Shopper Marketing - Spirits Channel Manager

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka. 

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

In this role, you'll be at the forefront of driving demand for our spirits brand portfolio through tailored shopper propositions and national account-specific strategies. You’ll leverage your expertise in the spirits channel to execute impactful channel strategies and build influential relationships with top National Account customers, bringing our premium brands to life in key markets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build Strategic Relationships: Partner with marketing leaders at top National Accounts in the liquor channel to foster strong, influential relationships and align on shopper marketing strategies that drive demand.
• Channel-Specific Execution: Lead the execution of liquor-specific brand portfolio events, using insights into purchasing behaviors within the liquor channel to create effective and scalable programs. Collaborate with the Trade Marketing team to meet the unique needs of the liquor channel, including point-of-sale materials and trade show activations.
• Develop Talent: Use the Performance Development System (PDS) to coach and develop your team, enhancing their skills and performance while promoting company culture. Support the use of PDS tools to drive optimal performance discussions and progress tracking.
• Optimize Shopper Marketing Programs: Manage budgets effectively, partnering with global commercial planning and analytics teams to ensure strong ROI on shopper marketing initiatives within the liquor channel. Measure the impact of programs and make data-driven optimizations as needed.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Plan and execute brand growth opportunities, such as "Brand Big Bets" and shopper platforms, aligning with category leadership to develop impactful sales decks and sell sheets tailored to liquor-specific customers.
• Leverage Shopper Insights: Utilize shopper insights and consumption trends to adapt and customize programs for the liquor channel, ensuring that marketing resources are maximized to drive category growth.
• Customer Collaboration: Collaborate closely with NKA Sales Managers at key liquor accounts to plan, sell-in, and execute custom programs that align with both customer needs and broader business goals.

To be successful in the role, you'll need these Required Qualifications:

Apply with an updated resume that markets your results and accomplishments.

• Bachelor's Degree.
• 3+ years relevant experience (minimum).
• Ability to travel (up to 25%).
• Familiarity with the spirits channel and current relationships with key players (e.g., Spec's, Total Wine & More, ABC, etc.) are REQUIRED for a successful candidacy.
• Direct experience in shopper marketing, with a deep understanding of shopper insights, sales drivers, outlet segmentation, targeted trade investment, and customer profitability.
• Exceptional external customer knowledge, presence, and influence.
• Detailed experience in how sales and marketing work together to develop and execute consumer- and shopper-centric strategies.
• Ability to link strategy to implementation, and adapt/customize shopper marketing platforms for channel and national customer-specific execution.
• Experience collaborating with Sales, Category Leadership, Brand Marketing, and Creative teams.
• Ability to drive results in a complex, high-growth environment.
• Excellent analytical, interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.

Why Sazerac?

✨Innovative and Forward-Thinking: Join a company that values innovation and excellence and is driving the future of the beverage industry.

✨Rich Tradition: Join a team with a strong heritage of craftsmanship and quality, creating memorable experiences for our customers.

✨Collaborative Environment: Work in an inclusive, collaborative atmosphere where your ideas and expertise are valued.

✨Career Growth: Benefit from continuous learning opportunities and career development programs to advance your career.

Compensation: Placement within the salary range is calculated based on years of directly relatable experience for the position. The salary range refers to base salary only and does not include car allowance, annual bonus, fuel, or cell phone reimbursement. 

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