Job Description

We’re Growing – Come Grow With Us!

Are you a strategic, results-driven leader ready to make a bold impact? Johnson Brothers is entering an exciting phase of growth. As a leading family-owned distributor of wine, spirits, and beer since 1953, we pride ourselves on delivering world-class service and representing some of the most iconic brands in the industry. This is a unique opportunity to build a high-performing team, shape go-to-market strategy, and drive long-term growth in a key territory. Join us in shaping the future of the beverage industry.

The Director of Retail & Chains is responsible for establishing and executing the overall retail vision and strategy for the market while delivering profitable revenue growth, market share expansion, and supplier performance across all retail channels. This role serves as the senior commercial leader for chain accounts, strategic retail customers, and retail execution, ensuring alignment between supplier priorities, customer growth initiatives, pricing strategy, merchandising excellence, and field sales execution.

The Director owns the retail P&L and is accountable for achieving annual operating plan objectives through strategic customer partnerships, effective team leadership, and data-driven decision making. This leader collaborates closely with suppliers, customers, national account teams, sales leadership, trade development, merchandising, and operations to develop and execute winning solutions that drive sustainable growth.

Job Description:

Business Ownership & Strategic Leadership

• Overall retail vision and strategy.
• Retail P&L performance and annual operating plan delivery.
• Chain and strategic retail customer growth.
• Executive-level buyer and customer relationships.
• Strategic supplier partnerships and alignment.
• Annual business planning processes.
• Retail promotional calendar development and execution.
• Market pricing strategy and competitive positioning.
• Merchandising strategy and execution standards.
• Leadership and development of key retail personnel, including Chain Leadership, Retail Leadership, and Merchandising teams.

Key Responsibilities

Drive Business Results

• Deliver annual volume, revenue, profit, and share growth goals across all assigned retail channels and strategic customers.
• Help retailers grow their spirits, beer, wine, and non-alcohol categories through Johnson Brothers solutions that increase households, trips, basket size, and overall category profitability.
• Develop and execute channel-specific sales, distribution, pricing, merchandising, and promotional strategies that support both short and long-term Johnson Brothers objectives.
• Develop annual volume, revenue, and share growth goals in partnership with branch and corporate leadership teams.
• Deliver supplier goals and key performance indicators on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key regional and national retail decision makers at both local and corporate levels.
• Cultivate trusted partnerships with customers through collaborative business planning, innovative growth solutions, and consistent execution.
• Utilize syndicated data, customer scorecards, market analytics, and consumer insights to identify opportunities and drive performance.
• Lead annual customer business reviews and supplier planning sessions.
• Ensure flawless execution of promotions, displays, assortment initiatives, pricing programs, and new product launches.
• Proactively identify and resolve performance gaps related to supplier priorities, inventory management, distribution, merchandising, and promotional effectiveness.

Retail Strategy & Customer Development

• Establish the long-term retail growth strategy for the market.
• Drive strategic growth initiatives with chain and key retail customers.
• Oversee development and execution of annual business plans with suppliers and major retail customers.
• Lead retail pricing strategy to maximize profitability and competitiveness.
• Own and direct the retail promotional calendar to ensure alignment among suppliers, customers, and sales teams.
• Develop merchandising strategies that improve visibility, shopper engagement, and sales performance.
• Partner with Trade Development and supplier teams to identify emerging trends and growth opportunities.

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and empower direct and indirect teams to achieve business objectives and deliver exceptional results.
• Provide leadership for retail, chain, and merchandising functions within the market.
• Build organizational capability through coaching, field engagement, mentoring, and succession planning.
• Ensure proactive communication and collaboration between market chain teams, national accounts, supplier customer development teams, merchandising teams, and retail sales leadership.
• Serve as the market subject matter expert for all retail and chain business activities.
• Conduct regular field coaching and development sessions to build team capabilities and execution excellence.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Supplier & Customer Partnership

• Serve as a strategic partner and growth advisor to both suppliers and customers.
• Lead executive-level business reviews and strategic planning sessions.
• Present market performance, opportunities, and recommendations to supplier and customer leadership teams.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver integrated commercial solutions that drive mutual growth.
• Establish Johnson Brothers as the preferred strategic partner within the retail marketplace.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in beverage alcohol, consumer packaged goods, retail sales, chain account management, or commercial leadership.
• 5+ years of experience leading customer-facing sales teams, people managers, and cross-functional business initiatives.
• Proven track record of delivering profitable revenue growth, market share gains, supplier performance objectives, and annual operating plan results.
• Experience owning a business unit, P&L, or significant commercial portfolio.
• Strong understanding of the highly regulated three-tier beverage alcohol distribution system.
• Experience managing strategic relationships with national, regional, and local retail customers, including executive-level buyers and decision-makers.
• Deep understanding of syndicated data, category management, pricing strategy, promotional effectiveness, merchandising, and consumer insights.
• Proven ability to convert actionable insights into competitive advantages and measurable business results.
• Excellent solution-oriented, data-driven selling capabilities with strong financial and business acumen.
• Exceptional presentation, negotiation, communication, and executive relationship management skills.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Power BI, syndicated data platforms, and sales analytics tools.
• Ability to travel throughout the market and key customer locations as needed.

The expected pay range for this role is $115,000 - $150,000. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role. Actual placement within range will be contingent upon several factors, including but not limited to the candidate's qualifications, education, experience, internal equity, union status (where applicable) and alignment with market data. Johnson Brothers offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, health savings and flexible spending accounts. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k) with an employer match, short term disability coverage, company-paid long term disability insurance, generous paid time off (PTO) plans and paid parental leave.

Johnson Brothers is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fair treatment and hiring based on qualifications. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.

Johnson Brothers is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fair treatment and hiring based on qualifications. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time