WineTalent is working with our confidential client on a General Manager search
About the Company: WineTalent is working with a Walla Walla, WA based group of estate wineries. The winery group includes luxury, ultra-premium and premium wine offerings through direct to consumer and wholesale channels. The company is family owned and operated.
About the Position: We are seeking a dynamic, results-oriented General Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of a portfolio of four winery brands totaling 16,000 cases annually. This individual will act as the primary leader of winery operations, responsible for setting and executing sales and marketing strategy, driving financial performance, and ensuring operational excellence.
Responsibilities: The General Manager will bring a strong background in sales, marketing, and financial management, with experience overseeing cost of goods sold (COGs), labor budgets, and operational efficiencies while aligning cross-functional teams to achieve organizational goals. As the leader of the sales and marketing efforts for the company the General Manager has the following responsibilities:
Sales & Marketing
- Act as the chief architect and executor of all revenue-generating strategies across DTC, club, wholesale, and distribution.
- Drive DTC, club, wholesale, and distribution sales across all brands, in collaboration with the national sales manager and brand managers.
- Develop and execute independent sales and marketing plans to achieve revenue goals and drive sustainable growth for each brand.
- Analyze sales data to inform channel strategy, promotions, and pricing decisions.
- Lead wine club growth, customer lifecycle strategy, and digital marketing initiatives to increase conversion, retention, and lifetime value.
- Own and optimize the tasting room sales strategy, staffing, and promotions to ensure a high-converting, brand-aligned guest experience.
Inventory & Production Planning
- Oversee inventory management across all SKUs, ensuring accurate tracking of inventory levels, vintage transitions, and depletion pacing.
- Independently align sales strategy with inventory realities and vintage planning, minimizing reliance on executive input.
- Analyze sell-through rates and adjust allocations to optimize inventory turns and reduce overstock risk.
- Maintain a rolling inventory outlook to proactively identify potential shortfalls or surpluses and initiate appropriate sales or production actions.
Financial Management
- Own the financial performance of all winery operations, with a strong focus on expense management, cash flow, and profitability.
- Lead the annual budgeting process and take full responsibility for forecasting, P&L performance, and financial discipline.
- Monitor cash flow, manage cost controls, and work closely with accounting on coding and financial reporting.
- Approve and oversee payroll/timecards and general administrative functions.
- Contribute to annual business plans, SWOT analyses, brand development goals, or multi-year growth strategies.
- Partner with executive leadership on long-term vision.
- Drive staffing efficiency and optimize labor cost ratios across all departments.
- Identify and implement expense reduction strategies while preserving brand integrity and customer experience.
General Oversight
- Serve as the ultimate decision-maker for operational tools, systems, and vendor relationships across winery brands.
- Ensure operational efficiency through proactive system management and continuous process improvement.
- Own compliance and regulatory requirements, ensuring all licensing, reporting, and operational standards are met without oversight.
- Overseeing safety procedures (OSHA), employee training, and environmental sustainability efforts (e.g., water use, packaging choices).
Team Leadership
- Lead, develop, and hold accountable a high-performing team, with direct oversight of 4–5 department heads across brands.
- Lead recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluations for winery team members.
- Create and enforce clear KPIs, role expectations, and performance standards for all team members.
- Foster a positive, accountable, and results-driven culture across all winery brands and teams.
- Promote a culture of accountability, agility, and results, ensuring team alignment with overall business objectives.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, or a related field. MBA and/or wine certifications a plus
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in sales and marketing, with a strong focus on financial and operational management, preferably in the wine industry
- Strong background in sales strategy, team leadership, and P&L ownership.
- Familiarity with DTC, wholesale distribution, digital marketing, and hospitality operations.
- Proven ability to independently manage business operations with full P&L and sales accountability.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic growth plans across multiple revenue channels with minimal oversight.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills
Compensation and Benefits:
- This is a full-time, salaried position. The salary range is $110,000 to $130,000.
- Competitive salary plus incentive bonus. Benefits include medical, dental, vision and life insurance. Additional benefits include 401(K) with employer match, HSA, PTO, and holiday pay.
About WineTalent: WineTalent is a wine industry focused recruitment company. We work closely with our clients and our job seekers to find the right fit of talents, experience and work environment. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential.
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