A Japanese beverage company located in Marina del Rey, California, is seeking a Sales Manager to join the team.
They are seeking a highly motivated and results-driven Sales Manager to take ownership of Asian distributor
management while leading and mentoring a high-performing sales team
<Job Overview>
This role is pivotal in driving strategic sales execution, expanding our distributor partnerships, and optimizing sales team performance. The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of the Asian distribution space, is fluent in Japanese, and has proven experience in business development, sales operations, and strategic execution.
<Job Responsibilities>
- Develop and implement data-driven sales strategies to increase revenue and market share through Asian distributors.
- Align sales goals with company objectives, ensuring sustainable growth.
- Drive pricing, promotions, and sales initiatives to maximize distributor performance.
- Work closely with the marketing team to ensure sales strategies are aligned with brand messaging, promotional campaigns, and go-to-market strategies.
- Provide feedback to the marketing team on distributor and customer insights to refine advertising, digital marketing, and packaging efforts.
- Manage, grow, and strengthen relationships with Asian distributors, ensuring optimal support and execution.
- Partner with distributors to identify market gaps and expansion opportunities.
- Negotiate contracts, pricing structures, and collaborative marketing efforts with distributor partners.
- Monitor distributor performance and identify opportunities for increased efficiency and sales.
- Identify and onboard new distributor partners in key markets to expand brand reach.
- Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify emerging opportunities.
- Collaborate with marketing to develop promotional plans and ensure consistency in branding, product positioning, and consumer engagement.
- Lead, mentor, and manage a sales team, ensuring they exceed performance targets.
- Set clear objectives, KPIs, and sales targets, providing coaching and continuous training.
- Recruit, onboard, and develop high-performing sales professionals to drive results.
- Conduct weekly sales meetings, track progress, and adjust strategies as needed.
- Track key sales metrics, distributor performance, and market trends.
- Manage CRM systems and sales forecasting tools to drive data-driven decision-making.
- Prepare and present monthly and quarterly sales reports to the CEO and senior leadership.
- Oversee budget planning, sales forecasting, and ROI analysis.
- Stay ahead of market shifts by identifying consumer trends and industry changes.
- Work closely with senior management to align sales strategies with brand positioning.
- Ensure the business remains competitive, innovative, and positioned at the right quality and price.
- Work in tandem with the marketing team to execute sales promotions, product launches, and retailer/distributor-specific campaigns.
- Assist in developing sales materials, presentations, and pitch decks tailored to distributor and client needs.
- Ensure brand messaging is consistently communicated across all sales channels.
- Leverage marketing data and consumer insights to optimize sales approaches and distributor engagement.
- Travel as needed to meet with distributors, attend trade shows, and explore business development opportunities.
**Travel frequency is approximately 30% (1 to 2 weeks of travel per month).
<Requirements>
- Authorized to work in the United States
- Japanese and English bilingual: Professional Level
- 3+ years of experience in sales, distributor management, and business development, preferably in beverages or FMCG.
- Proven expertise in managing Asian distributors and expanding market reach for distributor communication.
- Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing sales teams.
- Excellent negotiation and relationship-building abilities with distributors and partners.
- Proficiency in CRM tools, sales analytics, and forecasting software.
- Experience working with marketing teams to align sales initiatives with promotional strategies.
- Ability to travel domestically as needed (~30% travel required).
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid training
Compensation Package:
- Bonus opportunities
- Commission pay
- Performance bonus
- Quarterly bonus
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- Morning shift
Work Location: In person