Key Account Manager - Midwest (Chicago, Milwaukee, or Des Moines)

ABOUT US:

Here at Garage Beer, we take light beer seriously and everything else lightly. We proudly embrace our role as the underdog in a category that often forgets beer is supposed to be fun. With a 200% growth in social media followers in just the last year and an expanding network of distribution, we continue to be the fastest growing beer brand in the country! No jargon, no ego, no overthinking it. Just crisp, easy drinking beer made for the garage and everywhere else.

ABOUT YOU:

You show up for the moments that matter, whether that’s collaborating with the team, building something new, or just making the day-to-day better. You’re dependable, self-aware, and easy to work with. At the end of the day, we’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for real people who care about doing good work and having a good time. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and neither should you!

Job Title: Key Accounts Manager

Location: Remote - Midwest, preferably in Chicago, Milwaukee, or Des Moines

What We’re Looking For:

Someone who can lead and grow Garage Beer’s presence within national and key retail chain accounts across the assigned region. You know how to build strong relationships with buyers, influence decisions, and translate customer priorities into strategic, actionable plans. You’re comfortable navigating complex account structures, using data to drive conversations, and partnering cross‑functionally to deliver best‑in‑class execution. Most importantly, you can balance strategic planning with hands‑on follow‑through to ensure our commitments are met and our brand continues to win in high‑visibility retail environments.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead customer business plans across multiple geographies to achieve volume, profit, and market share goals

Build and maintain strong relationships with key retail partners, buying offices, and internal stakeholders

Leverage customer, sales, and market insights to guide strategic account planning and identify high‑impact growth opportunities

Lead strategy implementation across assigned retailers and channels to ensure alignment and strong execution

Collaborate cross‑functionally with sales leadership, marketing, operations, and distributor partners to ensure alignment on priorities and seamless execution

Conduct regular in‑market visits to evaluate performance, monitor execution, and identify opportunities for improvement

Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with 4+ years in retail sales, key accounts, or account management within CPG or beverage/alcohol

Proven ability to manage key accounts, build strong customer relationships, and support sales growth

Strong communication and problem‑solving skills that influence decisions and drive execution

Ability to analyze sales trends, interpret data, and identify growth opportunities

Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment

Ability to travel regularly within the assigned territory, with occasional travel for meetings and company events

Bonus Points If You:

Bring Beer‑Industry Know‑How: You’ve worked in the beer or alcohol category and understand how distributors and chain programming operate

Excel With Retail Data: You’re comfortable using Nielsen, IRI, VIP, Karma, or similar tools to uncover insights and opportunities

Drive Key-Account Growth: You have a track record of expanding distribution and winning with national or key chain accounts

Stay Curious and Adaptive: You thrive in fast‑moving environments, spot trends early, and turn ambiguity into clear, actionable solutions

What We Offer:

Impactful Work: Fast-moving environment where you can actually see your ideas come to life instead of getting stuck in layers of meetings

Our Culture: A place where we’re building a fast-growing beer brand while making sure work is still fun

Competitive Compensation: Base salary range of $125,000 - $140,000 annually with the potential for a performance-based incentive.

Comprehensive Benefits: Currently, our medical, dental, vision, and short-term disability premiums are paid at 100% by Garage Beer. We also offer voluntary benefits and an EAP, and are continually evaluating our benefit offerings

Flexible Time Off: We offer a flexible PTO policy so you can take the time you need to recharge, in addition to company-observed holidays

The salary range is our good-faith estimate at the time of posting. Please note that actual offers are determined by a combination of individual experience, specific skill sets, internal equity, and geographic location.

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