Area Sales Manager, AZ

Summary-

This position is responsible for selling the full Riboli Family Wines & Spirits portfolio in the Phoenix, Arizona market, across all channels of trade. The Area Manager works independently in the market, managing their own accounts, appointments and follow-through to drive case sales, new placements, menu features and distribution gains, and builds the brands through wine dinners, tastings and events. The role partners with distributor sales teams in the field and in sales and planning meetings, reports back to Riboli management each week and is measured on sales results. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities- Current duties may be changed if job requires and/or additional duties may be assigned if necessary.

• Sell wine and spirits as the primary responsibility of the role, driving case sales, new placements, menu features and distribution gains across the assigned account base.
• Work independently in the market, owning account planning, appointment setting, sales calls, closing and follow-up.
• Partner with distributor sales teams at the field level through regular work-withs, and conduct distributor sales meetings, tastings and educational classes on the Riboli Family portfolio.
• Manage execution and compliance within the on and off premise channels of trade (chain & independents), with a primary focus on on-premise accounts and implementation of core SKUs/brands in the field.
• Assist the Senior District Sales Manager and Regional Vice President in presenting programming and planning to distributor management and salespeople.
• Participate in monthly, quarterly and annual business planning meetings with distributor management to track progress versus plan, identify problems and create solutions.
• Report back weekly to Riboli and distributor management on activities, results, and market conditions and trends.
• Conduct wine dinners for brand building, along with tastings and seminars, with the ability to speak to any wine or spirit in the Riboli Family portfolio and to wine in general.
• Consistently add value to the distributor by helping them meet their business needs, with the prime objective of becoming their preferred supplier.
• Able to work within key budget guidelines set forth by Riboli management.
• Must be able to conform to working conditions to meet the demands of the market. This may include working evenings and weekends.
• Job execution will break into following components:
  • 70% time in the field selling (independent account meetings, prospecting, distributor work-withs, staff trainings, tastings, wine dinners and events)
  • 20% time on Planning and Scheduling (appointment setting, account planning and distributor coordination)
  • 10% time on Reporting and Follow-up (KARMA entry, Monday reporting and recaps)

Arizona Market Execution Standards-

The Area Manager is expected to work independently in the market with a consistent, structured weekly rhythm. The activity standards below are the foundation for sales results.

Account Meetings & Prospecting

• Complete a minimum of twenty (20) scheduled account meetings per week with buyers or decision makers. Twenty is the minimum standard; weekly calls should exceed it except during weeks with larger events.
• Conduct a minimum of five (5) new account (prospecting) meetings per week, using distributor teams for contact information and introductions where possible.
• Each meeting should include a sales ask tied to an outcome such as new distribution by SKU, menu features, case orders, staff education that drives sell-through or promotional opportunities, with documented follow-up.

Weekly Schedule & Time Management

• Monday: half day office/admin and half day in the field, with Monday reporting completed by 10:00am.
• Tuesday through Thursday: administrative work from 8:00am to 9:00am, with the remaining business hours in the field.
• Friday: half day office/admin and half day in the field.
• Schedule at least 90% of weekly account meetings before the start of the work week, keeping an organized Outlook/KARMA calendar with account names and objectives for each meeting.
• Build efficient routes across the Phoenix metro and assigned Arizona territory, avoiding repeat visits to the same account in the same week unless there is a documented business reason.

KARMA Documentation

• Enter all account activity into KARMA immediately following each meeting, including the meeting objective, buyer/contact name, items sampled, detailed notes, a photo, follow-up actions and next steps with timelines.
• Document all samples pulled from distributor inventory and tie them to measurable sales activity and account development.
• KARMA serves as the official record of activity and performance.

Monday Reporting

• By 10:00am each Monday, send the Senior District Sales Manager and Regional Vice President the KARMA weekly activity report (with photos), an Excel sales and distribution report for the assigned account base, the upcoming weekly schedule and a weekly recap email.
• The weekly recap leads with results (cases sold, new placements, menu features and new accounts), followed by account updates, follow-up items, new opportunities, distributor support needs and priorities for the upcoming week.
• Send a recap covering the same points to distributor management Monday morning.

Distributor Partnership

• Complete a minimum of two (2) distributor work-withs per month, in addition to attending distributor sales and planning meetings.
• Clearly communicate account opportunities, follow up on execution and support distributor sales efforts with account strategy.
• Use distributor personnel for introductions, deliveries, order fulfillment and distribution follow-up. The Area Manager remains responsible for selling and closing business independently.

Measures of Success-

Success in this role is measured by sales results:

• Case sales growth for wine and spirits within the assigned account base
• New placements, menu features and distribution gains by SKU
• New account acquisition
• Account penetration across the assigned account base
• Activity standards are reviewed as the foundation for those results:
• Consistent, independent market activity against the weekly standards
• KARMA compliance and on-time Monday reporting
• Organization, follow-through and quality of account engagement

Qualifications-

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education, Experience, & Skills- 

• A four-year college degree and/or equivalent work experience enabling the incumbent to perform job responsibilities as required. (Equivalent work experience could include supplier, distributor sales, or wine industry management jobs)
• Minimum of 3+ years of wine industry experience
• Good written communication skills. Incumbent must possess the ability to develop and provide all necessary written reports, correspondence and presentations necessary to satisfy job requirements.
• Good oral communication and people skills. Incumbent must have the ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public. Incumbent must articulate in a professional and personable manner to be a strong leader and partner to Riboli Customers and Trade
• Ability to have fluent knowledge of PC, working within Microsoft Office – Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and any other company software is critical to the success of this position.
• Mathematical skills: must have the ability to calculate and interpret financial data that is used to manage everyday business.
• For certain markets multi-language skills are/may be required or would be a plus, i.e. Italian or Spanish (if required this will be identified during the recruitment process)
• Interpretive skills: must possess the ability to define problems, establish facts, and collect data to interpret issues, draw valid conclusions from the data and recommend solutions to the each business problem. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of statistical information.  

Physical Demands-

The physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, this role will regularly be required to use their hands and eyes for PC use; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear.   This role is required to stand; sit; stoop, kneel, crouch; see, taste and smell wine products in particular.  The incumbent must be aware that the job involves distribution of alcohol beverages and recognizes that the company in no way encourages excessive or unnecessary drinking of alcoholic beverages while exercising the duties of this job.  This role will occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds at a time, the approximate weight of a case of wine. 

Additional Requirements- 

• Current valid driver’s license
• Overnight travel may be required and must be able to meet minimum travel schedule for the assigned Arizona territory.
• Prepare and present training meetings with distributors and retailers.
• Good time management skills
• No DWI offenses
• No illegal drug use
• Must reside in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area.
• Must use for business a clean, late model, presentable and fully operational 4 door vehicle that reflects professionalism (company auto allowance provided).
• Employee must comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations which govern the alcoholic beverage industry, including Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control requirements, and maintain at all times the highest ethical business standards and fiduciary duty on behalf of the company and its customers.

 

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