Job Description

The Brand Activation and Outside Sales Coordinator / Manager (depending on experience level) works at the forefront of bringing our cider and brand to the world outside of our taproom through a strategic focus on offsite events and demand generation for distribution sales. In this role, the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager is our leading brand ambassador, exposing consumers to our products for the first time. Through participation in civic and public events like fairs, festivals and farmer’s markets, to brand activations and paid sampling, to calling on existing and future wholesale accounts, this role creates trial for our product, equity for our brand, and drives revenue in our direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels.

The Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager reports to the General Manager and has a dotted line to the Owners with respect to outside sales. With over 300 external events per year throughout the state in 2024, Offsite Events is an established sales channel and, as such, the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager spends 70-75% of their time on this workstream during the year. Outside Sales is an emerging market for Wise Bird Cider and, as our first position with a defined focus on growing sales through our distributor, this workstream will represent 25-30% of this position’s focus in its initial phase. 

For Offsite Events, the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager leads a team of part-time, seasonal offsite event staff and owns all logistics and operations for this revenue channel. From coordination with event organizers, to pouring cider at events, to cleaning and maintaining equipment, to managing costs and revenue, this position ensures that our offsite events program is well organized, efficiently executed, and profitable for the company, all the while keeping focus on the fact that our offsite events are the friendliest, most hospitality-focused craft beverage pop-ups in Kentucky. The Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager also owns the P&L for this revenue channel and is responsible for continued growth year over year.

For distribution sales, the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager provides the duties of a sales rep or key account rep, supporting our Distributor’s sales team through customer engagement activities at on- and off-premise accounts. Through a combination of calling on 10-15 accounts per week, combining currently active customers and new or potential customers, and paid sampling events at major retailers, the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager ensures that customers are ordering actively and engaging positively with our brand and distributor. The expectation is that the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager spends 1-2 days per week in market on this workstream. 

• Responsible for hiring and training all seasonal part-time offsite events staff.
• Instills in the Offsite Events team a culture of positivity, love for cider and respect for the Wise Bird brand and team. Ensures that the team is able to educate consumers on our ciders, differences between the products and the history of cider; share our story with our customers; and encourage customers to return through offers of participation in loyalty and community programs.
• Owns the planning, scheduling, logistics, execution and administration for all external events. While the focus for this role is as a traffic director for the team, particularly during the busy season, there will be times when the Brand Activation and Outside Sales Manager works events as well.
• Creates and maintains accurate and effective policies and procedures for the events team, including set up and tear down and opening and closing duties for events.
• Responsible for all cash management for offsite events, including but not limited to reconciling daily deposits, ensuring petty cash and drawers are correct, and bank runs as needed in coordination with the General Manager. 
• Manages inventory in coordination with the Head Cider Maker and General Manager, using Ekos or Slack, to ensure that inventory movements are accounted for and the Offiste Events team’s shelves are stocked with bottles and cans.
• Maintains the offsite events storage area in a clean and orderly way at all times.
• Keeps an updated “forecast vs actuals” spreadsheet that tracks sales and labor costs at each event during the year, allowing for year-over-year comparisons and the ability to make decisions on which events to attend based on expectations of profitability.
• Attends weekly management team meetings and reports out on upcoming events, revenue performance and any operational matters.
• Maintains all equipment in sound working order and escalates the need for maintenance or replacement to supervisors. This includes but is not limited to the company vehicle, jockey boxes, tents, tablecloths, menu signage, tables and tent weights.
• Specific to jockey boxes, is responsible for all jockey box care, including cleaning after events, maintenance, branding, and training all employees on their use and how to effectively troubleshoot issues when they arise.

