Global Sales Director

Job Description:

Job Summary:
Continuum is focused on developing estate-based luxury wines from Napa Valley that strive to be recognized among the finest estates and wines in the world. This role is critical to expanding our footprint in the global luxury wine market while protecting the premium pricing of our wine.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Domestic Wholesale Sales (60%): The key activities within this area include:

• Support the Regional Managers with all distributor relationships. This includes all business aspects, as well as overseeing the strict global allocation process to maximize brand prestige, market health, and profitability.
• National Account responsibility both on and off premise. Manage all communications, price files and RFP responses.
• In depth knowledge of the domestic distributors network with an ability to identify appropriate distributor partners for a small luxury wine portfolio. Responsible for implementing any distribution changes after consultation with the General Manager and family members.
• Manage the 5-person internal sales team, ensuring that market visits and account calls are made regularly and that appropriate follow up is in place to close sales. Provide leadership and skills development.
• Manage all product releases ensuring that team members are assigned as needed and timing is in place to best utilize family member resources.
• Utilize family members to the greatest extent possible in the marketplace to help build brand awareness and sales.
• Work with the Sales Data Analyst to coordinate all sales and depletion reporting, account analysis to identify opportunities and performance management.
• Personally represent the brand in the marketplace with an emphasis on expanding business (POD’s) and developing brand awareness in both on premise and appropriate off premise accounts. Participate in trade tours at the Estate when possible.
• Responsible for top-line revenue growth and building annual spending plans within targets provided by the General Manager. Responsible for keeping all spending in line with budget.

2. International Wholesale Sales (30%): The key activities within this area include:

• Create and maintain positive relationships with importer & distributor personnel and trade consumers in the international marketplace.
• Coordinate product allocations, marketing, pricing and plan execution.
• Responsible for identifying and appointing importers in any markets that are deemed appropriate for Continuum. This includes Duty Free, airlines, and cruise lines. This will be done after discussion with the General Manager and family.
• Coordinate all market visits for the sales team and the family members.
• Personally represent the brand in the marketplace.
• Responsible for top-line revenue growth and building annual spending plans within targets provided by the General Manager. Responsible for keeping all spending in line with budget.

3. Marketing (10%): The key activities within this area include:

• Provide leadership in developing/maintaining marketing materials and other communication pieces needed to support wholesale and export market work.
• Coordinate events in the marketplace that support both wholesale and DTC.
• Involved with the development of the overall marketing and press administrative plan along with overseeing sales calendar to ensure proper resource allocation.
• Responsible for building the annual spending plan for these items within targets provided by the General Manager.
• Approve all billbacks and oversee wholesale collections.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
5 territory managers, which includes family members, one Data Analyst and one shared market support person.

Job Requirements:

Education/Experience: The position will require someone with at least 8 years’ experience directing Global sales management for luxury California wines ($150+ retail per bottle), and 12 years of sales experience in the industry. He or she should have strong US account knowledge with existing active relationships with top-tier domestic distributors, international importers and luxury account buyers. Experience in dealing with distributor/importer management, in organizing a coordinated global sales/allocation program and in working with account-based sales management.

Skills: Knowledge of the world of fine wines and the global fine wine marketplace. Candidates must possess the social polish required to dine with luxury buyers and world-class sommeliers. Willingness to work in a small company environment. Hands-on style with very strong people skills and strong teamwork skills. Regular market travel is expected. Must have excellent communication, organizational and sales management skills with experience of exercising them while on the road. There will also be an important ‘mentoring’ function, in continuing to work with the family in developing their sales capabilities. Experience working in a family operation with a willingness to be flexible and accept a changing work environment. Strong computer skills (word processing, spreadsheet, database, email).

Physical: Able to travel both domestically and internationally by car and plane. Willing to work hours that accommodate appropriate international market communications. Able to sit at and operate a computer. Able to lift 50 pounds.

Other: (Includes licenses, certificates, age, etc.) Valid California driver’s license and be insurable by the company. Must be willing to live in California and be headquartered at Continuum Estate in Napa Valley when not in the market which is expected to be 60% of the time. Must be 100% dedicated to Continuum business.

The above information is representative of the work performed in this position; however, it is not all-inclusive. Omission of a specific duty or responsibility does not exclude it from the position if the work is similar or related to the essential duties.

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