Tasting Room/ Wine Marketing & Sales Manager

Join our team to help inspire all students to discover their potential and achieve their goals by providing relevant, equitable, and innovative learning opportunities and services.

Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) is seeking applicants for a Tasting Room/ Wine Marketing & Sales Manager position at the Walla Walla campus. 

At Walla Walla Community College, we inspire all students to discover their potential and achieve their goals by providing relevant, equitable, and innovative learning opportunities and services. As an organization, we value learning opportunities, a sense of community, diversity, health and humor, excellence, integrity, teamwork, innovation, personal and professional growth, and sustainability.

This position is open until filled. First consideration will be given to applicants whose complete application has been received by December 20, 2024 @ 11:59pm PST. See Required Application Materials section for more information

General Description: 
This position is responsible for managing the College Cellars tasting room operations and the training and supervision of the student staff. The Tasting Room / Wine Marketing and Sales Manager is responsible for all sales operations, including the wine club, and for the marketing of College Cellars including the online presence on social media platforms, websites and e-mail, and print media and wine competitions. This position reports to the Director of Enology & Viticulture.

Essential Functions: 
Recruit, train, and supervise tasting room staff to ensure a quality learning experience for students and excellent customer service for winery guests.

• Train students to work regular and special tasting room shifts and provide exceptional guest experiences, supervising their work and providing guidance and expertise in sales and hospitality.
• Provide additional student training in point of sale and customer relationship management software.
• Train students in proper phone, in person, and online interaction with current and potential tasting room guests.
• Manage cash and sales receipts and analyze tasting room sales trends to optimize sales channels.

• Managing the College Cellars website.
• Generate social media and marketing content on a regular basis.
• Create and distribute emails and newsletters to current and potential customers and guests.
• Interacting with customers and media online, in person, and via other media channels.
• Coordinating with WWCC staff to cross-market College Cellars and the Enology and Viticulture Program.

• Manage, promote and grow the wine club. Make selections for semiannual allocations and develop all marketing materials.
• Monitor sales and distribution efforts and depletions.
• Coordinate with distributors, restaurants, retailers, and consumer events to facilitate sales.
• Assist in inventory management activities to ensure appropriate production volumes in relation to sales.  

• Manage and count the College Cellars wine inventory.
• Maintain tasting room supplies and materials and coordinate ordering of necessary supplies.
• Ensure cleanliness of tasting room space and serving areas in coordination with facilities and sanitation of tasting glasses, serving equipment, and culinary equipment necessary.
• Monitor and facilitate ordering of tasting room merchandise as necessary.

• Coordinate with local wine industry members as well as retailers and marketers to position College Cellars at events that will enhance the profile of College Cellars and the EV program.
• Be flexible in working at onsite and offsite wine events.
• Train students in proper event service practices and legal off-site event participation.
• Facilitate and participate in educational events that build the profile of College Cellars.
• Attend marketing and sales related industry meetings to promote College Cellars and collaborate in marketing efforts with local industry.  

• Supervises all tasting room staff. 
• Manages the operations of the College Cellars tasting room.
• Manages all wine sales including retail, wholesale, and wine club.

• Responsible for working with the Director of Enology & Viticulture on pertinent budgeting matters.

• Exceptional communication skills including oral and written
• A knowledge or understanding of the local Walla Walla wine industry
• Customer service skills
• A willingness to be flexible and work at both onsite and offsite wine events
• The ability to dress and act professionally in an educational and/or professional setting
• The ability to manage cash and sales receipts
• A good, consistent work ethic 
• A mature, friendly and engaging attitude

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communication, Public Relation or related field.
• Experience working in the wine or hospitality industry
• Experience managing staff, cash, and sales receipts
• Must be 21 years of age 
• Must have or be willing to obtain within 10 days of employment – MAST, WA Food Handlers Card
• A valid driver's license

• 5-7 years’ experience in Tasting Room Management, Wine and Spirits Education, Wine and Spirits Management, Hospitality Management, Wine Marketing, or Wine Communications
• Professional certification in wine education
• Knowledge of Washington wines
• Experience generating content for social media, email, and websites
• Experience educating, training, or mentoring adults
• Knowledge of point-of-sale systems
• Proficient use of MS Office suite
• Experience using design software to produce marketing materials
• Bilingual English/Spanish

This position is in a bargaining unit for which AFT is the exclusive representative. 

This is a full-time, overtime eligible professional position. Persons hired must be able to provide acceptable documentation of lawful authorization to work in the United States within three (3) days of employment. WWCC participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Official college transcripts required at time of hire. Candidates may be subject to a criminal history background check as a condition of employment. Information from the background check may not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position. The college is a tobacco free institution.

Work environment consists of a hybrid tasting room and office setting with hospitality service and cleaning equipment and cleaning chemicals.  Must be able to work extended periods of time while walking/standing.  Must be physically able to lift and relocate 50 pounds, with or without the use of a cart or hand truck. Using tasting room hardware and equipment, cleaning and glass sanitation equipment, and CRM software requires manual dexterity and can often involve events outside or at off campus locations in varying weather conditions. Regular schedule is Tuesday – Saturday 8am-5pm unless prearranged with supervisor

Compensation: 
Annual salary range for initial placement based on the represented exempt salary schedule: PR04, $65,579 - $74,197. The college has an excellent benefit program including paid sick leave; paid vacation leave; medical, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance; retirement and two optional deferred compensation programs.  All full-time employees will automatically have 3% of taxable income deferred into the State of Washington Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). All administrative exempt staff set aside 1% of their gross salary in a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) (VEBA). All exempt employees are required to participate in this program. Walla Walla Community College requires all employees to participate in direct deposit for payment of salary.

This position is open until filled with priority consideration given to those applicants who submit a complete application by December 20, 2024 at 11:59 PM PST. To qualify for priority consideration, applicants must submit a complete application packet, which includes the following: 

• Online NEOGOV application.
• Cover letter
  • In the cover letter, please describe your connection/experience in the wine industry and how you view education in connection to this industry.  Also, please tell us how your experience meets the qualifications and competencies required for this position.
• Resume
• Names and contact information for three professional references
• Answers to five (5) supplemental questions
• Unofficial transcripts for application purposes; official transcripts are required prior to an official start date.

Please ensure you have attached all required application materials as you will not be able to attach any documents after you have submitted your application. If you have difficulty logging into your account, attaching documents, submitting your application, etc., please call NEOGOV Applicant Support at 1-855-524-5627 or email them directly at support@governmentjobs.com.

WWCC reserves the right to not fill this position, reject all applicants, or reopen the position. Applications received during this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies at the College's discretion.

Walla Walla Community College is committed to provide equal opportunity and nondiscrimination for all educational and employment applicants as well as for its students and employed staff, without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, including gender expression/identity, marital status, age (over 40), the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, the use of trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, or status as a Vietnam and/or disabled veteran, National Guard member or reservist in accordance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Federal Rehabilitation of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and any other applicable Federal and Washington State laws against discrimination. The Human Resources Office is accessible to persons with disabilities. If you need accommodations in the application/employment process, please contact the Human Resources Office at (509) 527-4224 - TDD (509) 527-4412, email personnel@wwcc.edu, address: 500 Tausick Way, Walla Walla WA, 99362.