OPT Sales Route Driver Jobs
Sales Route Driver jobs on OPT are available with employers who sponsor work authorization, typically under STEM or standard OPT. These roles involve physical delivery, client relationship management, and route optimization, skills that map well to business and logistics degree programs eligible for OPT authorization.
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Get Access To All JobsReq ID: 259963
Job Location: West Odessa, Kermit and Monahans, TX.
Work days/Shift Hours: 6:00am - until completion / On call weekends as business determines / Combo stores.
Compensation: Starting pay based on experience. Additional earning opportunities may include performance-based incentives, quarterly bonuses, referral bonuses, and comprehensive benefits.
General Purpose
The Route Sales Manager is responsible for identifying sales opportunities, maximizing profitability, maintaining merchandising standards and order replenishment activities within the assigned territory/route. This role will lead a team of four to six Merchandisers / Order Replenishment Merchandisers that will maintain merchandising standards and order replenishment activities within a designated geographic area.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead a team of Merchandisers/Order Replenishment Merchandisers (ORMs) to maintain merchandising standards, lead order replenishment and PICOs execution in an assigned geographic territory
- Maximize profitable sales opportunities by thoroughly understanding the complexities of the channel or customer's business and building enduring relationships based on trust and integrity with that customer's management team
- Successfully sell customer plans that include annual CMAs, strategic and tactical pricing plans along with promotional plans
- Evaluate outlet opportunities. Ability to collaboratively sell and overcome customer objections
- Lead customers in reaching sales potential on company products by offering creative merchandising ideas
- Propose appropriate brands, packages, and equipment to satisfy customer and consumer needs while fully leveraging national and local marketing initiatives with customers
- Execute channel and customer promotions/programs that leverage national brand ideas/thinking and consumer insights to drive increased consumer preference and customer activity
- Sell-in and implement promotional strategies for the introduction of new brands and packages
- Activate Coca Cola Southwest Beverages system (e.g., cross-functional team members, segment resources) to develop and implement business plan/solution that meets customer needs and drive beverage category profit and volume, contributing to overall sales growth for the customers' entire business
- Solve issues that arise during execution and eliminate barriers
- Track daily, weekly and monthly call activity and performance measurements against assigned goals and expectations
- Conduct post promotional analysis measuring the success levels of promotions making any necessary changes
- Proactively arrange time and territory to achieve optimum face-to-face selling opportunities
- Train, evaluate and develop team of Merchandisers / ORMs
- Build Merchandising Team Capabilities for future career advancement
- Supervise the daily sales and align merchandising/order replenishment activities through collaboration with Field Sales teams
- Main “Point of Contact” responsible for ordering, transmissions, missed deliveries, dispatch, hot shots, off day deliveries and CSTs
- Build relationships with store managers and outlet team members
- Routinely visit accounts to monitor adherence to merchandising/order replenishment standards and back room management
- Manage labor and OPEX merchandising budgets
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with a high school diploma required
- 3+ years’ experience in consumer products/direct store delivery sales required
- Requires experience managing people/budgets
- 2+ years supervising sales staff
- Packaged goods experience preferred; Some beverage experience an asset
- Strong presence and persuasive presentation skills
- Intermediate computer and database application skills. Ability to multitask handling multiple customer accounts
- Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills. Excellent planning and organization skills
- Ability to operate a manual/powered pallet jack or lift product
- Valid driver’s license and driving record within MVR policy guidelines
- Must have a personal vehicle for use during working hours
- Must have current vehicle liability insurance
- Bilingual ability preferred (Spanish)
Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain Texas or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. Please inform us at talentacquisition@cocacolaswb.com if you need assistance completing this application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Know Your Rights dol.gov
Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.
Req ID: 259963
Job Location: West Odessa, Kermit and Monahans, TX.
Work days/Shift Hours: 6:00am - until completion / On call weekends as business determines / Combo stores.
Compensation: Starting pay based on experience. Additional earning opportunities may include performance-based incentives, quarterly bonuses, referral bonuses, and comprehensive benefits.
