Sales Manager

This isn't a Sales Manager role. It's the opportunity to build the commercial engine of an ambitious spirits business.

I am proudly representing a Distillery that is already producing award-winning spirits, manufacturing premium brands for an expanding portfolio of clients and quietly building a reputation as one of the UK's most exciting independent distilleries.

Ways of working: Hybrid - 2 days a week in distillery, Ashford (Kent)

The Role...

Take on a role where you grow sales of of their own portfolio, but also create and lead a premium sales agency that represents carefully selected spirits brands, helping ambitious founders secure their first listings, accelerate distribution and build commercially successful businesses.

This is far more than account management.

It's about building a commercial operation that becomes an extension of the distillery itself.

You'll inherit an established customer base across London and the South East, existing distributor relationships and a growing pipeline of brands looking for help getting to market. From there, you'll shape the strategy, build the processes, recruit the team and create the commercial function that drives the next phase of growth.

• Work directly with founders, distributors, wholesalers, bars and retailers to unlock new opportunities across both on and off trade.
• Advise contract clients on route-to-market strategy, secure those critical first listings that establish credibility and create momentum
• Continue to grow Their own award-winning portfolio.

As the business grows, so will your role.

You'll take ownership of budgets, forecasting and commercial strategy, recruit and develop your own sales team and build a function that reflects your own ideas rather than inheriting someone else's.

If you've ever wanted the freedom of running your own commercial business without taking the financial risk yourself, this is probably as close as it gets.

The Day To Day...

• Grow sales across throughout London and the South East
• Building and launch a premium sales agency representing complementary spirits brands
• Act as a commercial consultant to contract distillery clients, helping them develop route-to-market strategies and secure their first trade listings
• Managing and growing relationships with wholesalers, distributors, independent retailers and on-trade operators
• Identifying new distribution opportunities and negotiating profitable commercial agreements
• Taking ownership of forecasting, budgets, CRM and commercial reporting
• Line managing an existing salesperson before recruiting and developing a wider sales team as the business grows
• Working closely with production to ensure forecasting, stock and customer expectations remain aligned
• Representing the business at tastings, trade events and customer training sessions

You...

You're already succeeding in premium drinks sales.

Maybe you're selling spirits, wine, beer or premium soft drinks. Maybe you've built distributor relationships, opened new accounts or launched brands into the market.

But you're ready for something bigger.

You want autonomy.

You want to influence strategy rather than simply execute someone else's.

You enjoy creating structure where there isn't any, spotting commercial opportunities before everyone else and turning ideas into revenue.

You're equally comfortable sitting with the owner of an independent bar as you are negotiating with wholesalers or presenting growth plans to senior stakeholders.

You're commercially minded enough to understand margin, forecasting and P&L, but relationship-focused enough that customers genuinely enjoy doing business with you.

Most importantly, you're excited by building something.

Not maintaining it.

Building it.

The Business...

An independent, family-run distillery based in Kent, producing award-winning spirits including alongside an expanding portfolio of premium contract manufacturing clients.

But manufacturing is only part of the story.

Increasingly, they're helping those clients take brands to market.

You'll be joining early enough to shape how that business looks for years to come.

The decisions you make will genuinely influence the direction of the company.

And as the commercial function grows, so will your responsibility, your team and your earning potential.

Get in touch with Jake Merrick-Wren — [email protected]

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