State Manager II - GA

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day.

What makes this a great opportunity?

Join one of the world’s largest premium spirits suppliers and take responsibility for managing a critically important piece of our business in Georgia. You’ll have the opportunity to partner with dedicated distributor marketing and sales teams and work closely with key accounts to build our business together by creating impactful plans and programs and driving best in class execution.

At Suntory Global Spirits we drive our leaders to:

• Build winning teams and partnerships
• Think Strategically as an owner
• Promote and inspire engagement and a development culture
• Deliver impactful results

The following position is based out of Atlanta, GA.

Role Responsibilities

The State Manager, Georgia is responsible for leading Suntory's Global Spirits' portfolio of spirits across Georgia. This role will oversee distributor relationships, drive the execution of brand and sales strategies, and manage a team of professionals to achieve sales goals, market share growth, and profitability. The ideal candidate is a dynamic leader with a strong understanding of the spirits industry and the ability to foster collaboration across teams.

Team Leadership:

• Manage and lead a team of sales professionals across Georgia, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Set clear objectives, provide ongoing coaching, and evaluate performance to ensure the team meets and exceeds goals.
• Promote collaboration, professional development, and alignment with Suntory Global Spirits' core values and objectives.

Distributor Management:

• Serve as the primary contact for distributor partners in Georgia, ensuring alignment with Suntory Global Spirits' business strategies.
• Develop and execute joint business plans with distributors to meet sales and distribution targets.
• Monitor distributor performance and hold them accountable for depletions, execution standards, and promotional effectiveness.

Sales and Market Execution:

• Achieve annual sales, distribution, and volume targets for Suntory Global Spirits' spirits portfolio.
• Drive excellence in execution across on-premise, off-premise, and emerging e-commerce channels.
• Conduct regular market visits to evaluate execution, build relationships with key accounts, and identify opportunities.
• Implement and track brand programs, promotional activities, and pricing strategies.

Strategic Planning and Collaboration:

• Work closely with the Sr. State Director, Esat Franchise, to align regional and local strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing and key account managers, to execute national and regional programs.
• Provide insights and feedback from the market to inform strategies and drive continuous improvement.

Market Analysis and Reporting:

• Analyze market trends, competitive activity, and performance data to inform strategic decisions.
• Prepare regular performance reports for leadership, highlighting successes, challenges, and opportunities.
• Manage budgets effectively, ensuring alignment with corporate guidelines and ROI objectives.

Qualifications

Experience:

• 7+ years of sales and management experience in the spirits, beverage, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.
• Proven ability to lead and manage a sales team while achieving measurable results.
• Strong background in distributor management and account development.

Skills:

• Deep knowledge of the spirits industry, distributor networks, and large market dynamics.
• Exceptional leadership and team management abilities.
• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field (preferred).
• Willingness to travel extensively within the territory.
• Valid driver's license.

Key Competencies:

• Leadership: inspires and empowers team performance through vision, support and accountability.
• Results-Oriented: Maintains a relentless focus on achieving and exceeding objectives.
• Strategic Thinking: Anticipates market dynamics and crafts impactful strategies.
• Collaboration: Partners effectively across functions to align resources and deliver results.
• Adaptability: Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Physical Demands:

• While performing the essential functions of this job, daily physical activities may include, but aren't limited to:
  • Lifting/lowering, pushing, carrying, or pulling of up to 45 lbs.
  • Sitting, standing, walking, bending, reaching, stopping and typing using a computer.

At Suntory Global Spirits, people are our number one priority, and we believe our people grow together in diverse and inclusive environments where their unique insights, experiences and backgrounds are valued and respected. Suntory Global Spirits is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, military veteran status and all other characteristics, attributes or choices protected by law. All recruitment and hiring decisions are based on an applicant’s skills and experience.