Wine Marketing Manager Job Description

A wine marketing manager implements a variety of marketing initiatives for a winery. Their primary responsibility is to improve the winery’s brand exposure in the marketplace and increase sales of the winery’s products.

They perform a wide range of marketing activities to achieve these goals including developing marketing strategies, creating an advertising plan, performing market research, and planning media engagement. It is a high level role that is very important for the success of a winery.

Responsibilities of a Wine Marketing Manager

The precise responsibilities of the wine marketing manager can vary depending upon the size of the winery and the number of staff it employs. In a small winery, the wine marketing manager may have a wider range of responsibilities and a more hands-on approach to marketing activities. In a large winery, the wine marketing manager may spend more time designing marketing plans and directing other staff to implement them. Generally the wine marketing manager will have the following responsibilities:

• Market analysis, opportunity identification and brand strategy
  Working with both the marketing and sales teams, the marketing manager will look for opportunities within the wine market and create plans to capitalise on those opportunities. They will also identify market trends and support new product development to meet those trends.
• Identify segments with the On Trade and retail markets and develop marketing strategies
  To improve the profitability of the winery, the marketing manager will analyse wine industry market segments and develop the appropriate marketing strategies to increase sales in those segments.
• Prepare market reports for brand owners
  Brand owners must kept informed about the performance of their brand in the market on a regular basis.
• Analyse market conditions and prepare reports for stakeholders
  The wine marketing manager must analyse market conditions and prepare insightful reports on customers, consumers, pricing, volumes and the competitive landscape.
• Monitor the implementation of market strategies
  The wine marketing manager will perform regular market audits and analysis of market information to determine how well marketing strategies are performing. They will make changes on those results.
• Prepare an annual promotional calendar
  A promotional calendar must be prepared for all wins that the winery controls. The marketing manager should also develop new types of promotional activities that are appropriate to the brands being marketed.
• Develop plans to improve customer engagement
  Use deep knowledge of the customers, competitors and market conditions to improve customer engagement.
• Work with the sales and marketing teams to deliver promotional events
  Once the promotional events have been organised, the marketing manager must oversee their delivery. They will work with other staff members at the winery to ensure the events are a success and represent the brand appropriately.
• Identify new merchandising opportunities
  New merchandising opportunities that preserve the value of the winery’s brand and marketing it effectively must be identified and pursued.
• Complete brand plans for all major brands within the Wine category
  Brand plans will need to be managed and developed for all brands that the winner carries. The brand plans should be in line with the agreed service standards.
• Design and creation of marketing materials
  The wine marketing manager will oversee the design of promotional materials and ensure that the brand is always correctly represented. The wine marketing manager will closely work with advertising agencies and printers to create the marketing materials. Will be required to develop point of sale marketing materials.
• Represent the company at trade events and other public appearances
  The marketing manager will sometimes have to be the “public face” of the winery and promote the winery at various events.
• Test marketing initiative
  Test marketing strategies by developing A/B tests, user testing plans and data analysis methods.
• Manage product specific budgets
  Products will have limited marketing budgets with must be strictly adhered to.

Wine Market Manager — Education Requirements

A wine marketing manager must have a Bachelors degree, preferably in business administration or marketing. Ideally they will also have a Masters degree in a related business or marketing discipline. Ideally they should also have the WSET Advanced Wine Qualification or a similar wine industry qualification.

Wine Marketing Manager — Work Experience

The marketing manager is a senior role and should have strong experience in marketing. Ideally they should have some experience in the food and beverage industry.

• Must have strong experience in marketing and brand management, ideally 3+ years working in marketing
• Must have strong experience creating marketing materials
• Ideally has budgeting experience
• Ideally has been in roles with leadership responsibilities

Wine Marketing Manager — Key Skills

• Outstanding spoken and written communication skills
• Leadership skills and the ability to drive improvement within the business
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Intellectual curiosity and problem solving skills
• Ability to be creative and innovative when creating marketing plans and marketing materials
• Driven, motivated and able to take the initiative
• Must have a proactive, entrepreneurial spirit
• Passionate about the wine industry and selling wine
• Highly confident at analysing market data
• Able to use a variety of market analysis and analytics software tools
• Strong customer service orientation
• Able to work autonomously in a sometimes high-pressure work environment

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FAQ

What are the primary objectives of a wine marketing manager?

The primary objectives of a wine marketing manager are to boost the winery’s brand visibility in the market and increase sales through diverse marketing initiatives, which include strategy development, advertising, market research, and media planning.

How does a wine marketing manager identify market opportunities?

A wine marketing manager conducts thorough market analysis, identifies trends, and understands customer segments within the On Trade and retail markets. By doing so, they can develop effective marketing strategies tailored to different market segments and support new product development to align with emerging trends.

What educational background is ideal for a wine marketing manager?

An ideal educational background for a wine marketing manager includes a Bachelor’s degree in business administration or marketing, with a Master’s degree being preferable. Additionally, wine-specific qualifications like the WSET Advanced Wine Qualification are highly beneficial.

What work experience is essential for a wine marketing manager?

Essential work experience for a wine marketing manager includes extensive knowledge in marketing and brand management, proficiency in creating marketing materials, budget management, and leadership experience, ideally with a focus on the food and beverage industry.

What skills are crucial for a wine marketing manager to be effective?

Crucial skills for a wine marketing manager include exceptional communication, leadership, organisational, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Creativity in marketing plan design, a proactive entrepreneurial spirit, passion for wine, confidence in market data analysis, and proficiency with market analysis tools are also vital. They must also be customer-focused and able to work independently in high-pressure situations.