Global Advocacy Manager, Maker's Mark NY or KY

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day.

What makes this a great opportunity?

 

** This position can sit in New York or Kentucky **

 

In 1953, Kentucky distiller Bill Samuels, Sr. set out to create a bourbon whisky to suit any palate. After burning the 170-year-old family recipe, he created a full flavored yet easy-to-drink recipe using red winter wheat. Co-founder Margie Samuels was inspired to create a name and bottle design that celebrated the handmade values of the handmade bourbon – to this day each and every bottle of Maker’s is still hand-dipped in the brand’s signature red wax at our National Historic Landmark Distillery on Star Hill Farm. Maker’s Mark is recognized as the first craft distillery in America while aspiring to become a global icon, while leading as a force for good in the world as a certified B-Corp brand.

 

We are looking for people who bring something unique to Maker’s Mark - themselves. We value differences, and we appreciate what each of us can contribute. We inspire each other, and challenge ourselves to innovate, improve, advance new ideas and try new things. We create endless opportunities to Unleash Your Spirit every day in a culture that is charged, creative, challenging and fun.

 

Reporting to the Vice President Brand, Maker’s Mark, you will be responsible for leading efforts to build advocacy for the Maker’s Mark, both internally and externally, in support of our Globalization ambition.  
 
Working with cross functional teams, including our Brand Home and Force for Good teams, you will work create a vision for Maker’s Mark advocacy teams around the world, building programs, assets and initiatives that educate and inspire target audiences about Maker’s Mark.  In addition, you’ll act as a key point of contact for local advocacy resources around the world, ensuring they are armed with the knowledge, best practices and support they need to build advocacy at a local level.  

Role Responsibilities

 

1.    Vision & Strategic Planning: 
With support from the leadership team, develop and implement a comprehensive brand advocacy strategy aligned with the Maker’s Mark brand house objectives and values. Create an inspiring vision for the role of Maker’s Mark advocacy around the world, addressing our objectives of Globalization, Premiumization & Driving Relevance across our key markets while integrating our values as a “Force for Good” within the industry.

 

2.    Define Program Objectives, Resources and Route to Market: 
With support from the leadership team, define the role, objectives and goals for Advocacy within the Brand House, while specifically defining objectives and ways of working for three key advocacy programs: i) Private Selection Single Barrel program; ii) Diplomat Program; iii) MM role within the SGS Prestige Workstream.

 

3.    Impact our Presence & Relationships with the On-Trade: 
Propose ways of working and partnerships that will build Maker’s Mark connection to the On-Premise, in particular in support of our premiumization journey and “Big Bet” markets. Ensure our on-going presence and partnerships with new, lapsed and existing High Image Accounts to drive relevance amongst influential consumers.

 

4.    Create Brand Programming that Brings to Life the Brand Platform in ways that can Engage and Inspire our On-Trade partners:
Create an advocacy toolkit that delivers inspiring quarterly programs to bring to life our Brand Platform, Monogatari Brand Culture within the On-Trade. Ensure opportunities to scale according to life-stage of a market. This may include a Bartender Competition or similar, to engage leaders in the industry with our brand culture.

 

5.    Brand Education:
Set the strategy, develop educational programs and training materials for internal teams, trade partners, and consumers to deepen understanding and appreciation of the Maker’s Mark category and our brands within. Collaborate with the Brand Home team for inspiration and alignment in execution. Utilize and apply best practice from other Brand Houses.

Additional Responsibilities

 

6.    Coaching and Influence: 
Provide coaching and support to th