Wine Sommelier & Wine Buying Specialist
Orange Wine & SpiritsJob Type: Full-Time / Part-TimeSchedule: Day, evening and weekend availability required
About the Position
Orange Wine & Spirits is looking for an experienced and passionate Wine Sommelier & Wine Buying Specialist to help develop and grow our wine program both in-store and online.
This is a unique hands-on position combining wine buying, wine curation, customer service, online wine selection, merchandising and retail store operations.
We are looking for someone who not only understands wine, but also understands what customers want to buy and how to build a successful wine selection.
Responsibilities
- Help select and recommend wines for our in-store inventory.
- Research and identify quality wines from around the world across different regions, varietals and price points.
- Work with management, distributors, suppliers and importers to evaluate new wines and purchasing opportunities.
- Participate in tastings and recommend which wines should be added, expanded or discontinued.
- Identify premium, allocated, limited-production, trending and unique wines that can differentiate our selection.
- Help develop our online and virtual wine inventory, including products available through our supplier/distributor network that may not be physically stocked in the store.
- Recommend wines for online sales based on quality, availability, customer demand, pricing and profitability.
- Assist with wine descriptions, tasting notes, food pairings and online product organization.
- Monitor sales and inventory performance and recommend changes to the wine assortment.
- Provide knowledgeable and friendly wine recommendations to customers based on taste, food pairing, occasion and budget.
- Assist customers with special orders, case purchases, gifts and premium wine selections.
- Maintain attractive wine displays and properly organized wine sections.
- Restock shelves and assist with receiving and organizing deliveries.
- Operate the POS system and check out customers accurately.
- Verify customer identification and follow all applicable alcohol-sale requirements and company policies.
- Complete assigned opening and closing responsibilities, including register/shift closing procedures.
- Maintain a clean, organized and professional sales environment.
Qualifications
- Strong knowledge of wine, including major regions, grape varieties, producers, styles and food pairings.
- Previous experience as a Sommelier, Wine Buyer, Wine Specialist, Wine Sales Representative, Beverage Director or wine-focused retail/hospitality professional preferred.
- WSET, Court of Master Sommeliers, CSW or similar certification is a plus, but strong real-world wine knowledge and experience may substitute for certification.
- Understanding of both wine quality and the commercial side of wine retail.
- Strong customer-service and communication skills.
- Comfortable researching wines, producers, pricing and market trends.
- Comfortable using computers, POS systems and online product/catalog platforms.
- Organized, dependable and detail-oriented.
- Ability to lift and move cases of wine and regularly restock shelves.
- Must be comfortable working hands-on in a retail environment, including checkout, stocking and closing duties.
- Evening, weekend and holiday availability may be required.
Ideal Candidate
Our ideal candidate is someone who can discover a great bottle, explain why we should carry it, determine the right price point and customer for it, recommend it confidently in-store, and help us successfully present and sell it online.
We want someone interested in helping us build a distinctive wine program rather than simply maintaining an existing selection.
Why Join Orange Wine & Spirits?
This position provides an opportunity to have a meaningful role in shaping and expanding our wine business. You will work directly with management to help develop our in-store assortment and growing online wine catalog, while introducing customers to wines from around the world.
Apply with your resume and a brief description of your wine experience, certifications (if applicable), and any previous experience with wine buying, distributor relationships, or wine retail.
Orange Wine & Spirits is an equal opportunity employer.
Pay: $18.00 - $21.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Relocation assistance
Work Location: In person