• Serves as the primary point of contact and key account manager for our relationship with Stepping Stone Farm.
• Ensures that all equipment is clean and operational, that our signage is clear, on brand and reflective of our product offering, and that our cans, bottles and merchandise are in stock and well organized. 
• Manages inventory weekly, including outgoing orders through Ekos in coordination with the Head Cider Maker and a weekly inventory count and reconciliation against sales in coordination with the General Manager. Inventory counting will include a weekly visit to Stepping Stone to physically count all stock and weigh all kegs.
• Ensures that all Stepping Stone employees who serve alcohol have active STAR certificates and that our tasting room is in full compliance with all local and state ABC laws.
• Coordinates all details with Stepping Stone event manager for alcohol service at weddings, including ordering and inventory management and bartender staffing.
• Maintains a calendar of upcoming weddings.
• Works with Stepping Stone team on initiatives and activities to generate more cider sales throughout the year.

• Conducts at least 2 tastings per week at off-premise retail accounts and visits a total of 15 accounts per week in a “key account” rep role.
• Develops a schedule in Asana, Ekos or Google Cal/Sheets that maps out account visits and sampling plan for the next 90 days.
• Maintains detailed notes and records for customer account visits, either in Asana or Ekos.
• Creates and maintains a Google sheet for tracking sampling survey data for each off-premise retail sampling event.
• Coordinates with Owners to receive and review monthly sales reports from Distributor to identify voids, opportunities for growth and a target list for future account visits.
• In coordination with Owners, sets a strategy and priority list of accounts for visits and samplings for each 90 day period.
• Responsible for limited self-distribution, in particular for Evans Orchard in the fall, and owns or coordinates the delivery, invoicing and payment recent for all orders. 

Assists with other revenue generating activities as needed by the General Manager and Owners:

Taproom Support

• Supports the taproom through working the bar if needed and in coordination with the General Manager.

Cider Club & Vinoshipper Sales

• Oversees online and club order fulfillment, delegating tasks as needed.
• Manages Cider Club releases, processing orders and updating the bar team’s binder list.
• Works with Marketing and Events Manager to grow club membership and organize quarterly pickup events.
• Works with Head Cider Maker to manage inventory and updates Slack and/or Ekos accordingly

Financial Management 

• Owns the Offsites and Stepping Stone P&Ls.
• Monitors costs of goods sold (COGS) and maintains margin targets.
• Manages cash handling, deposit tracking, and bank deposits, in coordination with the General Manager.
• Tracks sales vs. labor costs to optimize scheduling.
• Implements financial goals, sales targets, and donation initiatives.

Staff Management

• Fosters a positive and respectful work environment, leading by example.
• Leads hiring and personnel changes.
• Creates and publishes staff schedules two weeks in advance.
• Onboards new employees and provides ongoing training.
• Coordinates event staffing with the General Manager as needed.
• Provides regular feedback and shift check-ins for staff.
• Ensures staff expertise in products and services.

Community Engagement & Other Duties

• Acts as a brand ambassador within the community.
• Ensures employee and customer satisfaction.
• Develops and maintains community relationships.
• Participates in off-site events (e.g., festivals, markets, networking events).
• Responsible for tracking and responding to all requests for donations

• Bachelor’s degree preferred (or equivalent experience).
• Ability to provide motivating and constructive feedback.
• Effective problem-solving and organizational abilities.
• Advanced cider knowledge (or willingness to learn).
• Certified Cider Professional, Sommelier, or equivalent preferred.
• STAR and Food Manager certification required.
• Knowledge of city, state, and federal ABC regulations.
• Ability to work full-time, including nights and weekends.
• Proficiency in MS Office, Google Suite, Canva, Slack.
• Experience with POS and scheduling systems (Toast, Square, Sling).
• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 pounds.

• 5+ years in hospitality (preferably in a taproom, tasting room, bar, or restaurant).
• 2+ years in management, with experience overseeing teams, budgets, and sales goals.

• Full-time, salaried position (based on experience).
• Performance bonus potential of up to $8,000 annually, dependent on individual and company performance.
• PPTO: 40 vacation hours in the first year and 40 sick hours per year.
• Health, vision, and dental insurance stipend.

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