Contract Sales - Business Development Manager

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for developing, implementing, executing, and building the sales and marketing efforts to attract and win contract packaging business for Abita Brewing Company. The position will be responsible for selling Abita Brewing Company’s ability to brew, blend, and package alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in a variety of packaging types and sizes.  Alcoholic beverages consist of beer, flavored malt beverages (FMB), and ready to drink (RTD) cocktails. Non-alcoholic beverages consist of soda, energy drinks, water, sugar brew, teas, and others.  Container types consist of cans, glass bottles, kegs, or bulk shipments. 

In conjunction with the President and VP of Contract Production, this position will be responsible for defining the target market, building a sales strategy, creating awareness within the industry, planning, organizing, and managing all sales and marketing functions and resources to achieve Abita Brewing Company’s objectives of winning contract production business.  Targeted markets will include breweries, beverage companies, consultants, and equipment vendors who could be a contract customer or refer a contract customer to Abita Brewing Company.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

•      Conducts sales and marketing efforts through telephone and email cold calls, in-person visits, industry conferences, and marketing     campaigns (both traditional and digital including but not limited to public relations, advertising, online marketing, social networks,           company website, and internal creative services).
•         Manages and maintains the CRM database (Airtable) used for all sales and marketing outreach including communication with both potential leads and existing clients, and storage of all conversation notes, meetings, emails, and proposals with targeted breweries, beverage companies, consultants, and equipment vendors who could be a contract customer or refer contract customers to Abita Brewing Company.
•       Generates daily, weekly, and monthly performance reports to measure activity and effectiveness of sales efforts, as well as a status list of potential contract customers. Effectively presents materials to key Abita constituents, including the Board of Directors, when applicable.
•       Builds a network of contacts among U.S. contract brewers, with particular focus on the southeast region of the U.S.; share ideas, tips, best practices, etc. with same.
•       Understands and effectively communicates Abita’s brewing and packaging capabilities.  Makes recommendations to senior management regarding any additional brewing and packaging capabilities needed to maintain current clients and attract new ones.

Supervision of Others

This position is not responsible for supervising other personnel. 

Working Conditions

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

• Hours may vary if emergencies arise (typical workweek = 45 hours). 
• Must be able to work independently and perform the job either with or without direction.
• Professionalism is expected as a representative of the company.

• On occasion, the incumbent might be asked 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.

• Work with office equipment such as computers, phones, fax machines and copiers.

• Travel, as needed or required by position duties and responsibilities.

 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.

•           Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and/or, at a minimum 5-7 years of sales experience desired; sales experience in the beverage industry is a plus.
•            Must be self-motivated, sales-oriented and resourceful.
•            Knowledgeable and experienced in cold calling.
•            Experience with CRM activity-based sales and marketing automation.
• Ability to multitask and manage multiple priorities/projects concurrently.
• Excellent organization, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentations.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and general proficiency with IT tools.   
• Positive attitude and a sense of urgency.
•            Ability to execute against deadlines.
•           Excellent time and people management skills.
•           Must be at least 21 years of age and eligible to work in the United States.