Business Development Manager

IJW Whiskey•New York, NY

14d

About The Position

IJW Whiskey Company, LLC is a spirits company founded in 2017, with a portfolio of bourbon, rye, tequila, and mezcal brands. The Business Development Manager is a newly created, field-focused sales role located in New York. The position drives distribution, visibility, and sales velocity for IJW Spirits brands in on- and off-premise accounts through direct customer selling, brand execution, and education of trade partners and consumers. Success calls for competitiveness, initiative, discipline, urgency, and a strong focus on market results.

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.
Ability to motivate and inspire stakeholders, including team members, distributors, customers, influencers, and consumers.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel extensively within the assigned territory.
Deep knowledge of the spirits category, competitive set, and on- and 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 and a “do-the-work” mindset.
Ability to prioritize, execute, and deliver results with limited supervision.
Confident communication skills and presence to influence customers and distributor partners.
Comfort with being measured by execution and results.

Responsibilities

Sell IJW brands directly to on- and off-premise customers, recruit consumers through education and sampling, sell in distribution, secure menu and back-bar placements, ensure shelves meet standards, and achieve targeted display execution.
Build off-premise velocity by executing brand-building activities in targeted accounts, educating staff and buyers, and evaluating pricing, positioning, visibility, and promotional merchandising.
Build on-premise velocity by developing relationships with bartenders, bar managers, waitstaff, and owners to drive drink features, cocktail menu placements, staff advocacy, education, and sustained brand pull-through.
Lead in the marketplace with urgency and discipline, outperform competitors, identify performance gaps, and maximize opportunities in the assigned territory.
Work with distributor sales teams to prioritize activities, lead by example in the field, and ensure execution of agreed-upon goals; maintain visibility in the market and attend and motivate distributor personnel at General Sales Meetings.
Monitor competitive pricing strategies and consumer dynamics to inform actions that drive volume.
Plan and execute tastings, promotions, educational activities, events, ride-withs, and market blitzes to generate results, earn distributor support, and build long-term brand momentum.
Use provided systems to track performance, distribution, and execution wins, and provide market intelligence and insights to sales and marketing leadership.