Breakthru Beverage Group - Leadership Development Program - Sales (Summer 2025), application via RippleMatch - RippleMatch Opportunities
Chicago, IL
About the Job
This role is with Breakthru Beverage Group. Breakthru Beverage Group uses RippleMatch to find top talent.
Overview
The Sales Leadership Development Program is a highly selective, early career program focused on recent college graduates or seniors graduating no later than June 2025 who are diverse, demonstrate talent, leadership, and a strong drive to succeed. Our early career program is in partnership with two of our key supplier partners, Brown-Forman (the maker of Jack Daniel's) and Diageo (a global leader in beverage alcohol).
This merit based accelerated sales program, is three to four years so the timing of each phase is approximate and dependent upon business needs along with your growth and development in preparation for the next phase of the program. At the start of the program you will be a part of a fast-paced outside sales team working with customers in the market.
Graduates of the Sales Leadership Development Program find success in positions in more senior sales management roles, corporate roles or with our supplier partners in field marketing or commercial sales analytical roles.
When accepted into the Sales Leadership Development Program, you will have the opportunity to build your foundation in sales and sales leadership. This experience will accelerate your career growth and prepare you for a career in sales, field marketing, distributor management and beyond.
Responsibilities
PHASE ONE: SALES REPRESENTATIVE
In the Sales Representative role you will spend your first 18-24 months in an outside sales role in an assigned territory within that market. You will receive extensive product and sales training that will help you manage a set number of accounts. There is no cold calling in our business, it's established selling. Results and demonstrating outstanding sales leadership skills will lead you to your next assignment.
PHASE TWO: FIELD SALES MANAGER
The Field Sales Manager role (FSM) last approximately 24 months. In this role, you will develop your leadership and strategic thinking skills by managing a team of 4-7 Sales Representatives. Finding the right motivational techniques and utilizing various tools to manage a team will be key to achieving success through your team and building future talent.
PHASE THREE: GRADUATION (VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHS)
Graduation is your promotion into the next level distributor sales or commercial related role or to an opportunity with the key supplier partner you are aligned with during your time in the program.
Example of graduation positions include:
Distributor Business Manager-
In this role, you are a liaison between a particular supplier or group of suppliers and house sales and marketing to execute sales and marketing strategies and achieve company financial objectives. This role serves as the in-house expert on a particular portfolio, manages all aspects of the supplier's business with the house and provides the critical link between the sales and marketing departments.
Distributor Area Sales Manager-
In this role, you will manage a team of 2-4 Field Sales Managers (FSM). At this level of sales management, you are responsible for a greater amount of business and personnel.
Supplier Market Manager-
In this role, you will represent Brown-Forman in the market. You will be responsible for key account and consumer development; events, education and training; planning and evaluation. You will collaborate and establish rapport with key distributor sales personnel.
Qualifications
- Recent college graduate of May 2024 or senior graduating no later than May 2025.
- Proven leadership skills, a passion for sales and sales leadership and interest in the alcohol beverage business
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Strong collaboration and teamwork skills
- Superior strategic, creative, and analytical problem-solving abilities
- Skilled in defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions
- Experienced in planning and organizing work through effective project management
- Experienced in effectively presenting information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization
- Strong presentation skills and a proven ability to effectively present information to management groups is required
- Must be 21 years of age at time of employment
- Valid Driver's License and able to operate a motor vehicle
- Ability to hold a Solicitor's Permit required (where applicable)
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The associate frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and climb or balance. The associate must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The associate must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
Working Conditions & Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job the associate is regularly exposed normal business office environment. The ability to share workspace, travel by car or train, dress in proper business attire, attend evening meetings and meet deadlines are all requirements of this position. Associate is often required to be in the market and may require exposure to inclement weather.