Business Development Manager - Whiskey, TN

$91,200 - $152,000/Yr

Diageo - Tennessee, IL

Full-time - Mid Level

Tennessee, IL

Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing

About the position

The Business Development (BD) Manager is a pivotal role within Diageo, acting as the in-market category and brand expert responsible for driving consumer and trade demand generation for our brands. This position is essential for promoting the growth of Diageo brands in collaboration with distributor and broker partners, customers, and consumers. The BD Manager will engage in a blend of sales coordination, local marketing execution, and category/brand representation, working closely with Diageo's sales teams and distributor teams. The role requires a proactive approach to develop and implement effective brand, customer, and portfolio plans tailored to the specific market needs. This position is designed to be highly visible and active in the market, with a commitment to spending at least 70% of working time engaging with customers, distributor sales teams, marketing agencies, event promoters, and local influencers. Success in this role hinges on effective collaboration with other Diageo sales and marketing teams to ideate, create, budget for, and operationalize plans that build a strong in-market reputation and track record of demand generation. Performance will be measured through sales depletions and share growth, making the BD Manager's role critical to the overall success of Diageo's market strategy. The BD Manager will be responsible for identifying and executing against key business opportunities, building strong relationships with important customers, and monitoring brand performance metrics to ensure alignment with market expectations. This role also involves leading local category and brand education initiatives, protecting Diageo's interests by adhering to marketing codes, and continuously refining the business development approach to enhance engagement with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Build demand for Diageo brands by identifying and executing key business opportunities in the market.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key customers to find mutually beneficial growth opportunities.
• Identify new market opportunities through close engagement with distributors, agencies, and customers, validating insights through consumer and category analysis.
• Monitor brand performance metrics to ensure alignment with market expectations and make necessary adjustments.
• Set category-specific targets and KPIs for in-market sales and agency partners, overseeing execution and activation efforts.
• Locate potential business opportunities through outreach to partners for cross-promotions, sponsorships, and local influencer collaborations.
• Contribute to the development of local category and channel plans in collaboration with brand and trade marketing teams.
• Lead local brand education initiatives and coordinate learning plans with internal and external personnel.
• Act as a guardian of Diageo's marketing code and uphold the company's code of conduct.
• Continuously observe and recommend enhancements to the business development role for better stakeholder engagement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field.
• 3-5 years of sales and brand activation experience.
• Existing or commitment to complete WSET Level I or equivalent education in Wines & Spirits.
• Ongoing category-specific learning, both formal and informal, including insights into liquid, consumer, and category trends.
• Experience in the beverage alcohol category and familiarity with On, Off, and Non-Premise channel landscapes.
• Proven track record of in-market and customer engagement, with a preference for active trade involvement.
• Deep understanding of Diageo and competitor brands within the category.
• Strong negotiation skills for managing local agreements, including sponsorships.
• Ability to build relationships based on transparency, empathy, and trust.
• Proficient in sales analysis, with the ability to interpret sales and demand creation metrics.
• Customer and consumer-centric mindset, understanding motivations and appealing to shoppers effectively.
• Knowledge of territory management and the BevAlc route to market.
• Extensive market knowledge, including channel, customer, and consumer insights.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with digital marketing strategies and tools.
• Familiarity with event planning and execution in the beverage industry.
• Ability to leverage social media for brand promotion and consumer engagement.

Benefits

• Healthcare benefits
• Retirement benefits
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Basic life insurance
• Wellness benefits
• Industry-leading parental leave
• Annual incentive payment
• Stock awards