Brand Development Manager Jobs

*This is not a ForceBrands job*

JOB TITLE: Brand Development Manager

REPORTING TO: Commercial Director

BASED AT: Home (USA resident)

The role is newly created, and you will have an integral role in executing the overall brand strategy for the USA taking the lead from our clearly defined brand plans, as well as being instrumental in delivering the revenue ambitions for the US market. The role involves a high degree of travel and influencing both customers, consumers, and the wider whisky industry.

This role is fundamental to our future success and as such, will have exposure to all aspects of the business, as well as being instrumental in building and strengthening partnerships with our distributors.

The candidate we are looking for will be curious, ambitious, strategically minded, a strong team player, and self-motivated. They will also need to be able to flex their style, shifting from providing a hands-on approach at times through to developing long-term plans.

As this role is the first created for the US market, there are substantial opportunities for further development and career progression if the candidate has the desire and ambition and demonstrates the right competencies and behaviors.

The Role

The newly created role will be responsible for:

• Unlocking and then growing new business whilst engaging directly with the sales teams from our distributor partners to maximise those distribution and sales opportunities.
• Supporting new and existing customers with full-year activation plans including serve strategy, training & education, implementing appropriate incentives and delivering events.
• Providing a clear training and education plan with the sales teams of our distributor partners and our US customers to ensure they are fully equipped to best represent our brand.
• Collaborate with other teams such as Marketing, Supply Chain and Finance and feedback to the wider team insights that you gain from customers and observing competitor activity.
• Ensure that key stakeholders in our distributor partners have a clear understanding of our brand strategy, specifically the importance of seeding the brand in the right distribution and building trade engagement in line with brand expectations.
• Be the market expert and sales knowledge leader for the USA within the business.

Key Competencies

• A passion for Single Malt whisky, premium spirits, and luxury brands.
• Self-motivated and able to focus on delivery of KPI’s whilst being geographically detached from the rest of the business. Tenacity of the highest level – a relentless desire and passion to succeed.
• A base level of knowledge of whisky-making
• Results-focussed & commercially astute with strong selling skills - an ability to build and deliver ambitious growth plans with/through numerous stakeholders. To not only win new business but also to nurture.
• Adaptable, huge amounts of energy, with a “sleeves-rolled up” mentality – willingness to get stuck in as part of a wider sales team.
• A creative communicator with exceptional story telling ability who recognises the importance of staying on message.
• Proven evidence of the development and execution of brand activity within the premium on trade, and off-trade drinks specialist channel.
• A good understanding of the US Premium Spirits market – both on and off trade, specifically the rules of engagement and the dynamics of the spirits market.
• Has personality, energy, and a presence. Demonstrates gravitas, courage, and conviction to be able to influence the wider whisky industry.

Other Skills, Experience & Requirements

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word and Powerpoint.
• Ability to travel extensively throughout the US, spending extensive periods of time away from home.
• 3+ years-experience in a business development role with a premium drinks business.
• Solid commercial background – structured selling and negotiation experience.

We’re focused on attracting people who share our beliefs and brand values. We’re an ambitious business, with an entrepreneurial approach. To be successful, you’ll be comfortable in taking the lead, operating with courage to seek out opportunities as well as being passionate about the role you play in growing our business. You are collaborative, humble, and kind to others.

This role is critical to our future success and as such will be fundamental in our ability to invest in a growing team in the US market. With this ambition comes a longer-term opportunity to create and develop a high-performing team.