Golden State Cider - National Sales Director

National Sales Director

Location: Remote/CA
Department: Wholesale
Reports to: CEO

At Golden State Cider (Sonoma Craft), we’re a passionate, tight-knit crew dedicated to crafting exceptional beverages and building brands that people truly connect with. Our team is collaborative, creative, and driven by the work we do — and we’re looking for someone who can help elevate our story even further.

We are seeking a National Sales Director who is a strategic, hands-on leader with extensive experience in the beverage or alcohol industry with a proven ability to build and expand markets. The ideal candidate is a trusted distributor partner, an effective people leader, and a growth-focused operator capable of launching new territories, expanding distribution within existing states, and leading a high-performing sales team. This role requires the ability to balance long-term strategy with strong field execution, leverage market insights to drive decisions, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to deliver sustained revenue growth and strengthen brand presence across priority and emerging markets.

Job Summary

The National Sales Director is responsible for driving revenue growth and expanding distribution across priority states including Georgia, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona, while launching and scaling neighboring state markets. This role leads all aspects of sales strategy, distributor management, and team development, ensuring strong execution, profitable growth, and consistent brand presence.

Key responsibilities include leading and developing a regional sales team; building and managing distributor partnerships; identifying market opportunities and whitespace for expansion; overseeing sales planning, forecasting, and budgeting; and cultivating key retail and on-premise accounts. The role works closely with Marketing, Operations, and executive leadership to align sales initiatives with company objectives, support successful market launches, and represent the brand at industry events and distributor engagements.

Job Responsibilities

Sales Leadership and Market Development

• Achieve annual depletion, shipment, revenue, and profitability goals for the Northern California region while managing to the approved budget.


• Drive distribution, visibility, velocity, and brand presence across all assigned markets.
  Identify high potential accounts, market opportunities, and competitive insights to inform proactive strategy.


• Lead all regional sales planning, goal setting, territory execution, and performance management for the Sales team.

Distributor Management

• Build strong relationships with distributor leadership, account managers, and Sales Representatives.


• Conduct regular market visits, work withs, performance reviews, and business planning sessions with distributors.


• Monitor inventory levels and communicate proactively to prevent out of stocks or overstock issues.


• Ensure timely and accurate forecasting, pricing alignment, ordering, and program execution.

Account Development and Key Accounts

• Cultivate relationships with key retail, chain, bar, restaurant, and independent accounts throughout the region.


• Support new item placements, menu features, displays, programming, promotional execution, and visibility initiatives.


• Lead strategic account presentations, category insights, and brand education sessions.

Team Leadership and Training

• Lead, train, develop, and mentor Sales Representatives and Territory Sales Managers.


• Provide coaching, ride along, ongoing performance feedback, and support to drive accountability and consistent execution.


• Foster a positive, collaborative, high performance culture across the regional team.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing to align programming, brand priorities, and field execution.


• Work closely with CEO and leadership team on planning, budgeting, and business reviews.


• Provide frequent market feedback to support product development, innovation, and strategic planning.

Brand Representation

• Professionally represent Sonoma Craft at trade events, festivals, distributor meetings, and consumer facing engagements.


• Deliver exceptional brand education, training, and storytelling in every channel.

Skills & Qualifications

• Master’s Degree strongly preferred


• Seven or more years of progressive sales experience in beverage or alcohol industry preferred


• Experience managing a sales team, including coaching, development, and performance management


• Proven success building distributor relationships and driving market performance


• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret sales data and translate it into actionable strategies


• Skilled in forecasting, planning, budgeting, and territory management


• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence at all levels


• Highly organized, self-directed, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment


• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and external partners


• Valid Driver’s License and ability to travel extensively within the region

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

Office Hours/Location

• This is a remote based position with occasional travel between HQ and distributors. (Travel requirements up to 50%)


• This role is classified as Exempt under California wage and hour laws. This position is not eligible for overtime pay in accordance with state and federal law.

Work Environment

• This role’s primary function is managing the distributors and then when time allows spending some time in the field across accounts, distributors, and regional markets.


• Must be able to work evenings, weekends, or extended hours for events, launches, or activations


• Exposure to outdoor conditions, cold storage, alcohol service environments, and trade events


• Travel throughout the United States is required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and travel for extended periods


• Ability to lift and move 25-50 pounds (case of product) as needed for displays, events, and presentations


• Ability to bend, reach, and set up materials during account visits or promotional events


• Vision ability includes close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move 25-50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Other Requirements

• This role includes mandated reporter responsibilities under applicable California law. This position is required to comply with all reporting obligations related to suspected workplace misconduct, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other reportable conduct, in accordance with company policy and legal requirements.


• This role operates within the alcoholic beverage industry and may involve regular exposure to alcohol products. This position requires adherence to all company policies, safety protocols, and regulatory requirements related to the handling, production, and presence of alcohol in the workplace.


• This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or responsibilities. This role may require performing additional job-related tasks within the scope of the position as assigned, consistent with business needs.

Sonoma Craft LLC is a proud equal-opportunity employer.  We wholeheartedly embrace authenticity, diversity, and people's differences. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace for all our employees and consumers. 

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

Compensation range is $135K Annually - $170K Annually + Bonus

Compensation is determined based on non-discriminatory, business-related factors, including but not limited to, training, experience, education and/or professional certifications, geographic location, and market data.

Benefits at Sonoma Craft

At Sonoma Craft, we believe in supporting the whole employee — mind, body, and lifestyle. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

Health Care Coverage

• Medical Insurance: 90% of the employee premium and 50% of dependent premiums covered


• Dental & Vision Insurance: 100% of the employee premium and 50% of dependent premiums covered

Monthly Wellness Allowance

• $100 monthly reimbursement to support physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, including gym memberships, fitness classes, yoga, strength training, or passes to Regional, State, or National Parks

Paid Time Off

• 18 days of PTO annually, accrued from your start date

Company Holidays

• 11 paid holidays each year

Cider & Beer Allotments

• Monthly product perks to enjoy our craft beverages

401(k) Retirement Plan

• Eligibility begins after 90 days


• 100% match on the first 3%, and 50% match on the next 3% after one year of employment

We’re building a workplace where people thrive, and these benefits are just one of the ways we show our appreciation for all that you bring to the team.