Job Overview
We’re looking for someone brilliant to help get sell even more of our spirits into on and off-trade venues across Manchester and the North West.
It’s part business development, part brand ambassador: you’ll find and win new customers, look after the relationships you build and some of our existing clients to bring our brands to life through tastings, training and events. We’re a small team, so you won’t be buried beneath layers of management. You’ll work directly with us, have the freedom to shape your territory and be able to see the difference your work makes.
About us
The Spirit of Manchester Distillery is an independent spirits business. We started Manchester Gin at home and have since built an award-winning portfolio spanning gin, vodka, rum and English whisky. Distilling is at the heart of who we are and everything we do. We’ve just launched Manchester Rum, our five-year-aged rum, and there is plenty more exciting launches in the pipeline. We care about making beautiful spirits, telling people about it and working with people who genuinely want to be part of what we’re building.
Responsibilities
- Finding and winning new on/off-trade customers across the North West, from great independents to regional hospitality groups.
- Building a strong pipeline, planning your territory well and confidently taking opportunities from first conversation through to listing.
- Looking after new and existing accounts, helping them get the most from our products and spotting opportunities to grow the relationship.
- Representing us at tastings, events & activations and delivering engaging training hospitality teams.
- Building genuine relationships across the North West drinks and hospitality community.
- Keeping on top of your contacts, conversations and next steps so we always know what’s moving and where support is needed.
- Sharing what you’re seeing and hearing in the market—customer feedback, new opportunities, competitor activity and ideas worth trying.
- Working closely with us to make sure we do what we’ve promised and look after our customers properly.
About you...
You don’t need to arrive knowing everything, but you do need to be commercially minded, comfortable talking to people and excited by the idea of helping a small independent drinks business grow.
- You will have have around three years’ experience in strong hospitality experience with clear examples of driving sales and building customer relationships.
- Ideally you'll have around a years' drinks sales / business development or account management experience
- You’re happy starting conversations, opening doors, following up and asking for the sale.
- You understand how bars, restaurants, hotels and hospitality groups work and what makes a drinks listing valuable to them.
- You’re confident, warm and credible. You can sell our products without sounding like a sales script and hold the attention of a room during a tasting or training session.
- You’re organised and self-motivated. You’ll be out in the field much of the time, so we need someone who can plan their week, keep good records and follow things through.
- You’re comfortable with targets and basic sales numbers, and able to talk honestly about what is (and isn’t) working.
- You’re willing to get stuck in. We’re a small business, and occasionally everyone helps with something outside their neat job description.
- You have a full UK driving licence, can travel regularly across the North West and can be flexible for occasional evening or weekend events.
What we offer
- £30,000-£35,000 salary, depending on experience, plus a performance-related bonus.
- Mileage reimbursement or an appropriate travel allowance for the field-based part of the role.
- Product and category training, with support to build your drinks knowledge.
- Plenty of autonomy, direct access to us and the opportunity to make a real mark on the business as we grow.
Send us your CV and a short note telling us why the role feels right for you.
Pay: £30,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Manchester M3 4JJ
