Director, Bulk Sales & Contract Distillation

Location: Louisville, KY, US

Careers that unlock the magic of human connection  

Pernod Ricard is a global premium spirits and wine company. We’re the team behind leading brands such as ABSOLUT® Vodka, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Malibu®, Kahlúa® Liqueur, Beefeater® Gin, and Avión™ Tequila, as well as many more superior wines and exquisite champagnes!  

Working at Pernod Ricard is all about igniting conviviality in all that we do. Derived from the French word, convivialité…it means human connection, authenticity, friendly, and jovial. Conviviality is energy and spirit with a splash of je ne sais quoi and is a core philosophy around how we live and work at Pernod Ricard. Here, we are team players, dream makers, trailblazers, movers and (cocktail) shakers. We have a passion for living life to the fullest, making new friends every day, and realizing our potential as people and as a business!  

The salary range for this role, based in Louisville is $138,000.00 to $172,500.00. The range will vary if outside of this location. Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a candidate’s experience, skills against internal peers and against the scope and responsibilities of the position. 

Position Summary

1) Based upon the long-term commercial sequence of our different brands and the run rates of our different distilleries, manage our contract distillation & aged liquid sales & acquisitions to optimize our inventory, cash and profit.

2) Responsible for the end-to-end quality of delivery (sampling, product, transportation, invoicing and relationship) of whiskey from the site to the customer.

3) Develops a clear, measurable and specific plan against the organization’s vision and needs in bulk sales and contract distillation across the North American (Canada and US) Whiskey sites. 

4) Drives the development, maintenance, and communication of the business of contract distillation & bulk aged whiskey, in addition to barrel procurement.

5) Builds and develops a network of customers and key contacts through industry knowledge and experience.

6) Builds strong relationships within the Pernod network with all the site leads, legal, head of American Whiskey operations, finance, and external partners to lead cross-functional communication and requirements in conjunction with site capabilities & commercial plans.

7) In conjunction with the VP of American Whiskey Operations, legal, operations personnel and associated financial counterparts, this role will formalize and implement the process needed including:

• Bulk sale agreements.
• Contract distillation agreements.
• Aging warehouse agreements.
• Blending, sampling and other service agreements as required.
• Capacity planning input to site planner(s).
• Communication to customers and operations personnel.
• Customer relationship management and communications.
• Attendance and booth management at trade / industry events.
• Timely follow-up on customer leads and questions.
• Facility tours and customer handling.
• Bulk shipping and barrel handling input based upon customer needs.
• Procurement support & pricing for customer-related needs (such as finishing barrels) and services.

8) Develops the bulk aged & contract distillation business for North American Whiskeys in the midst of challenging environments by demonstrating high personal commitment, professionalism, and commitment to integrity, serving as a role model to those in within and external to Pernod.

9) Serve as a brand ambassador to Pernod Ricard’s distillation and warehousing sites, inspiring team members with shared purpose, industry knowledge, and accountability for the how and what of delivering performance.

Key Responsibilities

Identify, build, and curate the Bulk Aged & Contract Distillation plan across the Canadian and US Whiskeys. This includes:

• Development of the business targets based upon industry knowledge & competitor awareness
• Business strategy development including identification of current and future risks and trends
• Creation of action plans and