Let’s start this discussion by looking at the senoir management positions at a taditional winery (40,000 cases or more).
Let's look at the following executive management positions:
- Operations
- Human Resources
- Sales/Marketing
- Communications
- Wine Making
- Vineyard Management.
Operations
- Oversees financial accountability and controls
- Oversees organization’s budget process; establishes time-lines; provides support to management team; holds management team accountable for process
- Manages the administrative requirements
- Manages in-house support staff and supporting consultants and vendors
- Manages the development, implementation annual budgeting process:
- Coordinates with the President, Vice President for Community Affairs
- Oversees office space and office systems needs, purchasing equipment, supporting hiring processes, time-sheets, expense reimbursement, securing insurance, etc
- Oversees preparation of an annual report, other outreach materials and the website
- Acts, as needed, in the absence of the President and/or CEO
- Expert on employee relations, benefits, recruiting, retention, conflict resolution, discrimination, EDA, labor laws and safeguarding company vision from a staffing point of view.
- Sometimes responsible for in-house communications, training and staff events.
- And much more!
- Direct and coordinate company sales and marketing functions.
- Manage company compliance and allocation issues.
- Establish and implement short- and long-range goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures.
- Supervise the planning and development of company marketing and communications materials.
- Direct and oversee the company marketing function to identify and develop new customers for products and category management.
- Research and develop strategies and plans which identify marketing opportunities, direct marketing, and new project development.
- Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of sales, methods, costs, and results.
- Plan and coordinate public affairs, and communications efforts, to include public relations and community outreach.
- Directly manage major and critical developing client accounts, and coordinate the management of all other accounts.
- Represent the company at various community and/or business meetings to promote the company.
- Supervise the preparation, issuance, and delivery of sales materials, exhibits, and promotion programs.
- Establish and implement short- and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures.
- Develops and implements a comprehensive communications plan, with specific strategies and action plans to project a positive company image to both external and internal constituents.
- Promotes the company’s visibility in local, national, and international markets by identifying newsworthy stories and pitching these to the appropriate media: print, radio, television, and Internet.
- Manages the CEO’s relationships with the media and acts as his personal liaison. Also, accompanies the CEO to major media interviews and industry events.
- Monitors coverage of the Company in newspapers, industry publications, blogs, etc., keeps the CEO apprised of relevant information, and assists in formulating responses as needed.
- Assists in the preparation of Company overviews, briefing papers, brochures, talking points, annual reports, etc.
- Communicate regularly with the viticulturists (grape growers)
- Conduct laboratory tests to monitor the grapes
- Decide on the best time for harvesting
- Oversee the crushing and pressing of the grapes
- Monitor the settling of the juice
- Oversee the fermentation and filtration process of the wine
- Conduct lab tests to monitor the maturation of wine
- Place wine in tanks or casks for maturation
- Prepare plans for bottling wine
- Supervise assistants
- Conduct winery tours
- Enologists have many, many tasks. Depending on the season, they will be involved in harvesting, fermenting, or bottling the wine. They also must always keep financial records and regular reports on the scientific tests when monitoring the wine's progress. Enologists get to work outside during harvests, and during the growing stages when the grapes are closely watched. They travel to wine shows, wine contests, and to other vineyards and wineries, to learn about other techniques and traditions.
- Operations Logistics and Supervision: (50%) – Schedule and direct the necessary cultural operations staff, monitoring the labor force in each area to ensure proper staffing and utilization of skills. Train, monitor and provide feedback related to staff performance and continuous development. Ensure timely completion of all necessary cultural practices within the goals of producing superior quality fruit.
- Planning: (25%) – Manage the short-term (weekly and daily) work. This includes making all decisions required to keep the appropriate viticultural activities on schedule, organizing work flow operations by calendarizing viticultural events/activities and determining necessary resources (staff, equipment, etc.) to accomplish the viticultural goals. Work with Director of Vineyard Operations and the Viticulturist to develop the weekly farm plan.
- Quality Assurance: (25%) – Understand all viticultural processes and standards; establish and monitor quality viticultural procedures and work performances during the development stages of all viticulture operations as directed by the winegrowing standards set by the vineyard Management team.
- Management team responsibility without disrupting the flow of everyday business
- In-House strategic leader of all green initiatives driven by company vision, strategic plan and stake-holders.
- Expertise and conduit for supporting line managers as it relates to external and internal communities
- Community and civic responsibilities.
- Mapping - lead in mapping results, assets and efforts towards measurable green efforts.
- Management team responsibility without disrupting the flow of everyday business
- Developing, managing and tracking corporate sustainability goals and metrics for the business.
- Developing systems for making bottom-line decisions for growing, customer relations, wine production and fulfillment business practices. Working with teams to evaluate decisions based on financial and sustainability goals.
- Managing cross-functional task force team to assist them in developing their key performance indicators and meeting the overall corporate sustainability goals. Tracking the task force progress and measuring each department's success.
- Preparing yearly summary of goals and achievements and assisting in development of a CSR report when appropriate. Promoting industry leading best practices in sustainability for product design, development, manufacturing, sourcing, and distribution. Advising teams on how to find environmental benefits and managing social issues.
- Managing all budgets and savings of sustainability and recommending utilization of funds.
- Assisting in managing and developing sustainability communications internally and externally with key stakeholders. Maintaining industry research and understanding of sustainability trends, thought leaders, and conferences.
- Creating continual educational opportunities on trends and innovations in sustainability field for company employees.
- Expertise and conduit for supporting line managers as it relates to external and internal communities, Community and civic responsibilities.
- Mapping - lead in mapping results, assets and efforts towards measurable green efforts.
- Solid Management Experience.
- Diverse background - farming, marketing, production, communications and community activism.
- Complete fiscal and P&L understanding.
- An individual with BA or BS degree in communications, with proven experience with environmental/sustainability practices.
- Business or marketing and a minimum of 10 years working experience.
- Ability to travel, ability to work in a team and fast paced environment, exceptionally strong written and oral communication skills required.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Database and PowerPoint and must be able to work professionally with flexibility in handling multiple priorities.
- This position requires a results-oriented individual who has exceptional organizational skills, strong attention to detail, excellent communication and grammatical skills, planning, and scheduling skills.
