Region Manager - Emerging Brands West

Brown‑Forman Corporation • Irvine, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

From day one, play a critical role in shaping the commercial success of Brown‑Forman’s Emerging Brands portfolio across the West Region. Work in close partnership with regional leadership, USA&C Emerging Brands Marketing, Regional Commercial Finance, Integrated Business Planning, Cluster and State Commercial teams, and Brand Advocacy to drive performance, alignment, and execution. This role involves significant commercial leadership, including P&L responsibility and delivering regional performance for a portfolio of emerging brands such as Old Forester, Diplomatico Rums, Gin Mare, Fords Gin, King of Kentucky, Slane, BenRiach, Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, and Chambord. It also encompasses team leadership and development, focusing on setting goals, training, and managing a team of Market Managers. Additionally, the position requires marketing leadership, partnering with the Emerging Brands Marketing team to support program creation and execution, and collaborating with the Trade Advocacy Team and Experiential Manager.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 7–9 years of sales experience in the beverage alcohol or related CPG industry, or a minimum of 10 years of relevant sales experience in the beverage alcohol or related CPG industry.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing geographic or brand P&Ls.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with distributors, accounts, and internal stakeholders.
• Proven people‑leadership experience.
• Team‑oriented mindset: able to prioritize the needs of the broader Brown‑Forman business over individual territory needs, collaborate with leaders across channels and territories, and keep relevant parties informed while encouraging the same from the area team.
• Proficient in Google Suite, including Google Slides, Sheets, and Docs.
• Ability and willingness to travel 40% of the time.
• Must have a valid state driver’s license.
• Physical ability to lift 60 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with scotch or a super-premium portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Owns P&L responsibility as the regional leader, partnering with regional and cluster leadership to deliver the fiscal plan for the Emerging Brand Portfolio.
• Accountable for delivering regional performance across the Emerging Brands portfolio, including Old Forester, Diplomatico Rums, Gin Mare, Fords Gin, King of Kentucky, Slane, BenRiach, Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, and Chambord.
• Conducts Monthly Business Reviews (MBRs) with the USA&C Emerging Brands Leadership Team, providing insights, identifying opportunities, and sharing mitigation plans with regional leadership to support fiscal plan delivery.
• Collaborates with regional teams to create and execute programs that drive superior distributor execution of brand initiatives.
• Partners with National Accounts to develop and execute national and regional Emerging Brands programs across on- and off-premise channels.
• Works with Emerging Brands Market Managers to establish account universe and market plans, including KPIs, distributor pricing, incentives, programming, and brand development plans (e.g., PR).
• Develops remedial plans with Market Managers, Brown‑Forman State/General Managers, and distributor sales leadership when needed.
• Participates in ongoing planning meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• Actively contributes to assigned regional leadership team meetings.
• Partners with Finance and State leadership on resource allocation and the budget process for Emerging Brands.
• Participates in and assists with preparation for QBR meetings in key markets for assigned brands.
• Leads team with the collaboration of the matrix manager to set goals and hold team members accountable.
• Conducts regular alignment meetings with State and General Managers to ensure expectations for direct reports are clear and agreed upon.
• Partners with local state managers to hire, train, and develop a team of Brown‑Forman Emerging Brands Market Managers to deliver the plan within the target account universe.
• Establishes ongoing training plans for distributor/agency personnel representing Brown‑Forman Emerging Brands in assigned metro markets.
• Conducts market visits with clear objectives set in advance, provides thorough recaps and follow‑up post‑visit, and ensures information is shared appropriately with key stakeholders.
• Serves as the Brown‑Forman commercial team segment expert and coordinates training activities in assigned regions upon request.
• Serves as a key partner to Emerging Brands Marketing, supporting the creation and execution of key programs and trade/consumer initiatives throughout the region.
• Ensuring prioritization of key programs and initiatives for the region.
• Partners with the Trade Advocacy Team on the development and execution of KPIs within the Trade Advocacy universe, with a focus on supporting commercial KPIs for respective brands within the cluster.
• Provides partnership and leadership for agency resources in collaboration with cluster and state-level leadership teams.
• Partners with the Emerging Brands Experiential Manager to develop localized programs that can be shared nationally and leveraged across the USA & Canada division.

Benefits

• Equitable pay structures for individual and company performance.
• Premium employee experience.
• Range of premium benefits that reflect our company values and meet the needs of our diverse workforce.
• Opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
• Opportunity to solve problems, seize opportunities, and generate bold ideas.
• Belong to a place where teamwork matters.
• Encouraged to bring your best self to work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees