Job Title: Sales Account Manager

Location: Northshore/Hammond/Mississippi and Remote 

Department: Sales

Reports To: Regional Sales Manager 

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

Market Development & Account Nurturing 

The Sales Account Manager is responsible for growing the business within a specified universe of key accounts in a market. The primary responsibilities are to develop the market and build a relationship with distributors. Sales Account Managers will have tailored objectives that must be accomplish in addition to the day to day responsibilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Distributor Management

• Serves as Abita Brewing Company’s contact person on a daily level for distributors in the assigned market.

• Builds true partnerships at all distributors by adding more value than competitors through the contributions of people, sales systems, brands, brand support tools, and a generally good-natured way of doing business that is uniquely Abita Brewing Company.

• Conducts monthly business review meetings with senior sales management at all distributors to review progress toward Annual Market Plan and general execution against ABC brand and quality standards. These meetings should include the General Sales Manager, Off-Premise Manager, On-Premise Manager and Draft Manager.

• Prepares and conducts sales presentations several times per year for entire distributor sales force(s) presenting new products, ABC programs, incentives, new sale tools, brand and quality standards, etc. 

• Works with key sales people and key distributor managers a minimum of once a week.

• Coordinates distributor beer and point of sale inventories, billing and credits, all ABC communication needs, and updates ABC distributor profiles.

• Manages distributors spending plans to ensure cost effective spending and that budget parameters are not exceeded.

Market Development & Account Nurturing

• Acts as the face of the brewery in the market charged with “spreading the ABC love” by sharing ABC’s story and business role model philosophy.

• Manages the growth and development of ABC brands in a defined geography or universe of key accounts while ensuring the brand integrity is never compromised.

• Builds strong partnerships with all top key accounts on and off-premise (aka “spreads the love” and establishes a win/win approach to growing the retailers business) and performs regular business reviews with the top accounts.

• Ensures that ABC is growing share over top craft competitors in top accounts by ensuring that ABC’s market brand standards are in place in at least 90% of those accounts. This means making ABC the #1 craft beer (at least during ABC focus periods) in terms of distribution, displays & features, and POS impact and amount of retail ad support.

• Responsible for operating within budget parameters.

• Works to identify and execute local sponsorships, promotions, events and donation opportunities.

• Responsible for Market Plan Tracker updates, distributor review meetings and follow up letters. 

• Know pricing, programming, and trends of ABC products plus general knowledge of what the top five craft and import beer competitors in market are doing.

• Enters accurate, relevant account data into KARMA.

• Average weeks should include account visits with distributor personnel in the on premise and off premise, national chain account visits or the local equivalent and ride with Distributor management personnel. Average account visits per week 45 (account visits are subject to change based on market needs).

Working Conditions

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations. 

• Hours may vary if emergencies arise (typical workweek = 45 hours).

• This role may include night and weekend work as required.

• Professional presence is required.

• Occasionally as a requirement of this position, the employee will be required to stand, balance, stoop, crouch, sit, and walk, including substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and legs; use hands, handle or feel, and reach, push, pull with hands and arms for extended periods of time. 

• This position frequently pushes/picks up/carries equipment.

Supervision of Others

This position is not responsible for supervising other personnel.

Education/Qualifications

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

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED). 

• Must be at least 21 years of age and eligible to work in the United States.

• Two or more years in beverage sales, preferably in the craft beer industry.

• Must have a solid background in selling skills and account management, beer and brewing knowledge, presentation skills and quality assurance.

• Must have a good working knowledge of distributor operations, how to work with distributors to get results, grassroots brand building and how to identify and analyze market trends.

• Knowledge of computers (Word, Excel, Outlook).

• Exceptional written and verbal communication and organizational skills.

• Must be eager to learn, grow and develop personal knowledge of the industry.

• Love, appreciation and knowledge of beer, including a familiarity with the craft brewing industry and with beer styles. 

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Abita Brewing Company reserves the right to revise and alter this job description as needed as duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.