What are the responsibilities and job description for the Territory Manager - Detroit, Michigan position at Downeast Cider House?
Territory Manager – Detroit, Michigan
Location: Field Territory: Detroit, Michigan
Schedule: Monday–Friday
Compensation: $45,000–$60,000 Base Uncapped Variable Compensation (20% target / 40% stretch benchmark)
Why Join Downeast? Building a world-class brand takes a world-class team. We front-load our sales roles with clear upside, high autonomy, and direct rewards for growth:
Uncapped Earning Potential: Quarterly variable compensation with clear benchmark targets—top performers earn beyond benchmarks.
Work/Life Balance & Perks: Unlimited PTO, paid holidays, and a monthly phone stipend (up to $100/month).
Travel & Expenses: Full mileage and expense reimbursement.
Health & Financial Security: 401(k) with 4% company match, health & dental insurance, plus company-paid short-term disability.
Culture & Rewards: Regular team contests, sales training retreats, company holiday parties, eligibility for our annual Elite Slinger’s Club trip (last year: Puerto Rico!), and a generous cider allowance.
The Mission
As a Territory Manager, you are the face of Downeast in Detroit. Out in the field 80–90% of your week, you will grow sales, expand distribution, and elevate visibility across both on- and off-premise accounts. You will build deep relationships with wholesalers and account decision-makers, execute with consistency, and drive Downeast toward becoming the #1 hard cider in America.
What You’ll Do
Sell, Sell, Sell: Execute monthly and quarterly sales goals. Prospect, pitch, and close new on- and off-premise accounts while introducing new products and securing high-impact displays, promotions, and point-of-sale merchandising. Maintain product freshness and quality standards.
Flex Your People Skills: Spend the vast majority of your week visiting account decision-makers and working alongside wholesaler reps. Leverage ride-alongs and joint sales calls to maximize visibility and drive volume.
Keep Track of It All: Log account activity, visit notes, and contact info in VIP / Karma CRM. Deliver clear weekly account recaps to wholesaler partners to keep momentum high.
Who You Are
Driven by winning, relationship-building, and high-volume account sales in the field.
Clear, confident, and professional communicator who welcomes feedback and views coaching as a competitive advantage.
Highly disciplined, self-motivated, and comfortable navigating a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Passionate about craft beverage and excited to represent the Downeast brand.
What You Need
Must be at least 21 years old (federal & state alcohol regulations).
Must reside within the Detroit territory.
Valid driver’s license and a reliable personal vehicle.
Bonus Points
Experience in outside sales or the beverage industry (beer, wine, spirits, or cider).
Experience using CRM software (VIP / Karma) and Google Suite.
Strong background in customer service and account management.
Don’t check every single box? We value grit, hustle, and passion above all else. If this role speaks to you, apply with a one-page cover letter telling us why—no "to whom it may concern" required.
About Downeast Cider
We first started fermenting batches of cider up at Bates College in 2011. We have a few more teammates now. You can now buy our cider in tens of thousands of retailers, not just a couple of bars in central Maine. It takes us 15 minutes to make a pallet of cider, not the 12 hours it took in the early days. We’re diversifying beyond cider, but our aim remains the same:
We aspire to be an enduring company. If we create value for our customers, we create value for ourselves through fulfilling work and robust compensation. To do this requires a world-class brand, and a world-class team.
We define our culture by seven principles. You can read more about those principles on our website.
Unfiltered Hiring
We like to hire the way we like our cider: unfiltered. With the understanding that we can learn and grow from each other’s differences, we are proud to hire regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, or anything else that makes us who we are.