Senior Director California Chains

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Director of California Chains to spearhead our sales efforts within the dynamic alcohol beverage sector. This pivotal role demands a seasoned professional with a robust background in retail chain account management with a comprehensive understanding of the wholesale distribution network, particularly in the California market.

Role & Responsibilities

• Responsible for division Annual, Quarterly, Monthly AOP NSV & Depletion management. Actively forecasting, goal setting, planning and mitigation when necessary
• Responsible for division P&L and A&P spends with team and wholesaler.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence colleagues and distributor partners to achieve customer specific goals in line with Proximo’s overall strategic objectives
• Responsible for developing and managing execution through distribution network against long and short-term retail customer sales and planning (retail strategy, promotional, & KPIs)
• Work closely with Division Finance Manager to ensure suggested retail pricing activation levers are planned to meet long lead time retail customer’s required timelines.
• Collaborate with marketing to provide in-depth analysis and understanding of all Chain sub channels on distribution within the California retail chain
• Effectively lead and set the strategic direction for Proximo Spirits by establishing retail guardrails, promotional guidelines and stretching objectives by customer
• Ultimate owner over annual promotion budgets
• Educate our distributor partners and key customers on Proximo Spirits through Trimester sales planning summits, monthly business reviews, new product develop launches, new item presentations, and ongoing communication with distributors and retail chain team.
• Work closely with the Proximo Spirits network to assist, communicate, and execute awarded programs to achieve volume, distribution, and execution goals across the chains.
• Formulate and implement innovative sales strategies specifically designed for engaging with wholesaler and account-level clientele.
• Establish and nurture strong, enduring relationships with key accounts and wholesalers to enhance brand recognition and expand market presence.
• Conduct thorough analyses of market trends and customer preferences to pinpoint emerging growth opportunities and refine sales tactics.
• Collaborate closely with marketing and product development teams to ensure that promotional initiatives and product lines align seamlessly with customer expectations and market demands.
• Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing sales team, instilling a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Regularly monitor and evaluate sales performance metrics, making informed adjustments to strategies to consistently meet or exceed established targets. IE: Planners, Ads, Pricing versus SRP’s, Nielsen, Numerator and Display Share.

Key Competencies

• Business Acumen--Understands business implications of decisions; Knows levers impacting to profitability; Demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; Aligns work with strategic goals.
• Analytical--Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures.
• Strategic Thinking--Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; Understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; Analyzes market and competition; Identifies external threats and opportunities; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Innovation--Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.
• Initiative--Volunteers readily; Undertakes self-development activities; Seeks increased responsibilities; Takes independent actions and calculated risks; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; Asks for and offers help when needed.
• Communication--Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
• Problem Solving--Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skilfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; including with the Signature Marketing team.
• Managing People—Includes Proximo Spirits and wholesaler team in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; Takes responsibility for execution against programming secured working through Proximo Spirits and wholesaler teams; Makes self-available to internal Proximo Spirits & wholesaler team; Provides regular performance feedback; Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); Fosters quality focus and collaboration in others; Improves processes, products and services; Continually works to improve supervisory skills.
• Leadership--Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others

Key Relationships:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Production
• Wholesalers
• Retail Partners

Knowledge and Experience

• 10+ years’ relevant experience in the consumer goods industry, spirits experience and/or 3 -tier distribution experience preferred. National Account call responsibility experience preferred
• Demonstrated sales management abilities with proven success in delivering sales goals and objectives
• Ability to build and maintain strategic working relationships with distributors and accounts
• Knowledge of industry regulations, market trends and competition
• Proven team leadership and people development skills
• Strong interpersonal, influencing, negotiation, time management and presentation skills required
• Strong working knowledge of VIP, MicroStrategy, Excel, Power Pont, Microsoft Office, Neilsen, Numerator and Go Spot Check
• Must have a valid state driver’s license

The salary range for this role is a base salary of $170,000 to $210,000, along with an annual bonus, 401K match, and medical and wellness benefits. The range will vary if outside of this location. Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a candidate’s experience and skill set against internal peers and against the scope and responsibilities of the position.

Proximo is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against employees or applicants for employment based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, genetic information, physical or mental disability of an otherwise qualified individual, membership or application for membership in a uniformed service, engaging in legally protected activity, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.