Italian Icons Brand Ambassador, East

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The expected base salary for this position ranges from $94,000 - $100,000. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors and considerations. In addition to base salary and a generous employee benefits package, employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus

General Description of the Role

The Italian Icons Portfolio Ambassador is a full-time position dedicated to brand building and education with trade and distributor partners, while supporting volume-driving activities for the Campari America Italian Icons portfolio, focused primarily on Aperol and Campari with support for Averna, Cynar, Cinzano Vermouth and Braulio, as needed. The Ambassador must be passionate about the category, a strong believer in trade advocacy and education and be a dynamic public speaker who can represent our brands as a product expert and deliver key brand messages to trade and consumer audiences.

The Ambassador will focus on forming essential partnerships with industry influencers as well as leveraging existing relationships to drive awareness and affinity among trade.  Through education and outreach this role will serve to support relationship management in key accounts, menu placements, staff trainings, and brand activation at industry events. This position will be a Spokesperson for the brand and plays a crucial role in elevating the organization as an industry leader in the On-Premise. The Ambassador will need to be able to travel up to 60% of the year.

Additionally, the Italian Icons Portfolio Ambassador will play an important role in the scaling of the Aperol PASS training program, in coordination with Campari Academy and the Field Sales Team working with Camparistas across all company functions and is inclusive of distributor personnel in focus markets. Considering the importance of the Aperol Spritz Perfect Serve and Campari Negroni to Campari America and Campari Group, this portion of the role will be of critical importance in 2024 and beyond. The Ambassador should demonstrate a deep connection to the Italian Aperitivo and cocktail culture and therefore be able to authentically speak passionately about this space and be the centerpiece of ongoing training and brand building.  

Mission/Objectives

The Italian Icons Portfolio Ambassador is focused on driving advocacy for their portfolio of brands and the Campari America organization through strong relationship-building, education, events and localized programming that engages the trade and distributors in influential markets and accounts.

Key Responsibilities and Activities

Education

• Serve as product and category expert representing Campari and Aperol (primary) and Averna, Cynar, Cinzano Vermouth and Braulio (secondary focus) amongst industry peers (media, consumer, trade and internal teams)
• Captivate and educate on key attributes of Aperitivo and Cocktail Culture with Campari America’s Italian Icons Portfolio through highly engaging and interactive presentations
• Support sales teams in market with distributor trainings or meetings, account trainings and trade events
• Reinforce cocktail strategy (Aperol Spritz and Negroni) and include mixology as medium to support brand message and quality where appropriate
• Support Campari Academy with auditing and management of brand training tool kits and materials to continuously improve education materials
• Lead training of distributor sales force in focus markets

Outreach & Engagement

• Create unique brand experiences to inspire and excite trade
• Grow relationships and build goodwill in core set of influential accounts with an eye towards building an influential network
• Inspire accounts and bartenders to become advocates
• Host/manage itineraries for Global Brand Ambassador visits to US and/or trade trips to distilleries as needed
• Savvy use of social media to maintain and develop network and promote brand education, events, and other initiatives

Events & PR

• Co-host high profile trade events as Italian Portfolio representative with other team members and/or industry talent
• Assist in planning and execution of national, local and ad hoc events to support trade or consumer initiatives
• Identify event opportunities and ways to activate them
• Support brand-executed consumer or PR events as needed including recruitment and hosting, charismatic interview delivery

Admin & Communications

• Act as key on-the-ground contact for internal and external stakeholders as it pertains to market insights, trends, etc. 
• KPI monitoring and event recapping as it pertains to all in-market activity
• Budget tracking and management of monthly expense reports
• Regular and consistent communications with management team inclusive of status calls, email updates, etc.

Other

• Assist with drink strategy and cocktail development as requested
• Support new product and innovation projects
• Support Regional and National Accounts On-Premise teams with RFPs, trainings, or events as needed
• Report On-Premise and/or spirit trends along with ideas on how Campari America can leverage for the business

Key Relationships

Internal:

• Brand Ambassador Team
• On-Premise Team
• CCM VP
• CCMLT – Off-Premise / Ecommerce Director, Operations Director, Analytics, Academy Lead
• Field Sales
• National / Regional Accounts
• Field Marketing Team
• Marketing / Category Directors
• Brand Managers

External: 

• BTL Agencies
• Distributors
• Key Customers / National and Regional Accounts
• Industry Data and Analytics Providers

Other Job Requirements

• BA/BS degree preferred
• On-Premise familiarity and experience is required
• Knowledge of distilled spirits is required
• Deep Aperitivo and Amari category knowledge and experience required
• Experienced bartender who is passionate and knowledgeable about the brands as well as cocktail culture and education
• Demonstrate the art and process of cocktail making
• Must be knowledgeable of On-Premise trends and industry influencers
• Must be knowledgeable of spirits industry events and activities
• Must have relationships with existing bartender influencers and key On-Premise gatekeepers in multiple markets
• Ability to forge relationships with bar community
• Prior experience working with and presenting to media/PR is preferred.
• Prior experience with public speaking and presenting is required.
• Sales/marketing experience is preferred (Spirits and Wine experience a plus).
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Clean driving record
• Willing to travel when needed/requested up to 60%.

Required Competencies

• Excellent presentation skills and an ability to retain key product information.
• Organizing, planning and coordinating skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Influential and excellent communicator with strong interpersonal skills. 
• A proficiency in Microsoft office tools (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Teams).
• Proactive and deadline-oriented self-starter.
• Capable of budget management.
• Result-oriented with strong commitment and ownership towards achieving goals.

• Respects deadlines and commitments
• Willingness to work full-time, nontraditional, late-night hours as required

Other

Essential Job Functions

• Ability to travel 60% of the time (sometimes non-traditional days/hours)
• Hands-on management of events to include ability to directly assist in event set-up
• Make verbal and written presentations using standard office applications and software
• Lift up to 35 lb.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

At Campari Group we believe in building more value together, thus we see diversity in all forms as a source of enrichment. Our employment policies and practices ensure that we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities in all aspects of employment without regard to any individual’s race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or characteristics or expression, political affiliation or activity, age, veteran status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Note to applicants:

Your application will be assessed based on your abilities, expertise, general knowledge and experience, not because of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information you may possess. You must not disclose to Campari Group any such information. In the event that you are asked a question that cannot be answered without disclosure of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information (including from a current or prior employer or their vendors or customers), you must decline to answer the question.

Notice to third party agencies:

Please refrain from cold-calling or emailing our executive leadership team or the HR community directly. The Talent Acquisition department manages centralized recruiting operations globally, including the selection and management of external suppliers. Currently, our preferred supplier list is at full capacity. To ensure we have your information on file for future consideration, we kindly request that you complete the online form provided here.