District Manager, Southern California - San Diego/Desert

District Manager, Southern California, SD/Desert

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Palm Bay International is a dynamic, family-owned importer with one of the most comprehensive fine wine and spirits portfolios in the country – over 50 suppliers strong, sourced from every corner of the globe. What sets Palm Bay apart isn’t just the portfolio; it’s the network. Decades-long partnerships with the leading wholesale companies in all 50 states, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America let Palm Bay show up everywhere the industry does: independent restaurants, retail, chains, supermarkets, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, duty-free, and U.S. military bases. That reach is why Palm Bay is considered a major force in fine wine and spirits – and why the people who represent it in the field matter so much.

The right person for this role isn’t hard to picture. You may recognize yourself below.

• Tenacious by nature. You set a goal and you find a way – the account that passed once isn’t off the list, it’s next.


• Competitive and charismatic. You want to win, and people want to be around you while you do it.


• A relationship builder first. With buyers, sommeliers, GMs, and the distributor sales team – you know the name behind every account and they know your name.


• A natural educator. You know your wine and spirits cold, and you’d rather teach a distributor rep than just tell them what to sell.


• Comfortable in front of a room. A GSM, a supplier dinner, a tasting for fifty people – you don’t just present, you land it.


• Organized under pressure. Multiple accounts, multiple deadlines, multiple priorities – you keep it all moving without dropping the ball.


• Self-driven. This is a home-based role. You run your own week, and you don’t wait to be told what’s next.

HOW THIS ROLE OPERATES

• Own relationships, influence & sell in the top 100 account universe.


• Distributor work-withs are weekly – you’re in the market, side by side with the distributor sales team, not just checking in from a distance.


• Distributor education runs on a cadence – team meetings, GSMs, and special events keep the sales team sharp and selling. Enabling and teaching the teams selling benefits of our portfolio is a key to success.


• Weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews keep the whole team aligned on portfolio development.


• Direct line to your Regional Manager – sales updates, market conditions, and issues get communicated as they happen, not after the fact.

HOW THE WEEK BREAKS DOWN

Time: roughly 75% customer-facing (on- and off-premise selling), 20% distributor-facing (work-withs, training, GSMs), 5% administrative and reporting.

Geography: primarily home market in California, with periodic travel for supplier events, company meetings, and training.

ACCOUNTS & RELATIONSHIPS

• Build and manage the target account universe across on- and off-premise. Sell directly to key accounts and grow Palm Bay’s footprint one relationship at a time.

DISTRIBUTOR PARTNERSHIP

• Develop and execute monthly plans and programs with distributor partners. Train their sales team, work the market alongside them, and turn every rep into a Palm Bay advocate through consistent education and communication.

EVENTS & ACTIVATION

• Plan and run supplier market visits, wine dinners, and consumer tastings that create real, visible demand for a 50+ supplier portfolio.

SALES GOALS & KPIS

• Own the annual sales plan for California defined territory. Track and deliver against KPIs across the 100 Top Accounts, on- and off-premise.

PLANNING & REPORTING

• Show up for weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews. Keep your Regional Manager current on sales updates, market conditions, and issues – the good weeks and the hard ones.

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.


• 5+ years of distributor or supplier experience; wine and spirits sales experience preferred.


• A real foundation of wine and spirits knowledge, and the ability to teach it to others.


• A competitive, charismatic personality – and the comfort to present to large groups.


• Strong written and verbal communication.


• Superior organization and time management; able to juggle multiple priorities and hit deadlines.


• Self-driven, with the independence to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.


• High proficiency with Microsoft Office.

THE FINE PRINT

• Home-based in California, with regular travel across the state to on- and off-premise accounts.


• Flexible schedule required, including evenings and weekends for tastings, dinners, and events.


• Reliable transportation and a safe driving record.


• Able to lift 35+ lbs.

Salary Range: $95,000 - $125,000

BENEFITS

HEALTH: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus life insurance.

YOURSELF: Paid vacation, personal time off, and 11 paid company holidays.

WEALTH: 401(k) program.