Field Sales Manager Great Lakes

Position: Field Sales Manager (Great Lakes) 
Company: Vine Connections
Joy Type: Full Time
Location: Great Lakes, Chicago Area Hybrid
Compensation: Base compensation $90,000-$105,000 with potential for annual bonus based on performance. 
Apply HERE: 

Vine Connections , an award-winning wine, sake, and spirits importer, is seeking a Field Sales Manager based in Chicago that oversees Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. 

 
A Bit About You 

• You are an optimist that sees the change in the alcohol industry and is excited to navigate through it. 

• You are a self-starter that has the drive and hustle to make something out of nothing, by being resourceful and resilient. 

• You can spot an opportunity and love the thrill of a challenge. 

• You value innovative ideas - you know how to bring them, and work with them from our dynamic cross-functional team. 

• You are extremely proficient and comfortable with technology, you are already comfortable with CRM tools. 

A Bit About Us 

We are a unique company that is proud to: 

 

• Focus on job growth opportunities through ongoing education of industry certifications as well as Learning & Development (L&D) professional sessions throughout the year. 

• Commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias. 

• Have a leadership team that is majority female. 

• 1/3 of our sake, wine, and spirits suppliers are represented by women. 

• 44% of our wine portfolio is produced by women winemaker or women-owned wineries. 

• Expand your understanding of Sake and Wine through company-sponsored visits to producers. Still Interested? Read on! 

Are you eager to delve into the nitty-gritty details of what this role entails? We've got you covered! 

 
What You’ll Do 

 

• 70% of time is working in the home metropolitan market. 

• 30% of time is traveling to key outlying markets. 

• See an average of 20 accounts a week (50% existing key accounts / 50% developing new accounts). 

• Achieve net revenue goals through a portfolio of 30+ Sake, Wine, and Spirits brands. 

• Grow quality points of distribution across categories and channels. 

• Manage direct and indirect spending to budget. 

• Sell to on and off-premise accounts, without the presence of a distributor rep. 

• Build and maintain relationships with key accounts across categories and channels. 

• Lead educational trainings for distributors, restaurants, retailers, and consumers. 

• Set and attain quarterly professional goals. 

• Present in front of up to 100 people at Distributor sales meetings. 

• Perform weekly inventory review and partner with distributors on demand planning. 

• Perform monthly recap of territory and provide strategy to improve revenue. 

• Find and continually refine target accounts and track engagement through CRM. 

• Arrange samples for self and distributor reps and perform weekly samples review. 

• You are an active communicator with your team and manager, providing thoughtful feedback as well as responding to company communication. 

• Record account and distributor activities in CRM and utilize it to plan your future work flow. 

What kinds of skills and experience do I need to be considered for this role? Glad you asked! 

 

Requirements 

 

• Candidate must reside in Chicago, Illinois. 

• Minimum of 3 years of wine or sake sales experience in a distributor. 

• Bachelor’s degree. 

• Sake and wine certifications. 

• Computer and mobile fluency. Able to use Social, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook seamlessly. 

• A valid US driver’s license and passport. 

• Own/lease car. 

• Ability to pass driving and criminal background check. 

• Be able to lift 40 lbs and sit for extended periods of time. 

Job Specifics You Might Be Thinking About 

 

• Job Type: Full-Time, Monday-Friday, generally 8:30am-5pm. Ability to attend dinners after hours when appropriate as well as some planned weekend travel for trade events. 

• Compensation: Base compensation $90,000-$105,000 with potential for annual bonus based on performance. 

• Location: This is a remote position that must reside in Chicago, Illinois. 

• Benefits: We provide healthcare insurance premiums, as well as short and long-term disability insurance. We also support the mental wellness of our employees with a robust vacation policy. We provide 401(k) contributions annually without employee matching (company-sponsored safe harbor). 

Last Note 
People thrive at Vine Connections that are structured and organized, creative and resourceful, independent and thoughtful. We’re a small company and we all say yes to lending a hand or a brain when our colleagues need help. We’re always professional, yet never corporate. Is this you?