Business Development Manager - NorCal

our company

10d

About The Position

The Business Development Manager is a newly created field‑focused sales role responsible for driving distribution, visibility, and velocity of IJW Spirits’ brands in On and Off‑Premise accounts. This role is accountable for direct selling to customers, executing against brand objectives and educating the trade and consumers on IJW brands. Success requires competitiveness, self–starting, discipline, urgency, and a relentless focus on winning in the market.

Requirements

3–5+ years of experience in spirits sales, brand development, or field marketing
Proven success selling directly to On and Off‑Premise accounts
Strong understanding of the three‑tier system
Demonstrated ability to execute brand standards consistently and without compromise
Experience working with distributor partners and leading from the field
Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, performance‑driven environment
Be able to motivate and inspire stakeholders (team members, distributors, customers, influencers, consumers)
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel extensively within assigned territory
Deep knowledge of the spirits category, competitive set, and on/off‑premise dynamics
Exceptional selling, negotiation, and relationship‑building skills
High level of industry curiosity, discipline, personal accountability, and attention to detail
Strong work ethic with a “do‑the‑work” mindset
Ability to “find a way”, prioritize, execute, and deliver results with limited supervision
Confident communicator with the presence to influence customers and distributor partners
Comfortable being measured by execution and results. Be competitive.
Be a good teammate!

Responsibilities

Sell IJW brands directly to On and Off‑Premise customers, recruit consumers through education and sampling, sell in distribution, secure menu placements, establish back‑bar placement, ensure shelves are set to standard and achieve targeted display execution.
Execute brand building in targeted accounts, educate staff and buyers, evaluate pricing strategies, brand positioning, visibility and brand promotional merchandising.
Develop strong relationships with bartenders, bar managers, waitstaff and owners to drive drink features, cocktail menu placements, staff advocacy and education and build sustained brand pull‑through.
Operate with urgency and discipline to out‑execute competition, identify performance gaps and ensure opportunities are maximized in assigned territory.
Work closely with distributor sales teams to prioritize activities, lead by example in the field and ensure consistent execution against agreed‑upon goals. Be present and visible in the market. Attend and motivate distributor personal at General Sales Meetings
Maintain a strong understanding of competitive pricing strategies and consumer dynamics to adjust to drive volume.
Plan and execute tastings, promotions, educations, events, ride‑withs, and market blitzes that generate results, earn distributor support and build long‑term brand momentum.
Utilize provided systems to track performance, distribution and executional wins, and provide clear market intel and insights to sales and marketing leadership.