General Purpose
The Route Sales Manager is responsible for identifying sales opportunities, maximizing profitability, maintaining merchandising standards and order replenishment activities within the assigned territory/route. This role will lead a team of four to six Merchandisers / Order Replenishment Merchandisers that will maintain merchandising standards and order replenishment activities within a designated geographic area.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead a team of Merchandisers/Order Replenishment Merchandisers (ORMs) to maintain merchandising standards, lead order replenishment and PICOs execution in an assigned geographic territory
- Maximize profitable sales opportunities by thoroughly understanding the complexities of the channel or customer's business and building enduring relationships based on trust and integrity with that customer's management team
- Successfully sell customer plans that include annual CMAs, strategic and tactical pricing plans along with promotional plans
- Evaluate outlet opportunities. Ability to collaboratively sell and overcome customer objections
- Lead customers in reaching sales potential on company products by offering creative merchandising ideas
- Propose appropriate brands, packages, and equipment to satisfy customer and consumer needs while fully leveraging national and local marketing initiatives with customers
- Execute channel and customer promotions/programs that leverage national brand ideas/thinking and consumer insights to drive increased consumer preference and customer activity
- Sell-in and implement promotional strategies for the introduction of new brands and packages
- Activate Coca Cola Southwest Beverages system (e.g., cross-functional team members, segment resources) to develop and implement business plan/solution that meets customer needs and drive beverage category profit and volume, contributing to overall sales growth for the customers' entire business
- Solve issues that arise during execution and eliminate barriers
- Track daily, weekly and monthly call activity and performance measurements against assigned goals and expectations
- Conduct post promotional analysis measuring the success levels of promotions making any necessary changes
- Proactively arrange time and territory to achieve optimum face-to-face selling opportunities
- Train, evaluate and develop team of Merchandisers / ORMs
- Build Merchandising Team Capabilities for future career advancement
- Supervise the daily sales and align merchandising/order replenishment activities through collaboration with Field Sales teams
- Main “Point of Contact” responsible for ordering, transmissions, missed deliveries, dispatch, hot shots, off day deliveries and CSTs
- Build relationships with store managers and outlet team members
- Routinely visit accounts to monitor adherence to merchandising/order replenishment standards and back room management
- Manage labor and OPEX merchandising budgets
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with a high school diploma required
- 3+ years’ experience in consumer products/direct store delivery sales required
- Requires experience managing people/budgets
- 2+ years supervising sales staff
- Packaged goods experience preferred; Some beverage experience an asset
- Strong presence and persuasive presentation skills
- Intermediate computer and database application skills. Ability to multitask handling multiple customer accounts
- Strong attention to detail and follow-up skills. Excellent planning and organization skills
- Ability to operate a manual/powered pallet jack or lift product
- Valid driver’s license and driving record within MVR policy guidelines
- Must have a personal vehicle for use during working hours
- Must have current vehicle liability insurance
- Bilingual ability preferred (Spanish)
Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain Texas or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. Please inform us at talentacquisition@cocacolaswb.com if you need assistance completing this application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Know Your Rights dol.gov
Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.
See all OPT Sales Route Driver Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Sales Route Driver Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Sales Route Driver
Target distribution companies with established HR processes
Large food, beverage, and consumer goods distributors hire route drivers at scale and are more likely to have immigration counsel on retainer. Smaller independent operators rarely have the infrastructure to sponsor OPT or future H-1B visa status.
Frame your degree as an asset, not just a credential
Employers hiring route drivers don't always expect a college background. Position your logistics, supply chain, or business degree as adding value in route optimization, inventory analysis, or customer account management alongside the driving responsibilities.
Confirm your OPT authorization covers the role before applying
Your OPT must be directly related to your degree field. A logistics or supply chain graduate can generally authorize route driver work. A computer science graduate typically cannot. Mismatched employment violates your F-1 status and risks your work authorization.
Apply early relative to your OPT start date
Route driver roles often require background checks, driving record reviews, and DOT physical clearances. These take two to four weeks. Starting your job search at least 60 days before your OPT start date gives you enough lead time to clear all requirements.
Ask directly about future visa sponsorship during interviews
Route driver roles are generally not specialty occupations eligible for H-1B sponsorship. Ask employers early whether they have pathways to permanent residency or other visa categories so you can plan your immigration timeline without surprises at OPT expiration.
Get your CDL or commercial driving endorsements before your search
Many route driver positions require a commercial driver's license or at minimum a clean driving record review. Obtaining your CDL before applying removes a common employer hesitation and strengthens your candidacy against applicants who still need licensing.
Sales Route Driver OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Sales Route Driver on F-1 OPT?
Yes, if the role is directly related to your degree field. A student with a logistics, supply chain, or business degree can generally authorize sales route driver work under OPT. Your employment must connect to your major, your Designated School Official can confirm whether a specific role qualifies before you accept an offer.
Do Sales Route Driver employers typically sponsor OPT students?
Some do, particularly large regional and national distributors in food, beverage, and consumer goods. Smaller operators rarely have the HR infrastructure or immigration counsel to support sponsorship. When searching for roles, use Migrate Mate to filter specifically for employers who have a track record of sponsoring work authorization for international candidates.
Is a Sales Route Driver job eligible for STEM OPT extension?
Rarely. STEM OPT extension requires both a STEM-designated degree and a role that directly applies STEM knowledge. Most sales route driver positions do not qualify as STEM occupations. Students on a standard 12-month OPT should plan their next immigration step well before their authorization expires, since a 24-month STEM extension is unlikely for this role.
What happens to my OPT if I lose my Sales Route Driver job?
You have a 90-day unemployment buffer across your entire OPT period. If you lose your job, that buffer starts counting immediately. Route driver positions can have high turnover, so it is worth tracking your cumulative unemployment days carefully. Finding a new qualifying employer quickly is important because exceeding 90 days of unemployment terminates your OPT authorization.
Do I need a commercial driver's license to work as a Sales Route Driver on OPT?
It depends on the vehicle class and cargo type. Many sales route positions involve cargo vans or light trucks that require only a standard driver's license. Roles involving larger vehicles or regulated cargo may require a CDL. Confirm the licensing requirements with each employer before applying, since obtaining a CDL after receiving an offer can delay your start date by several weeks.