District Manager, Southern California, SD/Desert

Palm Bay International•San Diego, CA

3d•$95,000 - $125,000•Remote

About The Position

Palm Bay International, a dynamic, family-owned importer with a comprehensive fine wine and spirits portfolio, is seeking a District Manager for Southern California, specifically the San Diego/Desert region. This role is responsible for owning relationships, influencing sales, and working directly with the top 100 accounts in the territory. The position involves regular "work-withs" alongside the distributor sales team, conducting distributor education sessions, and participating in business reviews. The District Manager will also plan and execute supplier events, tastings, and manage the annual sales plan for their defined territory, tracking key performance indicators. This is a home-based role requiring significant customer and distributor-facing time, with periodic travel for events and meetings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
5+ years of distributor or supplier experience; wine and spirits sales experience preferred.
A real foundation of wine and spirits knowledge, and the ability to teach it to others.
A competitive, charismatic personality – and the comfort to present to large groups.
Strong written and verbal communication.
Superior organization and time management; able to juggle multiple priorities and hit deadlines.
Self-driven, with the independence to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
High proficiency with Microsoft Office.
Home-based in California, with regular travel across the state to on- and off-premise accounts.
Flexible schedule required, including evenings and weekends for tastings, dinners, and events.
Reliable transportation and a safe driving record.
Able to lift 35+ lbs.

Nice To Haves

Tenacious by nature.
Competitive and charismatic.
A relationship builder first.
A natural educator.
Comfortable in front of a room.
Organized under pressure.
Self-driven.

Responsibilities

Own relationships, influence & sell in the top 100 account universe.
Conduct weekly distributor work-withs, being in the market side by side with the distributor sales team.
Conduct regular distributor education sessions, including team meetings, GSMs, and special events.
Participate in weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews to ensure team alignment on portfolio development.
Communicate sales updates, market conditions, and issues directly to the Regional Manager.
Build and manage the target account universe across on- and off-premise.
Sell directly to key accounts and grow Palm Bay’s footprint.
Develop and execute monthly plans and programs with distributor partners.
Train the distributor sales team and work the market alongside them.
Plan and run supplier market visits, wine dinners, and consumer tastings.
Own the annual sales plan for the defined territory.
Track and deliver against KPIs across the 100 Top Accounts, on- and off-premise.
Keep the Regional Manager current on sales updates, market conditions, and issues.