RI Sales Rep

About Narragansett Brewery:

Located in Providence, RI, Narragansett is New England's oldest brewery with its roots dating back to 1890. We are the 19th largest craft brewer in the U.S., and still growing. Known for our award-winning heritage American Lager, we also brew an assortment of craft beers at our Providence brewery and were named the 2024 large craft brewer of the year by Brewbound.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

We are currently seeking an outgoing and dynamic salesperson to drive our business at retail in Rhode Island and nearby markets. In this role, you will work with Narragansett Management and local Distributors to close new accounts, service & increase distribution with existing customers, build the brand’s market presence, and drive consumer trial & awareness. We are looking for a competitive salesperson who likes to hunt for new business and thrives on winning.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS:

• Responsible for growing Narragansett Brewing Company sales volume and market share in RI and potentially in adjoining counties in SE Mass (Bristol County) & SE CT (New London County)
• Build relationships with key Distributor players such as supervisors and sales reps who manage the business in each market. Engage with them on retail call results and follow-up as needed
• Develop and make sales presentations to High ACV Retail accounts (a list of key existing customers identified by Narragansett Management), establish call frequency, and drive business growth
• Grow new ON Premise business by identifying target opportunities and working relentlessly to close the sale
• Conduct promotions and samplings as needed (typically 2-3x per month) at top accounts and new accounts as needed to drive sales & awareness
• Execute and Track Narragansett distributor and brewery programs & trade deals. Ensure retail distribution and display targets are achieved. Track customer level sales and analyze the business to identify opportunities and gaps to achieve sales objectives
• Merchandise stores and bars with signage & other forms of brand presence improvements (i.e. – displays, signage placements, & cooler shelf resets) to maximize Narragansett visibility at retail
• Build competitive knowledge within the local & national beer industry landscape – what brands are excelling or struggling
• Identify PR & Promotional opportunities that reach our target audience
• Create relationships with local business influencers in SE New England (distributor, retailer, press, social media, consumer), and conduct meet & greets with them at the brewery
• Utilize social media to promote new customers & events – work closely with Narragansett marketing team to ensure company pages are promoting events, and to secure staffing when needed
• Gather content (photos, videos etc.) for the ‘Gansett social media channels
• Complete and submit retail work with/ market visit reports through the Karma/VIP App on a weekly basis to Distributor Sales Management / Brewery Sales Management
• Educate distributor sales reps/merchandisers on Narragansett products to help them achieve Narragansett sales and distribution goals
• Fiscal Responsibility to manage trade, travel, entertainment, and price promotional budgets
• Responsible for coaching distributor merchandisers / salespeople in properly displaying, merchandising, & rotating product to keep our products turning & fresh at retail

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• 2 to 5 years of sales experience (preferably within the beverage industry)
• Strong coaching, communication and selling skills
• Ability to influence, build a rapport and motivate strong relationships with wholesaler sales reps, wholesaler management and key retail customers
• Has the experience and ability to put together good sales presentations
• Good understanding of the 3 tier DSD (distribution) system
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business Management preferred
• Experience on a team (selling or otherwise)

COMPENTENCY SKILLS REQUIRED: 

·      Good Computer skills and is knowledgeable/experienced with PowerPoint, Excel and Word; experience with VIP / Karma or other sales apps would be a bonus

·      Have good analytical skills

·      Good at identifying opportunities and developing solutions

·      Results oriented

·      Self-Starter (can work independently) with good teaching and motivational skills

·      Ability to respond to marketplace demands by planning time and activities to achieve company objectives; plan your work and work your plan!

·      Strong oral and written communication skills; willingness and ability to engage customers conversationally & visually; out-going, enthusiastic, and dependable

·      Flexible work schedule as evenings and occasional Saturdays are necessary to catch key on-premise customers or to work tastings or promotions; occasional travel to other markets in the Northeast may be needed to assist on sales drives

·      Willingness to learn new skills and to be coached / managed in order to continually improve

·      Must have reliable transportation and the ability to lift 50 lbs