Company: Cambridge Wine & Spirits
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Job Type: Full-Time / Part-Time
Pay: $23 - $25.00 per hour
Additional Compensation: Quarterly Performance Bonus
Work Location: In person
Job Description
Cambridge Wine & Spirits is seeking an experienced, knowledgeable, and sales-driven Fine Wine Sales Specialist to join our team.
This position is ideal for a wine professional with experience in wine retail, fine dining, hospitality, beverage management, or distributor sales. The right candidate will be passionate about wine, comfortable advising customers, and motivated to grow both retail and business-to-business wine sales.
The Fine Wine Sales Specialist will provide expert wine recommendations, build long-term customer relationships, support corporate and special-event orders, and help maintain a profitable, organized, and customer-focused wine department.
Responsibilities
Wine Sales and Customer Consultation
Provide personalized wine recommendations based on customers’ preferences, food pairings, occasions, and budgets.
Assist customers in selecting wines for everyday enjoyment, gifts, weddings, private parties, corporate events, catering orders, and personal collections.
Actively engage customers, identify their needs, recommend appropriate products, and close sales.
Create curated wine selections, mixed cases, gift packages, and event-order recommendations.
Business Development
Develop new wine sales opportunities with corporations, universities, restaurants, event planners, private clients, and local businesses.
Build and maintain relationships with customers to encourage repeat purchases and long-term loyalty.
Follow up with customers regarding previous purchases, new arrivals, seasonal selections, and special offers.
Help build and maintain an organized customer database for future promotions and direct sales outreach.
Wine Knowledge and Education
Maintain strong knowledge of wine regions, grape varieties, vintages, producers, tasting profiles, and food pairings.
Stay informed about Cambridge Wine & Spirits’ wine inventory, new arrivals, limited releases, seasonal selections, and promotional products.
Educate customers and team members about wine characteristics, serving recommendations, storage, and food pairings.
Conduct or support wine tastings, customer events, staff education, and promotional programs.
Marketing and Promotions
Assist with weekly promotional emails featuring wine specials, new arrivals, seasonal selections, limited releases, and curated recommendations.
Work with management to develop wine packages, gift selections, holiday promotions, and event-order programs.
Support social media and in-store marketing by providing wine recommendations, tasting notes, product information, and pairing ideas.
Create attractive and organized displays that highlight premium wines, seasonal products, and promotional selections.
Inventory and Purchasing Support
Assist with recurring wine purchase orders, inventory planning, product selection, and daily stock monitoring.
Identify fast-moving, slow-moving, low-stock, and out-of-stock products.
Maintain organized wine shelves, displays, storage areas, and promotional sections.
Help ensure shelves remain fully stocked, accurately priced, clean, and professionally presented.
Support management in controlling inventory costs, reducing product loss, and improving product turnover.
Customer Service Excellence
Deliver a premium, professional, and welcoming shopping experience.
Handle customer questions, special requests, and concerns with professionalism and urgency.
Maintain high standards of integrity, accountability, teamwork, and customer-focused service.
Quarterly Performance Bonus
Eligible employees may receive a quarterly performance bonus based on individual results and company performance.
Quarterly bonuses are subject to management review and established eligibility requirements. Bonus compensation is not guaranteed and may vary based on performance.
Skills and Qualifications
- Previous experience as a Fine Wine Sales Specialist, Wine Sales Representative, Wine Consultant, Wine Director, Beverage Manager, Sommelier, or similar position
- Wine retail, fine dining, luxury hospitality, restaurant, or distributor experience preferred
- Strong knowledge of wine regions, grape varieties, vintages, producers, tasting profiles, and food pairings
- Ability to recommend wines based on customers’ preferences, occasions, menus, and budgets
- Strong sales ability and confidence engaging customers and closing transactions
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to build customer relationships and develop new business opportunities
- Experience with inventory management, purchase orders, merchandising, or beverage cost control
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced retail environment
- Basic computer skills and familiarity with POS, inventory, email marketing, or customer-management systems
- Sommelier or wine certification is a plus but is not required
Minimum Requirements
- Must be 21 years of age or older
- Minimum 2-3 years of experience in wine retail, wine sales, fine dining, hospitality, restaurant, beverage management, or distributor sales preferred
- Must be able to read, write, and speak English
- Must be authorized to work in the United States
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
- Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physical duties, including bending, reaching, stocking, and lifting products weighing up to 70 pounds
- Successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening may be required
Benefits
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Quarterly performance bonus
- Wine education and product training
- Professional development and advancement opportunities
Why Join Cambridge Wine & Spirits?
This is a strong opportunity for an experienced wine professional who wants to apply advanced product knowledge in a high-volume retail environment.
You will have the opportunity to advise customers, develop corporate and event sales, conduct wine tastings, expand your industry knowledge, and earn additional compensation through a quarterly performance bonus.
Qualified candidates who are knowledgeable, professional, customer-focused, and motivated to grow our wine business are encouraged to apply.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: $23.00 - $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
