Title: Estate Director (ED)

Overview of Winery’s Business:
This is a unique opportunity to become the Estate Director (ED) for a leading boutique winery located in the Santa Rita Hills AVA. The winery produces approximately 7,500+ cases of primarily Chardonnay & Pinot Noir with small lots Gamay, Grenache and Syrah made almost exclusively from estate vineyards. The winery is looking to bring on an ED to lead its efforts executing strategic DTC and Marketing initiatives, as it looks to complete construction of an entirely new winery and hospitality facility by 2025.

The winery’s objective is to continue to focus on the DTC channel almost exclusively, with membership acquisition and retention being the primary focus. The winery has the reputation for conducting engaging and personalized/curated tours, tastings, experiences that standout amongst peer wineries. Targeted outreach and attraction programs will be a priority focus for the ED, so that loyalty members become the increasingly dominant customer base for the winery and therefore, most of its annual production is solid out upon release.

This Is Also A Unique Opportunity:
* To help lead a pioneering winery in the Santa Rita Hills AVA, where extraordinary wine quality is being recognized more than ever by luxury wine consumers.
* Collaborate in the development of building a new luxury winery and hospitality location
* To become a member of a senior management team that will be responsible for establishing the brand as one of California’s pre-eminent producers of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir.

High-Level Scope of Responsibilities:
The ED will provide day-to-day and longer-term general management leadership, direction, and overall sales and marketing business management expertise, including Sales, Marketing/PR, DTC and Personnel Management. The ED will also have primary accountability for delivering the winery’s revenue, expense and profitability results, as well as for driving the winery’s four current priority business objectives:
1. Ensure the winery is profitable.
2. Ensure all staff members are effective and happy in their roles.
3. Ensure Marketing strategic initiatives are executed so that the overall brand positioning is elevated, and winery continues to improve its stature as a top producer of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir in California.
4. Ensure that the DTC strategic initiatives are executed so that Tasting Room visitation of qualified customers increases while conversion to membership and retention indexes above industry standards.

The ED has direct management responsibility for a total staff of 4 employees, including Hospitality Manager, Membership Manager, Marketing Supervisor, and Accountant, as well as direct management of outsourced Digital/Social Marketing and Content Development Consultants.

More Specific Scope of Responsibilities:
* Execute long-term strategic and annual operating plans to achieve the winery’s strategic objectives including revenue, profitability and culture development objectives.
* Provide the ownership and management team with regular, timely, transparent, succinct and executive-level analysis, counsel and guidance.
* Provide executive level direction and oversight across DTC, Marketing, and Wholesale Sales, optimizing the winery’s Sales & Marketing efforts, brand awareness and profitability.
* Provide all direct reports and extended winery team with clearly communicated vision, mission, goals and performance expectations, evaluating ongoing performance and development. collaboratively to achieve TR visitation goals and wine club (membership) growth objectives.
* Provide leadership and direction to outsourced Digital Marketing and Content consultants by defining duties and responsibilities, setting goals and evaluating performance.

Professional Requirements:
Viable candidates for this role must possess a broad spectrum of general management, leadership, communication, sales, marketing, hospitality and operational skills in a winery environment. While not exhaustive, the following should be included in a viable candidate’s background:
* 3-5+ years of Winery General Management level experience
* 1-3 years Digital Marketing related experience preferred.
* An undergraduate degree is strongly preferred.
* Will need to reside in Santa Barbara County
* Strong understanding of the luxury wine DTC sales and marketing.
* Proven forecasting, budgeting, P&L management and variance analysis skills, coupled with strong business acumen.
* Proven ability to identify issues and opportunities, to think creatively, to develop innovative solutions in order to drive business performance.
* Strong interpersonal skills coupled with excellent, clear and concise oral and written
communication, presentation and public speaking skills.
* Demonstrated ability to manage “up” is a core skill set necessary for success.
* Proven detail-oriented tactical execution with inclination for hands execution when needed.
* MUST bring proven ability to plan, prioritize, make decisions and delegate effectively.
* Must have mastered basic team and staff management and communication skills.
* Computer literate, including high level of proficiency in all MS Office applications.
* Understanding of WineDirect POS platform and/or other DTC software platforms.

Key “MUST HAVE” Personality Traits and Qualities:
* Warm personal nature and approach to developing relationships.
* Honest and direct approach to communicating.
* High personal standards and values, including unquestioned ethics and integrity.
* High emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
* Strong work ethic and commitment to achieving results and success in a collaborative and teamwork-oriented environment.
* Must be highly self-motivated, self-sufficient, confident, creative, flexible, resourceful & resilient.
* Positive, upbeat and can-do attitude.
* IS KIND