Director, Sales – Brand Education

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Develop and spearhead the strategy for Wine & Spirits education and capability enhancement.

• Lead, mentor, and cultivate a high-achieving team of educational professionals.

• Convert Fine Wine and Craft Spirits strategies into scalable education programs, tools, and enablement initiatives.

• Act as a strategic educational partner to senior leaders in Commercial, Brand, and Hospitality sectors.

• Oversee the creation of a comprehensive Wine & Spirits learning ecosystem.

• Design scalable programs and tools that enhance selling skills, brand narratives, and execution strategies.

• Manage the administration of the WSET program and serve as the Lead Educator for Level 2 and Level 3 courses.

• Create and oversee foundational and advanced sales training programs.

• Implement reinforcement strategies to ensure the sustained adoption of learning.

• Collaborate with teams in Brand, Sales, Marketing, Hospitality, Events, Commercial Excellence, Talent Development, and IT.

• Define strategies and standards for training modules, e-learning, webinars, job aids, digital platforms, and experiential programs.

• Work in partnership on New Hire Salute Onboarding and implement Envoy onboarding for Wine & Spirits.

• Establish KPIs and measurement frameworks to assess learner engagement, capability growth, learning application, and business impact.

• Outline the digital learning strategy utilizing LMS platforms, emerging technologies, AI-enabled tools, video, and digital content.

• Assess external partners and manage strategic vendor relationships.

• Collaborate with internal teams and distributors to evaluate capability requirements and execution opportunities in the field.

• Foster relationships across Sales, Brand Marketing, Commercial Excellence, Hospitality, Operations, Finance, and distributor organizations.

• Manage the budget for Wine & Spirits education and allocate resources strategically.

• Supervise external partners, vendors, and resources that support educational programs.

• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree is required (preferably in Communications, Business Administration, Marketing, Education, or a related field).

• 12-15 years of relevant experience in the Wine & Spirits industry within Commercial Sales, Marketing, Education, or Hospitality.

• At least WSET Level 3 in Wine (preferably Level 4) and Level 2 in Spirits or an equivalent qualification (CMS Advanced, CWE, CSS).

• Proven leadership experience in Learning and Development, including team management and curriculum development.

• Strong abilities in team leadership and motivation.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with presentation capabilities.

• Experience in delivering presentations to groups both virtually and in-person.

• Proficient in computer applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and familiar with webinar/online presentation platforms.

• Skilled in creating and delivering engaging, impactful presentations.

• Ability to foster productive working relationships across various functions.

• Strong organizational skills, self-discipline, and follow-through capabilities.

• Solid understanding of the three-tier distribution system.

• Competence in financial and budget management.

• A genuine passion for the wine and spirits industry.

• WSET Level 3 Certificate in Spirits and Level 4 Certificate in Wine.

• WSET Nominated and/or Certified Educator for Wine and Spirits.

• Experience in teaching, training, or a related educational role.

• Familiarity with Adobe Suite (Premiere Pro, InDesign, Photoshop).

• Experience in developing or editing video content for social media platforms.

• Knowledge of LMS systems management.

• Must be at least 21 years old.

• Willingness to travel regularly (domestic and international, 30-50%) and stay overnight as business necessitates.

• Capability to sit and/or stand for extended periods and work on a computer for long durations.

🏝️ Benefits

• Paid time off

• Medical insurance

• Dental insurance

• Vision insurance

• 401(k)

• Comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees