State Manager - Illinois

Sazerac Company Overview

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Traveller, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Svedka, Wheatley, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

Job Description/Responsibilities

As a State Manager, you'll be the senior field leader responsible for driving distributor performance, building priority brands, and delivering volume and financial results across one of our most critical markets. This role is designed for a proven distributor manager—someone who knows how to set expectations, hold partners accountable, and win at execution across on- and off-premise channels.

What You'll Do:

• Lead distributor performance across Illinois, setting clear volume goals, KPIs, and execution standards while driving accountability through regular reviews and data tracking.
• Establish strong operating rhythms with distributor leadership to ensure focus on priority brands and consistent in-market execution.
• Develop and execute business plans, owning forecasting, budgeting, and financial performance to meet volume, revenue, and profit targets.
• Identify pricing and revenue optimization opportunities while ensuring disciplined use of trade and commercial spend.
• Drive distribution, visibility, and execution of priority brands across all channels, including new product launches and innovation initiatives.
• Build senior-level relationships with distributor partners and key customers while leveraging market insights to identify growth opportunities and improve execution.

Qualifications/Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum 5 years of sales management and/or distributor management in CPG or Alcohol Beverage
• Proven experience leading distributors, distributor teams, or direct reports

Preferred:

• Demonstrated ability to set strategy, manage KPIs, and deliver results through distributor partners
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, planning, and performance analysis

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift up to 35 pounds

Culture and Benefits

Sazerac offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401K, paid time off, and more. These benefits may vary depending on location and work type. Learn more about how we support our employees here. 

The annual salary range for this role is $142,000 - $213,000. Final compensation will be based on relevant experience, qualifications, geographic location, and internal pay equity considerations. Roles within our Commercial and Sales team may be eligible for additional compensation, such as car allowance, cell phone reimbursement, commissions, and/or annual bonuses. Please ask your recruiter for more details about the total package for your role.

Sazerac is committed to equality of opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status. 

What’s Next: 

After you apply, a recruiter will review your application and reach out to qualified candidates. Selected candidates will follow our interview process, which may include a phone screen, hiring manager interview, and panel interviews with business leaders. There may be additional steps or assessments throughout the process dependent on the position. Applicants who are not selected to move through the process, at any stage, will be notified via email. 

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