District Manager, Northern California - San Jose/Monterey

District Manager, Northern California If interested in this opportunity, please complete our culture index survey at the link below: REPORTS TO: Regional Manager, CA & HI LOCATION: Must reside in either San Jose or Monterey

THE BRAND

Palm Bay International is a dynamic, family-owned importer with one of the most comprehensive fine wine and spirits portfolios in the country – over 50 suppliers strong, sourced from every corner of the globe. What sets Palm Bay apart isn’t just the portfolio; it’s the network. Decades-long partnerships with the leading wholesale companies in all 50 states, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America let Palm Bay show up everywhere the industry does: independent restaurants, retail, chains, supermarkets, hotels, airlines, cruise ships, duty-free, and U.S. military bases. That reach is why Palm Bay is considered a major force in fine wine and spirits – and why the people who represent it in the field matter so much.

WHO THRIVES HERE

The right person for this role isn’t hard to picture. You may recognize yourself below.

• Tenacious by nature. You set a goal and you find a way – the account that passed once isn’t off the list, it’s next.
• Competitive and charismatic. You want to win, and people want to be around you while you do it.
• A relationship builder first. With buyers, sommeliers, GMs, and the distributor sales team – you know the name behind every account and they know your name.
• A natural educator. You know your wine and spirits cold, and you’d rather teach a distributor rep than just tell them what to sell.
• Comfortable in front of a room. A GSM, a supplier dinner, a tasting for fifty people – you don’t just present, you land it.
• Organized under pressure. Multiple accounts, multiple deadlines, multiple priorities – you keep it all moving without dropping the ball.
• Self-driven. This is a home-based role. You run your own week, and you don’t wait to be told what’s next.

HOW THIS ROLE OPERATES

• Own relationships, influence & sell in the top 100 account universe.
• Distributor work-withs are weekly – you’re in the market, side by side with the distributor sales team, not just checking in from a distance.
• Distributor education runs on a cadence – team meetings, GSMs, and special events keep the sales team sharp and selling. Enabling and teaching the teams selling benefits of our portfolio is a key to success.
• Weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews keep the whole team aligned on portfolio development.
• Direct line to your Regional Manager – sales updates, market conditions, and issues get communicated as they happen, not after the fact.

HOW THE WEEK BREAKS DOWN

Time: roughly 75% customer-facing (on- and off-premise selling), 20% distributor-facing (work-withs, training, GSMs), 5% administrative and reporting. Geography: primarily home market in California, with periodic travel for supplier events, company meetings, and training.

WHAT YOU OWN

ACCOUNTS & RELATIONSHIPS

Build and manage the target account universe across on- and off-premise. Sell directly to key accounts and grow Palm Bay’s footprint one relationship at a time.

DISTRIBUTOR PARTNERSHIP

Develop and execute monthly plans and programs with distributor partners. Train their sales team, work the market alongside them, and turn every rep into a Palm Bay advocate through consistent education and communication.

EVENTS & ACTIVATION

Plan and run supplier market visits, wine dinners, and consumer tastings that create real, visible demand for a 50+ supplier portfolio.

SALES GOALS & KPIS

Own the annual sales plan for California defined territory. Track and deliver against KPIs across the 100 Top Accounts, on- and off-premise.

PLANNING & REPORTING

Show up for weekly, monthly, and tertile business reviews. Keep your Regional Manager current on sales updates, market conditions, and issues – the good weeks and the hard ones.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years of distributor or supplier experience; wine and spirits sales experience preferred.
• A real foundation of wine and spirits knowledge, and the ability to teach it to others.
• A competitive, charismatic personality – and the comfort to present to large groups.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Superior organization and time management; able to juggle multiple priorities and hit deadlines.
• Self-driven, with the independence to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office.

THE FINE PRINT

• Home-based in California, with regular travel across the state to on- and off-premise accounts.
• Flexible schedule required, including evenings and weekends for tastings, dinners, and events.
• Reliable transportation and a safe driving record.
• Able to lift 35+ lbs.

Salary Range: $95,000 - $125,000

BENEFITS

HEALTH: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus life insurance. YOURSELF: Paid vacation, personal time off, and 11 paid company holidays. WEALTH: 401(k) program. Palm Bay International is an equal opportunity employer.