Job: General Manager / Brand President (Prestige Fine Wines)

Our Client

Our client for this General Manager position of fine wine is an international leading group in wine & spirits. The group is structuring a new fine wine division which needs a few new Division General Managers! This position is more specifically for the higher end side of the portfolio ($75 and above). The group has a real need to build the capabilities in managing and developing luxury brands.

Objective

This role will set the strategy and have accountability for all brand building, creation of consumer demand, and future growth of the prestige fine wine portfolio. The position will skillfully balance the art and science of brand building and commercial excellence. It will also be responsible for:

• Setting the short and long range growth aspirations for our prestige fine wine portfolio,
• Working with winemaking to ensure our highest and best use of grapes from their prestigious vineyards
• Raising consumer awareness, acquisition, retention and loyalty through a variety of marketing and custom communication tactics, in digital spaces, as well as traditional, and through catered hospitality experiences
• Working with operations and winemaking teams to ensure the best quality product for our consumer targets,
• Working with DTC, International and wholesale sales on executing the brand strategy in market at point of purchase and through the correct channel strategy,
• Delivering the short and long range EBIT growth targets for the brand family based on our annual and long range plans.

Ideal Profile

We ideally need a true brand builder who knows how to sell, while having a deep understanding of winemaking! The right candidate will also have a previous experience in managing a luxury brand to help build the necessary capabilities in the organization. We are also looking for a leader who knows how to lead by influence in a “matrixed” organization with some direct and many dotted line reports.

Responsibilities

• Accountability for the Brand P&L’s from topline to bottom line
• Develop and implement the annual and long-range brand strategy and marketing plan to raise consumer awareness, acquisition, retention, loyalty, and net promoter scores on each brand
• Work with the consumer insights team to identify both our core luxury consumer and target luxury growth consumer for each of the brands
• Work with a cross functional team to develop, target, and acquire a list of consumers that purchase and communicate in the prestige fine wine space
• Work with our internal sales teams and our distributor partners to build and maintain a list of target high-end accounts that fit the strategy of our brands
• Cultivate personal relationships with key consumers and auction houses to maximize growth potential
• Work with Revenue management and sales to monitor and optimize pricing strategy and brand positioning as a lever for growth on past library wines, current offerings and future vintages
• Develop a library wine strategy to help with current and future growth and custom consumer offerings
• Develop insights based strategic innovation plans
• Lead cross-functional teams to ensure all aspects of grape supply, procurement, wine style, packaging, pricing, placement and promotion are aligned with the brand strategy
• Develop and sustain strong working relationship with International teams
• Work closely with the VP of Hospitality to ensure we build custom consumer experiences that are best in class in the prestige fine wine space

Requirements

• Beverage alcohol industry experience
• Strong fine wine knowledge required
• Strong commercial and/or brand building acumen in the luxury goods space or hospitality sector
• Experience in developing and/or executing brand strategy, in the luxury consumer, product or hospitality space
• Strong understanding of developing personalized communication platforms for a small subset of targeted consumers
• Experience in executing or developing personal concierge programs for high net worth consumers preferred
• Ability to pioneer new ideas, solve problems, and influence others while being open to collaboration.
• Experience in developing and encouraging creative ideas that challenge common thinking, while being open and agile to adapt, change, and try new things
• Experience with planning, development and commercialization of new products and line extensions
• Experience optimally positioning a brand across multiple channels: DTC, Wholesale and International
• Proven desire and ability to think strategically and creatively, coupled with financial acumen and strong analytical / problem-solving skills and bottom-line P&L management.
• Excellent communication skills; articulate, influential and strong public speaking and writing skills, effective interpersonal skills.
• Extensive experience collaborating with external partners (e.g. advertising, design, digital, trade marketing agencies).
• Proficient PC skills (Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), syndicated database experience (IRI or Nielsen), custom database experience