Roy Estate & Vine Cliff 1871 – Sales Director – Job Description

OVERVIEW

Roy Estate is an acclaimed producer of estate grown, single vineyard Grands Crus de Napa Valley. The estate contains a 24-acre vineyard site nestled into the lower hills of Atlas Peak, originally planted by Helen Turley. Since 2005, Philippe Melka has made the wines from this single vineyard site.

Vine Cliff is one of Napa’s oldest vineyards dating back to 1871. In 2023, the Roy Estate team assumed stewardship of this historic, 100-acre Oakville site, complete with its expansive terraced vineyards, caves and winery.

To support the efforts on both estates, we are seeking a driven sales professional who possesses excellent relationships and wishes to be an integral part of a successful and growing luxury wine portfolio. The Sales Director will lead sales activity both nationally and regionally through effective selling, brand management and relationship building. The Sales Director operates individual contributor with the future potential to build a larger sales organization as growth dictates.

Reporting to Estate Director, the Sales Director will fundamentally be responsible for driving revenue and depletions in the domestic three-tier system, while also pursuing strategic DTC opportunities outside of the estates. Candidates need not be based in NorCal but will require convenient access to a major airport for frequent market travel.


RESPONSIBILITES – Three-Tier Sales and Brand Management

•  Represent Roy Estate and Vine Cliff 1871 in the domestic three-tier marketplace
•  Maintain and deepen established distributor network and diverse account relationships
•  Serve as the point person, champion and thought leader for distributors at the management and sales representative levels
•  Possess in-depth knowledge of multi-state distribution and regulatory dynamics
•  Actively open new markets, distributor relationships, and prospective key accounts through strategic outreach
•  Establish partnerships with adjacent organizations to promote domaines and increase sales pipeline (e.g., trade associations, country club networks, professional sports orgs)
•  Explore non-traditional and emerging sales channels (wine club, private club, cruise, airline)
•  Develop annual and quarterly sales forecasts, implement strategies to achieve sales goals
•  Adhere to national pricing guardrails and enforce pricing compliance where necessary
•  Secure corporate/multi-unit placements (wine list, BTG) and special event (wine dinners, private client tastings) opportunities working in partnership with distributors
•  Develop and maintain an organized list of key accounts to be regularly socialized with internal and external stakeholders


RESPONSIBILITIES – DTC Sales and Off-Site Event Innovation

•  Represent Roy Estate and Vine Cliff 1871 at select DTC sales events nationally
•  Collaborate with existing DTC sales team on developing innovative event formats
•  Source new event partners and hosts (e.g., event agencies, venues, wine storage facilities, private clubs, individual collectors)
•  Balance three-tier and DTC priorities across markets and partners ensuring strategic and cohesive visibility for domaines


RESPONSIBILITES – Travel and Market Work

•  Travel in market 2-3 weeks per month
•  Coordinate meetings and market visits with distributor management
•  Lead distributor sales meetings and account staff trainings
•  Independently contact, visit and sell into key accounts, without distributor support


RESPONSIBILTIES – Marketing/Incentive Programs and Events

•  Develop impactful and creative distributor and account incentives/programming; manage program costs to approved budgets
•  Create and collaborate on marketing materials that adhere to brand style guidelines
•  Host events on the estate for key trade visitors, when possible


RESPONSIBILITES – Communication, Reporting and Analysis

•  Ensure timely communication (<24 hours) within the company and with external partners
•  Provide weekly status reports to Estate Director with key sales metrics
•  Maintain wholesale reporting (depletions, accounts sold, inventory) across various distributor data access portals
•  Build and update reports to analyze trends in sales, report issues and opportunities to develop strategic business plans
•  Process purchase orders, release/transfer warehouse inventory, with occasional delivery of local orders


QUALIFICATIONS

•  Strong cultural fit with the values of excellence and exclusivity embodied by the Roy Estate and Vine Cliff 1871 domaines
•  Passion for sales, exacting service, gracious hospitality and luxury
•  7+ years of field sales and distributor management in the wine industry, including heavily sourcing for new leads
•  Management-level relationships at leading fine wine distributors nationwide
•  Intimate knowledge of the following priority channels: corporate/multi-unit hospitality groups, fine dining restaurants, country clubs, hotels and resorts, and high-end retailers
•  Demonstrated track record of opening new wholesale territories using existing relationships
•  Knowledge of and ability to navigate wholesale compliance regulations in key markets
•  Ability to visit 7-10 accounts daily, with and without distributor support
•  Excellent customer service, presentation abilities, organizational skills and creative problem solving
•  Highly motivated, self-starter attitude with ability to work independently
•  Relentlessly goals-driven
•  Business acumen and keen negotiating skills
•  Ability to travel and flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed
•  Bachelor’s degree; WSET and/or sommelier accreditation preferred
•  Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook), Google Workspace and data savvy to learn diverse distributor systems
•  Reliable transportation with a valid driver’s license
•  Able to lift 50 lbs, use stairs