12 month FTC position, field based covering the South West of England: Somerset/Dorset/Hampshire.
Purpose of the role
The Wine Development Manager is the wine expert within their specific region, working closely with the sales team to deliver wine growth targets. This role combines collaboration with accountability, partnering with the sales team to share wine knowledge and best practice, and co‑creating solutions that achieve wine targets, improve product mix, and unlock premium opportunities. With a strong commercial focus and growth mindset, you will drive mix improvement, deliver training, and engage customers to position our business as the leading wine wholesaler and elevate our reputation for wine excellence.
About the role
* Partner with Area Sales Managers (ASMs) or Key Account Managers (KAMs) to deliver wine targets and drive profitable growth within your designated region.
* Take ownership of wine performance metrics in the region, tracking progress and reporting results.
* Win and grow new quality wine‑led customers on behalf of the ASMs/KAMs (percentage of time focused on winning new opportunities).
* Proactively identify and target high‑potential customers to increase wine distribution and share.
* Improve product mix across existing accounts, unlocking Good, Better, Best opportunities and creating smart value solutions for price‑sensitive customers.
* Support strategic and targeted wine growth in the on‑trade, focusing on premium and agency wines to maximise return.
* Collaborate with ASMs/KAMs in customer conversations, co‑creating proposals that meet commercial and quality objectives.
* Deliver wine tastings and provide tailored support for wine lists, menu development, POS and promotional activity to enhance customer experience.
* Host supplier visits, trade tastings and consumer events to showcase our portfolio and strengthen relationships.
* Provide wine training for customer staff and internal sales teams to build confidence and capability.
* Share best practice and insights across regional teams to drive consistency and excellence in wine selling.
* Champion agency and premium wine distribution within customer segmentation strategies.
* Drive activation of wine initiatives and ensure execution at outlet level.
About you
* WSET Level 2 (minimum) required; WSET Level 3 preferred or equivalent advanced qualification.
* Strong understanding of wine styles, regions and food pairing principles.
* Knowledge of on‑trade channel dynamics and customer segmentation.
* Commercial understanding of pricing, margin and mix strategies.
* Ability to identify opportunities, negotiate effectively and deliver profitable growth.
* Skilled at building trust and credibility with internal teams and customers.
* Confident delivering tastings, training sessions and engaging presentations.
* Ability to interpret data and identify trends to inform decisions.
* Works effectively with ASMs and cross‑functional teams to achieve shared goals.
* Manages pipeline, prioritises opportunities and ensures timely execution.
* Proactively seeks opportunities to improve performance and drive results.
* Takes ownership of wine performance in the region and delivers against targets.
* Focused on creating value and enhancing customer experience.
* Shares knowledge and best practice to build capability across the business.
* Thrives in a fast‑paced, changing environment.
We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.
#J-18808-Ljbffr