Business Development Manager

Zevia

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Development Manager (BDM) is responsible for identifying, developing, and converting white space sales opportunities across the U.S., with a primary focus on UNFI, KeHE, and new direct national and regional chain customers. The objective of this role is to deliver incremental volume growth across the U.S. business. To support this, the BDM will develop annual business plans, drive key Zevia initiatives, track and manage KPIs, and deliver results against aligned forecasts through a defined group of distributor partners and key accounts. This role will lead new chain prospecting and onboarding, expand distribution in underpenetrated channels, and unlock incremental revenue opportunities with existing distributor partners. The position is highly externally facing and works cross-functionally with Sales, Category Development, Marketing, and Operations to secure new growth opportunities. The BDM will partner closely with UNFI and KeHE national and regional teams to expand reach. This role requires a driven, self-started, and results-oriented sales professional with a strong “hunter” mindset. The BDM is naturally curious, proactive, and motivated to uncover opportunities where others may not look, while maintaining a polished, thoughtful, and professional approach with customers and internal partners. Success in this role comes from personal accountability, ownership of outcomes, and a persistent selling style. Success in this role requires strong presentation skills and the ability to craft compelling selling stories that resonate with retailers and distributors.

Requirements

+5 years sales experience and track record in Consumer Goods industry (beverage preferred)
+3 years of experience leading, influencing, and driving results through distributor and customer partners
Strong strategic thinker with demonstrated ability to identify and convert white space opportunities
Hunter mentality with strong business development, prospecting, and closing skills
Excellent communicator, presenter, and storyteller with the ability to sell at the buyer level
Strong negotiator and influencer, comfortable navigating complex organizations
Highly numerate and analytical, with the ability to leverage data to inform decisions and selling strategies
Proven ability to develop and execute successful sales and trade marketing strategies
Ability to leverage data from SPINS, VIP, and standard BI reporting tools to gain insights
Self-directed, organized, and able to work independently with full ownership of outcomes
Experience with basic administrative programs, Windows, Word, PowerPoint, Excel
Must have the ability to: Travel via car with a valid driver’s license and untarnished driving record.
Travel outside of local territory occasionally, at least once per month
4-year college degree preferred, equivalent professional experience considered in lieu of

Responsibilities

Coordinates meetings with UNFI, KeHE, and national and regional chain customers to identify, present, and secure new growth opportunities aligned with Zevia’s strategic priorities
Develops clear communication processes to ensure alignment on growth objectives, selling priorities, and execution plans
Implement systems to track and benchmark progress against white space initiatives, pipeline development, and incremental volume targets
Leads new chain prospecting, onboarding, and expansion efforts across underpenetrated channels and customer segments
Develops customer-specific growth strategies focused on unlocking incremental distribution, velocity, and revenue
Manages the full sales cycle from opportunity identification through sell-in, authorization, and execution
Establish regular communication cadence with distributor and customer partners to advance new business initiatives
Develops and gains alignment with UNFI, KeHE, and key customers on annual and customer-specific business plans focused on incremental growth
Secures agreement on forecasts, growth targets, and KPIs
Consistently communicates with distributor leadership and internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and accountability
Effectively manages budgets and investments associated with new business development, distributor programs, and key account initiatives
Operates with full ownership of assigned growth objectives and outcomes, driving results through distributor and customer partnerships
Partners with Zevia HQ teams to support launches, programs, and customer-specific initiatives
Keeps distributors and customers informed of new items, programs, and timing to support successful execution
Proactively leverages insights from Category Development, Marketing, and internal reporting to identify and advance new business opportunities
Applies performance data, distribution analytics, and pipeline tracking to prioritize opportunities and address risks
Leverages distributor tools and data (e.g., VIP, shipment and depletion trends) to gain insights into distributor and customer performance
Provides ongoing feedback to internal teams on distributor, customer, and competitive dynamics impacting growth opportunities
Develops working knowledge of geographic, channel, and customer segments relevant to assigned business scope
Builds expertise in competitive landscape, category trends, and emerging opportunities across channels
Represents Zevia in the marketplace with passion, enthusiasm, a growth mindset, and a polished, professional demeanor.

Benefits

A collaborative environment, where everyone contributes and delivers
A place where you can grow, develop and learn
Competitive compensation that includes a base salary, discretionary bonus and stock options. See below for range.
A comprehensive benefits package which includes: An array of medical plans
Dental
Vision
Group Life Insurance
Short-term disability + Long-term disability
Flexible Spending Accounts: Medical, Dependent and Limited Use
Health Savings Account
Accident Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance
Hospital Indemnity Insurance
Legal Insurance
Travel Assistance
Employee Assistance Program
Pet Insurance
401k Plan (Traditional and Roth)
Vacation, Personal/Sick Days, and Holidays
Professional development contributions
And of course, all the Zevia you can drink!