Johnson Brothers

Area Manager, On-Premise Wine and Spirts

Johnson Brothers$70K — $95K *
Food & Beverages
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree preferred
  • 2+ years in a District Manager role required
  • 4+ years overall sales experience in wine or spirits preferred
  • Proven leadership and coaching skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Valid driver's license and satisfactory driving record

Responsibilities

  • Create and communicate a clear vision for team alignment
  • Lead change initiatives and foster continuous improvement
  • Make strategic judgments regarding market opportunities
  • Manage, coach, and develop District Managers
  • Provide training and supervision to support DM success
  • Monitor KPIs and analyze results for course correction
  • Build relationships with suppliers and align goals

Benefits

  • Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
  • Bi-weekly pay
  • Salary position with eligibility for incentives
  • Mileage reimbursement
  • 401(k) program
Full Job Description

Job Description:

We are searching for a high-energy and motivated Area Sales Manager to lead and develop a team of On-Premise District Sales Managers (DM) and their Sales Consultants (SC). This role is responsible for managing, developing, and motivating DM teams; implementing sales plans; achieving company and supplier goals; monitoring, developing, and maintaining key account relationships; and ensuring operational excellence across the designated region. Leadership, people development, business planning, and supplier management are key elements of this position.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership

  • Create and communicate a clear, compelling vision for the area that aligns teams to company priorities and performance goals.
  • Lead change initiatives across the area, fostering innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
  • Make sound strategic judgments by recognizing patterns, risks, and opportunities across multiple districts and market segments.
  • Inspire commitment and collaboration across districts to achieve results.

People Management & Development

  • Manage, coach, and develop DMs to ensure strong leadership of their teams and effective execution in all accounts.
  • Provide direction, supervision, training, evaluation, and development to support each DM team27s success.
  • Reinforce consistent work-with schedules; conduct coaching days in the field with DMs and Sales Consultants.
  • Collaborate with DMs on personnel matters and territory alignment; maintain overall responsibility for area personnel issues and team structure.
  • Establish area-wide accountability standards, conduct performance evaluations for DMs with clear development plans and measurable goals.
  • Lead talent planning, recruiting, onboarding, and succession planning for leadership roles across the area.
  • Cultivate an inclusive, high0achievement culture and address escalations professionally and promptly.

Business Planning & Monitoring

  • Assist Division Manager in developing and executing a successful business plan for the area.
  • Manage portfolio profitability to meet plan goals; ensure pricing discipline and guardrails are followed.
  • Maintain accurate inventory levels and collaborate with cross0functional teams to balance supply, demand, and execution.
  • Monitor KPIs (distribution, depletions, revenue/margin, display/feature compliance, new item speed0to0shelf) to keep the area on plan; analyze results and course0correct as needed.
  • Ensure routing, workload balance, and operational efficiency across districts.

Sales Planning, Execution & Monitoring

  • Assist in developing sales plans, quotas, and supplier objectives, including the methods to achieve those goals.
  • Set sales goals at the area and district level; guide DMs in building actionable plans to achieve them.
  • Review and communicate sales vs. goal progress regularly.
  • Ensure execution on new item launches, priority brand programming, retail placements, and sell0through.
  • Educate and develop staff to improve product knowledge and execution excellence.
  • Present in the market with DMs and their teams to evaluate execution, coach in real time, and strengthen retailer and supplier relationships.

Supplier Management

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers; represent the area in business reviews, planning meetings, and market visits.
  • Work closely with supplier partners to create a positive, solutions0oriented environment and achieve mutually established goals.
  • Align supplier goals with area and district plans; manage portfolio priorities to ensure proper exposure and focus for critical brands.
  • Partner with suppliers, Sales Directors, and internal teams to create area0wide synergy and a unified go0to0market strategy.

Job Requirements

  • Bachelor27s degree preferred.
  • Minimum 2+ years in a District Manager role, (or higher) required.
  • 4+ years overall sales experience, preferred in the wine or spirits industry.
  • Proven leadership, coaching, and talent-development capabilities.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to influence across organizational levels.
  • Exceptional analytical, planning, and problem-solving skills with strong financial acumen.
  • Proficient in MS Office and familiar with PowerBI, Pocket Advantage, Workday, and JB pricing/profit tools a plus.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. of product.
  • Valid driver27s license, satisfactory driving record, and reliable transportation.
  • Must pass criminal background check and MVR.

Benefits

  • Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
  • Bi-weekly pay
  • Salary position with eligibility for incentives
  • Mileage reimbursement
  • 401(k) program

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

About Johnson Brothers

Johnson Brothers is a family-owned wine, spirits, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages distributor with headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. The company was founded in 1953 by the Johnson family and has since grown to become one of the largest distributors in the United States. Johnson Brothers operates in 28 states and has a portfolio of over 6,000 products. The company is committed to providing exceptional customer service and has a team of over 1,500 employees.
Learn more about Johnson Brothers
Size
2,000 employees
Industry
Net Income
$50 million
5 Year Trend
+5%
Revenue
$1 billion

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