfolio priorities to ensure proper exposure and focus for critical brands.
Partner with suppliers, Sales Directors, and internal teams to create area‑wide synergy and a unified go‑to‑market strategy.