Area Sales Manager - Wine

We have an incredible opportunity for an Area Sales Manager covering Kent for a market leading Wine & Spirits business.

The Role:

The Area Sales Manager will be the key driver in generating new business in a very important area. You will be responsible for retaining and growing our existing retention clients, identifying new commercial opportunities and delivering excellent customer service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver excellent levels of customer service across your account portfolio
• Identify, develop and deliver insight driven innovation opportunities across all parts of the marketing mix, in order to drive portfolio and brand growth.
• Build account plans with key customers to deliver your business objectives and ensure strong business relationships, improve rate of sale and profitability
• Work closely with your Head of Sales to ensure agreed Regional plans are delivered at field level
• Deliver against budgets set by the business as part of the overall on trade budget in conjunction with your Head of Sales
• Present account updates and future plans at bi-monthly sales team meetings
• A deep understanding of the business, its composition, brands and value proposition making key decisions in light of strategic and financial plans.
• Create alignment and integration by working with others, involving them at the right level throughout the process, to achieve clear decisions that can be executed quickly.
• Communicating insights in a compelling way, so that it is easy for our business partners to leverage them for improved decision-making.
• Clearly articulate brand vision, positioning, renovation and equity development to profitably grow the brand.
• Plan, develop and deliver inspiring, integrated and impactful communication and activation at point of purchase that bring the brand to life and deliver the brand growth targets

Knowledge & Skills Required:

• Experience for winning new business in the On-Trade.
• WSET Qualified (Ideal)
• You have a minimum of 3 years of experience gained in a Sales / Business Development role within wine & spirits
• An excellent understanding of On-Trade channel (bars, hotels, restaurants)
• A thorough understanding of premium Wine & Spirits
• You have a comprehensive understanding and working knowledge of brand building with the ability to balance commercial delivery, strong problem-solving skills and ability to identify sales/ brand opportunities
• You have a strong commercial understanding of customer P&L’s
• You are client centric, results driven, proactive and creative, structured, reliable and inquisitive
• Self-motivated, confident and outgoing with the ability to build relationships at various levels.
• Creative with a can do attitude able to overcome challenges and find solutions in order to succeed
• Energetic and ambitious with the drive and determination to win
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels

What's in it for you:

• Up to £45,000
• Company car or car allowance
• Competitive Bonus
• Up to 20% Staff Discount
• 33 days holiday, including public and bank holidays and we also have a Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Life Assurance (Worth 3 times your annual salary)
• A contributory Company Pension Plan
• Career development opportunities - we are passionate about nurturing our internal talent, offering career progression supported by our excellent in-house training schemes!