Are you ready to accept your mission?

Do you feel like wine is your calling, and your thirst for knowledge and experience unquenchable? Do you know how to walk that fine line between snobbery and humility? Can you tell Barolo from Bardolino, but are passionate about both? Do you spot the typos on a wine list the minute you open it? If the answers are yes, your dream role awaits!

Wine Spies, a leading online retailer, is seeking a dedicated, hard-working intelligence Agent for procurement operations. At least that's what you'll tell your friends and family.

Wine Spies has been showcasing unique wines online since 2007. We’re an entrepreneurial, data-driven, hard-working, and scrappy team, deeply committed to sourcing the finest wines while delighting our loyal fans with incredible customer service. Internally, we are committed to success and career growth, proudly providing a positive and collaborative working environment where our fellow Agents thrive daily.

As a Wine Spies Agent, you will get to show off your many talents: organizing and managing sample flow, conducting wine research, assisting in sourcing great wine deals at great prices, reviewing and writing copy, and contributing entrepreneurial zeal and creativity to propel the company in other areas of the organization.

The schedule and workload necessitate the Junior Wine Curator role to be based on-site at our Petaluma HQ, with the freedom to work remotely when priorities are addressed. We believe in a flexible schedule when all systems are running smoothly, and missions are not compromised.

Position Brief

Any good spy is a master of many talents. This pivotal role requires many exciting assignments, the most important of which is supporting the curation department operations and working closely with Agent Noir and Agent Rôtie. You will also get to work closely with our existing and new sources, including wineries, brokers, distributors, importers, and other intelligence agencies.

Overseeing the samples vault is another top priority; you will basically “own” a plentitude of precious bottles awaiting evaluation, knowing exactly where they are or should go, at all stages of their life cycle, from arrival to merchandising. A crucial component of this flow is product photography, in which you will be trained. Another key weekly mission of yours will be the prep work for our Friday panels at HQ, which encompasses setting up and breaking down tastings.

In your “spare” time, there will be plenty of writing assignments and busy data work within our bleeding-edge proprietary mainframe systems. Each wine we offer requires deep research and a thorough, detailed presentation, including a producer background, proprietor and winemaker bios, product technical specs, production techniques, vineyard sources, accolades and ratings, press quotes, and most importantly, a relentless pursuit to uncover the story behind the story.

You will work closely with inventory, and our secret Store hidden behind our daily feature. You will assist in hunting for new wine, studying past sales data, evaluating candidates, continuing conversations, and tracking the deal pipeline progress with suppliers. We strive to be multiple weeks ahead of schedule on the calendar, so there will be plenty of deadlines to keep track of.

The role will work closely with our inventory and marketing departments, assuring timely and accurate pricing and availability determinations, PO creation, email and social media campaigns related to a sale, maintenance of the Store, and other sales channels to create and market sales as required. Regularly analyzing and openly communicating about sales goals and performance, being open-minded to discuss why certain wines do not perform as well as others, with lessons drawn from each sale to make the next one better, are all a big part of what it will take to thrive in this role, and the entire team will always be at your disposure to see that through.

In building and fostering strong relationships with key suppliers, you’ll coordinate with Agent Noir and Agent Rôtie on relationships they oversee. Over time, you will be assigned and develop your own. A rolodex of wine business sources is welcome, but not required. However, 3 great references, with at least 1 in the wine business, are required.

Qualifications

• An infinite curiosity and passion for wine

• WSET Level 3 Certificate, or equivalent wine industry experience, with a sound knowledge base of a large variety of varieties, regions, and producers

• 3 references, at least 1 from the wine business

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Strong negotiating skills

• Strong attention to detail

• Proficient use of common web-based databases and office software

• Ability to lift a case of wine (~40 pounds)

Compensation

Salary in the $65,000 to $85,000+ range, depending on experience, PLUS a generous bonus plan!

Benefits include, but are not limited to, comprehensive health insurance, wellness infrastructure, at-cost purchasing, trade tastings, liberal time off policy, and schedule flexibility for optimal work-life balance, remote work allowance, expense and mileage reimbursement, and last but not least, the friendliest, most caring, open-minded, creative, and supportive colleagues you'll ever find.

Wine Spies

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