Director Wine Production Planning & Optimization

Position Purpose

The Director Network Planning & Optimization is accountable for end‑to‑end planning of wine production, cellar operations, and tank utilization across short‑, mid‑, and long‑term horizons. This role integrates winemaking intent with cellar execution, ensuring optimal use of tank capacity, efficient workflow, wine quality integrity, and uninterrupted bottling and customer schedules. Connecting the winery network, this role serves as the central planning integrator across Winemaking, Cellar Operations, Production Planning, Grower Relations, Strategic Supply, Compliance, and Logistics, translating strategic plans and winemaking requirements into executable, capacity‑balanced production schedules.

Functional Responsibility

• Oversees, directs, and manages departmental activities and team performance
• Drives and models company culture and holds self, peers, and direct reports accountable for demonstrating a constructive company culture through influential, personal behavior and actions
• Develops and implements clearly defined operational and individual goals to develop employees, achieve productivity levels, and to attain the company's strategic plan
• Researches best practices, stays abreast of industry trends, and maintains awareness of regulatory changes to ensure compliance and continually improve operations
• Executes departmental financial objectives by preparing budgets, scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, and initiating corrective action
• Achieves departmental results to ensure the effective delivery of the strategic plan
• Develops staffing needs; attracts, motivates, and retains a workforce with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities to achieve goals and objectives
• Promotes and ensures a safe and healthy work environment for all employees
• Leads the way and prepares departmental staff for success in a continually changing environment
• Fosters a work environment that encourages creative thinking, promotes flexibility, and drives innovation
• Addresses employee issues, concerns, and complaints in an objective and confidential manner; notifies HR Business Partner and keeps immediate manager informed as appropriate
• Ensures compliance and consistent application of company policies, initiatives, and decisions
• Coaches, guides, and develops direct reports; fully engages in the Performance Management process; provides high-quality feedback, and ensures proper documentation of employee performance, recognition, and deficiencies

Essential Duties

1. Integrated Planning Ownership 

• Owns the end-to-end wine and cellar planning process, from harvest and bulk wine receipt through aging, blending, filtration, and bottling readiness

• Integrates short-term (daily/weekly) execution schedules with mid- and long-term tank, capacity, and harvest plans

• Evaluates processing requirements versus constraints (bottling schedule, wine supply, cellar equipment, labor availability, etc.) and partners with cross function teams to resolve issues or outline options for higher level review  

• Serves as the single point of accountability for aligning winemaking intent with operational feasibility & optimization

2. Short-Term & Execution Planning (Daily–Weekly) 

• Develops, maintains, and continuously adjusts a two-week rolling cellar production schedule, balancing service, inventory, and operational efficiency

• Prioritizes, produces, and communicates weekly detailed cellar schedules, validated with Cellar Operations leadership

• Facilitates team responsible for daily cross-functional production huddles to review order status, constraints, and near-term adjustments

3. Mid- to Long-Term Tank & Capacity Planning 

• Leads the creation of mid- to long-term tank and cellar plans, providing clear visibility into future capacity constraints and opportunities

• Builds and maintains analytical tools and models to optimize wine flow, tank utilization, and site-to-site balancing

• Proactively recommends actions to balance tank capacity by location while minimizing unnecessary wine movement

• Runs networking planning matrix which Integrates production planning and bottling forecasts to ensure wines are at the right sites, in the right tanks, at the right size, at the right time

4. Harvest Planning & Execution 

• Leads harvest planning preparation to ensure sufficient tank, cooperage, and processing capacity is in place

• Establishes harvest season processing plans, goals, and guidelines aligned to winemaking programs and resource availability

• Coordinates daily grape receiving schedules with Grower Relations and Winemaking to match receiving capacity and tank availability

5. Data, Reporting & Continuous Improvement 

• Manages and analyzes large datasets related to inventory stages, work funnel flow, equipment utilization, and capacity

• Maintains KPIs that measure stability of work, tank utilization efficiency, and planning accuracy

• Translates complex planning data into actionable insights and recommendations for senior stakeholders

• Leads or contributes to initiatives that simplify processes, reduce redundancy, and improve planning tools and data quality

• Interfaces with IS/Project Management on enhancements to systems and business processes 

6. Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication 

• Participates in quarterly S&OE review cycles, highlighting risks, trade-offs, and cost-effective mitigation strategies

• Balances and manages competing stakeholder needs across Winemaking, Cellar Ops, Production Planning, Supply Chain, Compliance, CRG, and Grower Relations

• Provides forward visibility and clear communication regarding wine readiness, capacity constraints, and schedule impacts

*Other duties may be assigned

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Agribusiness, Winemaking or related field (Masters or MBA Preferred)
• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in winery, beverage, or food manufacturing operations, including responsibility for end‑to‑end production planning, cellar operations, tank or capacity planning, and cross‑functional execution
• Demonstrated enterprise‑level leadership capability, including strategic thinking, the ability to coach and develop others, delivery of high‑quality business insights to enable effective decision‑making, and proven effectiveness leading change in complex and uncertain environments

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Winemaking experiences highly regarded
• Strong Strategic, Analytical Thinking, and Problem-Solving Skills.  Uses data to drive decisions
• Intellectual curiosity focused at creatively figuring out how we can do better
• Project management experience including Experience leading continuous improvement initiatives
• Highly motivated, results oriented individual who excels in a dynamic environment
• Robust time management, organization and project management skills
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, specifically in Excel, PowerBI and PowerPoint

Working Conditions

• General office environment
• Occasional travel
• Occasionally required to drive automotive vehicle or equipment
• Indoor and outdoor environment with exposure to the elements/temperature variations
• Extended hours
• Required to wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
• Occasionally may be required to lift and carry cases of wine

Work Standards

• Acts in a manner reflective of the Company culture of High Moral Standards, Innovation and Continuous Evolution, Trust in Team, Continuous Improvement, and Sustainable Relationships
• Communicates, interacts, and works effectively with others; receptive to feedback and coaching; voices concerns in a constructive manner
• Demonstrates commitment to safety first; communicates safety concerns; promotes a safe work environment based on established safety standards and training
• Follows all Company policies and procedures

Additional Comments

Management retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the position at any time.