Job: Country Sales Manager Mexico – Wines & Spirits

Our Client

Our client for this opportunity is a very large and well known Wines & Spirits group.

Objective

The Country Manager for Mexico is responsible for managing the commercial activities related to the group’s Portfolio of Brands and its overall Business in the market. This role is focused on managing our third part sales agent to drive brand awareness and sales. Main Assignment of the Country Manager is to develop the Group’s business in Mexico, increase both top and bottom lines, in a mid to long-term sustainable way through genuine brand-building initiatives. This position is extremely important within the Latin America / Caribbean team since Mexico has been identified as the first priority market for all group brands. The Country Manager must be able to combine strategic thinking to interact daily with the Distributor’s top management while being very close to the operational team to provide energy and enthusiasm

Job Description

• Oversee growth and direction of the dedicated 3^rd party commercial team and implement key brand programs, training, and business development while ensuring the achievement of profit and volume goals. Identify appropriate third party resources to best support group brands. Oversee the execution of commercial go to market strategy in the market.
• Manage the day-to-day interaction with the Mexican Distributor, the Country Manager constantly evaluates the market evolutions, to report any risk and opportunities related to Route-to-Consumers.
• The Country Manager must become the counterpart of the Distributor’s Managing Director while being able to handle day to day issues with the operational team (sales, marketing, finance, logistic…). The Country Manager must have strong influence skills in order to balance a small weight of revenue for our local Distributor but with high potential. His knowledge of the Mexican market should allow him to bring added value to the local Distributor while maintaining a high level of positive pressure.
• On top of being as much as possible on the field to influence and assist the sales team, he manages indirectly a team of 3 people dedicated to the group’s brands embedded on the Distributor’s payroll (1 Brand Manager and 2 Brand Activators, on-going recruitment).
• Monthly review, analysis and follow-up of the Business, sell-in and sell-out. Monthly reporting to the Zone Director of depletions against competitive benchmark. Constant survey of competitive activities. Review Shipments, Net Sales, Net Sales /cs reporting. Assessment of Risk and Opportunities vs. Targets.
• Monthly follow-up of Sales, and A&P Investments. Perform gap analysis vs. preceding year and vs. Targets.
• Short and Mid-Term Forecasts: Budget, LE1, LE2, MTP. Closely involved in building all Business Projections for the market, be it within the year, based on observed short-term trends, or on a longer-term to set a vision for the Brands.
• Monitors the annual Landing vs. Target. The Country Manager is the gatekeeper of any aspect of the Mexican PNL. He is responsible to deliver the target bottom-line of his market.
• Day-to-day contact with Supply and Logistics customer service departments of Brands Production and Shipment sites. Constant communication with Operations to follow the Order book, and elaborate reliable monthly sales forecast.
• In close collaboration with Zone Director, Marketing Director, Mexican Regional Marketing and Commercial Resources, the Country Manager leads the Brand Planning and Budgeting for all Brands in the Market. Definition of main activities and funds allocation by channels, touch points and phased through the year.
• Monthly follow-up of Marketing expenses, gap analysis with targets, redefinition, reallocation of funds if needed.
• Responsible to approve all significant activities that involves the brands and their attributes (imagery, logos, POS, etc.)
• Carefully prioritize the brands, the channels and the regions to maximize the return of the Group’s A&P investments.

Requirements

• Minimum 7-10 years of commercial sales or marketing experience in spirits industry, if possible also luxury products in Mexico.
• With at least 3 years’ experience managing a team.
• Strong negotiation and presentation skills.
• Must possess excellent communication skills, have experience managing 3^rd party wholesalers, agents or distributors.
• Prior experience managing a P&L preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field, MBA preferred
• A minimum of 7 years of experience with focus on beverage and high value image products is preferred. A background in the alcohol beverage industry is preferable
• Appreciated previous experience: Bacardi, Bardinet, Beam Suntory, Brown Forman, Campari, Constellation Brands, Distell, Camus Cognac, Diageo, Jose Cuervo, LVMH, Marie Brizard, Maxxium, Moet Hennessy, Patron Spirits, Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau, Stoli, Edrington, WEBB, William Grant & Sons, Zamora, etc.
• Appreciated previous titles: Area Sales Manager, Area Export Manager, Area Manager, Account Executive, Business Development Manager, Territory Manager, Key Account Manager