Field Activation Manager -Southeast

The Field Activation Manager (FAM) will be part of the Distribution team, this role is pivotal in owning Guayaki’s territory, channel strategies and field team's strategy for brand growth by generating excitement and awareness for the Guayaki Yerba Mate brand through product trial and consumer interaction in the US. The Field Activation Manager will be a key contributor to our team, responsible for driving a team of successful sales and distribution execution specialists at retail, along with local marketing activation of the brand. You will be the heart of the Guayaki brand for your region and may need to work evenings and weekends based on a flex schedule.

How you’ll help:

The FAM core responsibilities include leading a team of Field Activation Specialist (FAS), planning, executing and building relationships in your region and targeted consumer markets to ensure teams deliver against KPIs across sales, distribution, and field marketing. 

• Field Sales and Execution team objectives 
  • Work with Director of Field Activation to build unilateral objectives that align with national strategy and prioritize regional priorities to market activation and brand awareness objectives. 
  • Create a calendar with sales & marketing priorities and objectives aligned with monthly business plans for the assigned geographic area. 
  • Align with Distribution Partner Manager’s (DPM) to combine regional objectives into FAM objectives. 
  • Work with Distribution teams to ensure collaborative working relationship with DPM in responsible markets. FAS working directly with the distributor to elevate market performance. 
  • Perform against KPI metrics and achievement-based compensation programs.  
  • Expand channel presence to On-premise. Using channel as a voice for brand awareness and consumer interactions (Sampling/Activations) 
•  New Business Development  
  • Actively Identify and lead the targets for new accounts through coordinated sales efforts and in partnership with DOD and DPMs to increase brand penetration and exceed sales targets.  
  • Develop tools to identify new opportunities to expand shelf space, add additional SKUs/Facings, improve shelf and cooler placements, and achieve assigned rack/display targets.  
  • Lead sampling, brand/marketing development campaigns in Key Retailers to build region level retailer relationships. 
•  Retail Execution Standards and Execution  
  • Active use of Karma to support and monitor in-store promotion execution and display activity within new/existing accounts. Conduct store audits during every visit. 
  • Ensure the brand is adequately merchandised according to planogram standards and shelf/floor space allocation.  
  • In market four days a week 
•  Field Activation Marketing  
  • The goal of field marketing activation is to reach new consumers, excite university students, increase sales and manage the brand execution on and around key campuses. You will be in direct contact with various consumer and customers, inviting product trial and helping to establish Yerba Mate consumption in diverse occasions.  
  • You will have unique understanding of our target group and be responsible through sampling and supported events, of driving the brand image and product understanding, most often on campus. When product sampling, you will ensure that the brand is represented in a premium way, and competently answer questions about the product.  
  • You will build and execute a tailored campus plan which engages students working with a network of on campus bodies, clubs, outlets and Ambacebadors. You will seek to open new distribution points within your university campus and beyond.  
  • You will drive applications for our Ambacebador program, manage a network in your local area, provide them access to product (and fridges), and support their passions and events.  
  • You will drive brand engagement on your social media handles via authentic content and work with our Social team to deliver content for our organic social channels.  
  • During all events and individual sampling missions, you will make sure to direct consumers to priority local chain accounts that carry Guayaki to insure that sampling investments lead to awareness, trial, repeat purchase, and loyalty from consumers. 
•  Regional Leadership and Responsibilities  
  • Lead efforts to hire, train, and performance manage a team of FASs. Ensuring all roles are filled and KPI systems in place to demonstrate a high-performance team. 
  • Engagement of FASs. Continuous continuity of team interactions and camaraderie as teams are operating singularly across multiple markets. 
  • Ensure each FAS has quarterly work-with to coach, develop and recognize.  

