Sales Manager- Grand Rapids Territory

Are you a craft spirits enthusiast with the desire to assist with driving the distribution of an award-winning brand in the heart of Michigan? Are you sales-minded, results-driven, and ready to join a dynamic team tasked with changing the landscape of American craft spirits? Are you eager to grow as part of a unique and exciting organization? Please continue!

At Journeyman Distillery, we’re dedicated to creating a quality product, taking the time to craft it to it’s highest potential and utilize only the highest quality, organic ingredients. We've been doing it right since 2010, winning Best in Show at the 2022 and 2023 Ascot Awards for our 100% wheat, cask strength whiskey, Corsets Whips & Whiskey, which tells the history of the historic factory building we call home.

The Sales Manager acts as boots on the ground for our diverse lineup of spirits, ensuring our fans can enjoy something special from the Midwest.

At Journeyman Distillery, we believe hard work and dedication deserve to be rewarded. To that end, we provide a comprehensive benefits and incentives package.

Here’s a peek at what you will receive as a Journeyman employee:

• Outstanding Growth Opportunity!
• Paid Time Off
• 401(k) with Employer Match
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Supplemental Insurance Options
• Free Quarterly Bottle of Spirit (21+)
• Loyalty Incentives (ask about our 5-Year Bottle Reward!)
• 25% Employee Discount
• Monthly Employee Tour with Owner/Founder, Bill Welter
• Annual Employee Party

All team members must uphold and embody Journeyman’s Core Values which represent the culture, attitude, and immediate priorities ensuring our cohesion and success.

YOUR CORE VALUES

GRIT MAKES GREAT

• Having a positive attitude that no challenge is too great
• Understanding that goals worth pursuing are never easy; that perseverance, grit, and determination are essential to success
• There is no substitute for grit and putting in the time and effort. Good things will come from those efforts
• 10,000-hour rule. Malcolm Gladwell: it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to be great

ALWAYS A JOURNEYMAN, NEVER A MASTER

• Excellence is a lifelong pursuit and mastery is an illusion
• The joy is in the daily work and pursuit of excellence, not in the final destination
• A focus on continual improvement and doing our best

1st CUSTOMER

• Treating every customer with the mindset that they are the business’s 1st ever customer
• Treating customers with authenticity, kindness, warmth, care, friendliness; engaging, helpful and willing to offer a magical experience
• Clean facilities
• Being available to the customer and timely responses in any capacity
• This mindset extends to our vendors, suppliers, partners, and especially our fellow employees
• Never take the customer or employee for granted
• 362 and 59:59+ We are open to our customers 362 days a year and we set an unwavering standard of serving our customers up till the last closing second 59:59+ and beyond if needed.

AMBASSADOR

• Taking pride and ownership in your work
• Engagement and active participation in your work and company activities
• Being a positive force in the workplace; creating a culture of positivity
• Extending common courtesy to self, employees, vendors, and guests
• Being an evangelist and promoter of the company and brand
• Having a positive attitude that no challenge is too great
• Understanding that goals worth pursuing are never easy; that perseverance, grit, and determination are essential to success
• There is no substitute for grit and putting in the time and effort. Good things will come from those efforts
• 10,000-hour rule. Malcom Gladwell: it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to be great

YOUR PURPOSE

Drive the growth and success of the Journeyman brand in the Grand Rapids, MI Territory.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

SALES GROWTH

• Visit and support accounts.
• Coordinate single barrel selection visits.
• Participate in distributor General Sales Meetings (GSMs) and team meetings.
• Communicate market activity and conditions regarding trends, competitive activity, etc.
• Work as an integral partner to local commercial teams.
• Work collaboratively with the local distribution team.
• Capture and report all trade and consumer interactions and activations.
• Drive incremental sales volume in key off-premise and on-premise accounts.
• Analyze the effectiveness of activities through reporting.

BRAND BUILDING

• Lead staff education at key accounts.
• Conduct off-premise tastings, utilizing Retail Tasting Ambassadors as required.
• Indicate market needs to Director of Sales.
• Align focus with local program calendars and/or distributor network focus periods.
• Drive brand visibility and traction in on-premise and off-premise accounts.

ACCOUNT RELATIONS

• Maintain key on-premise and off-premise account relationships.
• Develop and maintain a target account list.
• Cover all target accounts within market.
• Conduct distributor sales rep account visits as needed.

YOUR ATTRIBUTES

• Deep understanding of the spirits industry and the brand
• Ability to think strategically and execute long-term plans
• Ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Solid understanding of consumer behavior, market segmentation, and brand positioning

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

• Proven experience with and working knowledge of the 3-tier system.
• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, hospitality, or related discipline is a plus.
• Must hold or obtain active license(s) and/or certifications as required by the state or specific municipalities.
• Experience managing product portfolios and driving brand growth.
• Experience working in the spirits industry, including its regulations - Bartending experience is a plus.
• Track record of achieving sales targets and driving revenue growth.
• Experience leading and motivating small teams.