Regional Manager - California and Hawaii

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Palm Bay International, a dynamic family-owned company, offers one of the nation’s most comprehensive portfolios of imported wines and spirits, including over 50 suppliers from around the globe. Among Palm Bay’s most valued assets is its remarkable network of long-term partnerships with the foremost wholesale companies in all 50 states, as well as the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. With the crucial collaboration of these partners, Palm Bay’s portfolio is able to meet the needs of every level of the industry, from independent restaurants and retail stores, to chain accounts, supermarkets, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, duty-free accounts and U.S. military bases. This impressive roster of brands, accounts and relationships positions Palm Bay as a major source of fine wines and spirits and an industry leader in the U.S. marketplace. For more visit: www.palmbay.com.

Location: Open to either Northern or Southern California, located near a major airport 

WHO THRIVES HERE

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

• A strategic operator. You hold the annual plan and the account-level detail in your head at the same time, and you know when to zoom in.
• A builder of people and partnerships. You get as much out of a distributor’s VP of Sales as you do out of the District Managers on your own team.
• Financially fluent. Pricing, spend, ROI, margin – you speak the language of profitability as easily as the language of brands.
• Decisive under ambiguity. Markets shift, plans slip – you build the contingency before you’re asked for one.
• A credible voice in the room. Distributor business reviews, senior stakeholders, big rooms – you carry the meeting.
• Relentless about gaps. You spot a shortfall early and you’ve already got the corrective plan drafted.
• Comfortable running two markets at once. California and Hawaii move at different speeds – you keep both moving forward.

HOW THIS ROLE OPERATES

• You are the senior point of contact for distributor leadership across California and Hawaii.
• You are highly visible in the marketplace and your field team
• Highly collaborative and ability to build partnerships with the National Account division
• Data-driven decision maker who turns insights into action
• You work in lock-step with the District Managers in your region to align tactical spend with the annual plan.
• You own the annual business plan for volume and profit, and you track it to performance all year.
• You set the agenda and build the materials for Distributor Business Review meetings.
• You report directly to the VP, Western Region, on plan performance, market conditions, and issues as they happen.

HOW THE WEEK BREAKS DOWN

Time: roughly 40% distributor management and business reviews, 30% planning, budget, and pricing, 20% in-market with District Managers and key accounts, 10% reporting and administration.

WHAT YOU OWN

• Planning and Forecasting: Build the annual business plan for volume and profit across California and Hawaii. Track the plan to performance and build contingency and gap-closing plans as market conditions shift.
• Budget and Pricing: Partner with distributor finance and portfolio teams on pricing strategy. Owns upkeep and maintenance for pricing structures across the two states. Monitors spend and adjust to hit profitability targets.
• Distributor Management: Lead the development and management of distributor partners across California and Hawaii to drive portfolio growth and profitability. Identify performance gaps early and put corrective action plans in place. Set the agenda and materials for Distributor Business Review meetings. Shows up as a true partner to Distributor sales force and works together to find solutions.
• Market Management: Turn market assessments into real business plans. Own new item launches, from on-target shipments through depletions. Plan and lead supplier market visits – account calls, trade luncheons, and evening events. Run distributor brand education in both small and large group settings.
• Culture of Coaching: Develops culture of coaching with the District Manager team. Highly visible in market and spends ample time with each of their team members across the state. Use data on performance metrics to drive action and results.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of distributor or supplier experience.
• Both on and off premise experience preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication, credible in front of senior distributor and internal stakeholders.
• Superior organization and time management; able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines across two markets.
• 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
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 40%
• Flexible schedule required, including evenings and weekends for distributor events, trade dinners, and tastings.
• Reliable transportation and a safe driving record

Benefits Overview:

Palm Bay offers a competitive compensation package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(K), paid vacation, personal time off and 11 paid company holidays.

Palm Bay International is an equal opportunity employer.