 Here’s what you’ll provide:

• Associate or bachelor’s degree.  
• 3+ years of related sales experience in DSD (direct store delivery) beverage is preferred. 
• 2+ years of experience in Field Marketing is preferred.  
• 3+ years of experience managing a team 
• Current Driver's License with clean driving record and meet DOT driving standards. 
• Demonstrated proven success in sales and account management growth in a customer/consumer facing business. 
• The ability to thrive in a highly competitive field sales environment  
• Must be able to work independently and be able to travel regularly.  
• Must have a reliable vehicle and smart phone 
• Must be insurable by the company's automobile insurance carrier 
• Ability to perform physical activities including lifting to 20 lbs. individually and moving up to 50 lbs. with assistance, as required. 
• Proficient in MS Office 
• Excellent communication skills with external customers, peers, supervisors, and internal supporting departments  
• Embody the Guayaki Mission, Vision and Values  

How you'll be successful:

• Proactive Account Expansion: Success is achieved by proactively leading and developing the Field Activation team that will be responsible for increasing outlet count, increased instore execution standards, and the active sampling and marketing of the brand at local events of relevancy to the brand marketing consumer focus. 
• Strong Relationship Building: The internal conduit of Sales, Distribution, and Marketing. Driving the unilateral approach to increase brand awareness. 
• Effective Education and Execution: Successful on-boarding, training and development, KPI achievement, and performance metric measurements. Success also hinges on building working relationships with distributor partners.  
• Foster Community Teams: Encourage and engage working market communities amongst Sales, Marketing, and Distribution. Blurring the lines between role responsibility and market achievement. Combine efforts and saturate markets around key communities and events. 
• Support Key Account and Distributor Sales Efforts: Execute specific sampling programs with priority key accounts to drive velocity & increase likelihood of future chain expansion for the Guayaki business. Partner with the local DPM and distributor

Travel Requirements:

• Travel is an integral part of this role and is expected to account for approximately 90% of the work-related activities being in the field. Some travel outside of market may be required to participate in market blitzes, company meetings and or activations.
• Field Based: 4 days/week.  Home Office: 1 day/week 

What we offer:

At Guayakí Yerba Mate, we're more than just a beverage company: we believe yerba mate culture allows us to "COME TO LIFE" together and is an invitation to personal, social, ecological and cultural regeneration. Market Driven Regeneration™ is Guayakí Yerba Mate’s business model that aspires to create a net positive impact in the world throughout our operations and supply web. It influences the ingredients we source and products we make, distribute, and sell in order to have a positive impact on people and the planet throughout our business.  

As our team expands, we are looking for people to join us who are committed to this aspiration and believe a better world is possible. Our company culture is driven by collaboration, support and teamwork which allows us to grow together. We believe that learning from different perspectives and seeking shared solutions together is an opportunity to grow both individually and as an organization. As an international company rooted in yerba mate native to South America, our people come from different cultures and backgrounds that are welcomed and valued. We question the status quo and seek innovative solutions to help drive the global regenerative business movement. We invite individuals to join our team who embrace work as a collective and aspire to using business as a force for good. 

More about who we are: 

Yerba mate. We love it, we drink it, but what, exactly, is it? Guayakí Yerba Mate started in 1996 as a passion, guided by a purpose and transformed into a brand with the goal of bringing yerba mate to more people. Known to provide a smooth energy boost and improved focus, yerba mate comes from the naturally caffeinated leaves of a species of holly tree found deep in the Atlantic Rainforest of South America and naturally contains a combination of caffeine (also found in coffee), theobromine (also found in chocolate) and polyphenols (also found in green tea) offering a unique beverage experience.  

Guayakí Yerba Mate offers a variety of options to meet energy and refreshment needs through a robust portfolio of ready to drink beverages and traditional loose-leaf products. Brewed with yerba mate and infused with real fruit juices and herbs, Guayaki Yerba Mate is proudly sourced with regenerative, organic and fair-trade certified ingredients.  

To learn more about our impact, check out our Impact Report at: impactreport.guayaki.com 

Guayakí Yerba Mate is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, genetic information, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.