Job Details
Location: 75% Field. 25% BHAKTA Spirits Campus in Poultney, VT.
Position Description: This role will be responsible for identifying, building, and leveraging strategic relationships within the spirits collector and connoisseur community to drive recruitment of High-Net-Worth individuals, maximize brand awareness and sales opportunities across our luxury portfolio. The Private Client Manager will establish direct connections with high-end Private Clients and cultivate brand loyalty, influence purchases of our fine and rare spirits collections, and maximize sales opportunities while planning and executing business strategies.
THE COMPANY AND OUR MISSION
Founded by visionary entrepreneur Raj Peter Bhakta also the founder of WhistlePig Whiskey BHAKTA offers a luxury craft spirits portfolio of limited release Single Vintage whiskeys, brandies, rums, and more, anchored by its ancient and awe-inspiring Armagnac holdings dating back to 1868. BHAKTA Spirits is now home to the largest collection of spirits over the age of 50 and over half of the world s spirits over the age of 100.
BHAKTA Spirits is a global drinks and hospitality company embarking on a mission to help consumers Find Their Spirit . We are bringing this mission to life through extraordinary entertainment and hospitality on our scenic, rural Vermont college campus that is undergoing a transformation that embodies the true spirit of American Revival. Now more than ever, America needs a place where people can come together with old friends and meet new ones, push pause to savor the gift of time, and be inspired and entertained on a journey of discovery to find their favorite spirit. We believe that BHAKTA Spirits, starting with our first location in Vermont, will breathe life into our brands and become a hub of connection and camaraderie.
Responsibilities
Include but are not limited to the following:
Client Recruitment
- Cultivate individual relationships with high potential clients to build Bhakta Spirits brand loyalty and drive repeat purchasing
- Leverage existing relationships within the community to build an extensive network of High-Net-Worth consumers and convert those relationships to stockholder collection sales
- Continually develop and implement strategies to identify and secure target groups and individual high potential clients
- Seek strategic partnerships and other collaborative business opportunities to maximize brand exposure and leverage resources
- Communicate strategies, priorities, and activities to key stakeholders, including Brand and Private Client teams to ensure ongoing alignment with brand and business strategies
- Represent the Bhakta brands to the highest level of luxury standards to generate goodwill and aspiration among VIP clients, events, media, business partners, etc.
- Host high-end clientele at BHAKTA Spirits Campus to drive education and custom barrel sales
Sales
- Significantly increase the BHAKTA Spirits luxury brands presence within the private client community
- Develop and execute a sales strategy specific to high-potential clients and VIP engagement, to achieve business growth
- Identify new sales opportunities for new business development and recommend actions for our luxury brand initiatives
- Partner with Finance, Sales, and Private Client leaders to establish sales and depletion KPIs within the luxury consumer channel
- Develop and maintain relationships in our CRM (customer relationship manager)
- Monitor and analyze spending trends among High-End spirits consumers and apply findings to future planning
Education
- Spearhead industry leading educational seminars for luxury spirits influencers and tastemakers
- Provide timely communications for upcoming luxury spirit releases to private clients
- Monitor relevant business activity and provide feedback to key stakeholders concerning competitive activities and market trends, in the context of the HNWI community
- Create and execute events that will showcase our luxury brands for the target clientele
Finance
- Utilize Concur to manage your T&E and promotional budget
Qualifications
The successful candidate will have 5-7 years of luxury sales experience, having built a tremendous track record and networking community and a genuine passion for the luxury spirit space. A confident, assertive individual with storytelling prowess, charisma, passion for fine food and beverage, and a clear willingness and passion for learning. Additional qualifications include demonstrated experience in the following areas:
Must have:
An active rolodex of HNWI spirits clients
Positive demeanor
Collaborative and creative personality
Highly refined communication, negotiation and influencing skills
Excellent oral & written communication skills
A valid driver's license
Ability and willingness to work non-traditional hours (nights/weekends)
Strong planning and organizational skills
Preferred
- Bachelor s degree in business, History, theater, or commensurate experience
- Event coordination/production experience
- Industry expertise in the rare, specialty, and luxury spirits space
- Previous Wholesaler or Supplier experience
- Familiar with luxury consumer brands and marketing
- Certified Spirits Specialist, or comparative certificate
- Adequate knowledge of spirits categories including but not limited to: brandy, whiskey, rum, vodka, gin, tequila, mezcal, bitters, cordials
- Knowledge of the dynamics of the three-tier beverage alcohol distribution system
Skills/Attributes
- Storytellers must be able to entertain, engage, educate, and captivate consumers of all knowledge bases and backgrounds. Naturally charismatic, charming, and magnetic. Strong presenter with demonstrated public speaking skills.
- Self-Starter self-motivated with an entrepreneurial and enterprise mindset, having a sense of ownership of their local market and willing to work non-traditional hours (nights/weekends).
- Empathy Must possess the ability to read other s reactions and emotions on the fly and react appropriately. Consider opposing points of view with open-mindedness.
- Trustworthy Core principle of the BHAKTA Spirits team. Freely exchange ideas and thoughts without ego or pretense. Receptive and open to direction. Respects deadlines and commitments.
- Teamwork Willingness to do whatever needs to be done, regardless of whether the task falls within your job description.
- Business Acumen Ability to collect, assess and interpret relevant information and make sound decisions. Strong commercial awareness and selling techniques/skills. Ability to take the job to completion and close the deal .
- Values - Serve as brand champions for a better way of living, believing in the importance of human community and connection. Suspect that much of what ails us can be cured by turning off the computer, shutting down the smartphone, getting outdoors, and embracing time-tested lessons and values drawn from history: the importance of the active life, hard work, embracing adversity, with a focus on community, faith, fun, family, storytelling, conversation, real life, real food, real beverages, and real experiences.
Salary and Benefits
- Competitive Salary: $85-125 based on experience, with appropriate cost of living adjustments applied.
- Uncapped incentive potential aggressive commission based cash bonus for stockholder sales thresholds and KPI achievement with additional cash bonus and UAR Equity awards for over delivering
Comprehensive Employee Benefits Package
- Health (Company Partially Paid)
- Life Insurance $50k (Company Paid)
- 401K (Company Safe Harbor match)
- Vision & Dental (Employee Paid)
- Short and Long Term Disability (Employee Paid)
- Travel reimbursement and expense account
- Paid Time Off - 15 days