Director of Operations

Located just minutes from downtown Portland, Amaterra is perched high in the tree-filled slopes of the city’s West Hills. Amaterra is built on a foundation of food and beverage excellence. Executive Chef Jami Flatt, formerly of Departure and Urban Farmer at the Nines Hotel, partners with Farmers, Vendors and Ranchers to create dishes and experiences that celebrate the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. If you love the hospitality industry and are seeking a respectful, financially rewarding, and creative experience unlike any you have had in your career to date, let’s talk!

As the Director of Operations, you will oversee the daily operations of our Portland winery, including the management of our restaurant and event space, the winemaking production team, the winemaker. You will also lead our event sales initiatives, encompassing weddings, social gatherings, corporate events, and private dining experiences. Additionally, you will supervise the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) wine club manager and maintain a general oversight of our Bend, Oregon restaurant and tasting room. You will play an essential role in ensuring the Amaterra brand’s growth and financial success.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• Exceptional leadership qualities, with experience guiding and developing a high-performing team.
• Commitment to fostering a culture of accountability, aligning with company values, and contributing to a collaborative and high-performance work environment.
• Excellent process manufacturing understanding and execution for efficiency, quality assurance, and profitability.
• Experience fostering and managing an environment of continuous improvement in all components of the winemaking function.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting and exceeding Direct-to-Consumer sales goals as well as building and growing a self-distribution network in select markets in Oregon and Washington.
• Ability to operate effectively in a sales capacity for diverse groups, making presentations, etc.
• Successful management of an operating budget, inventory analysis and review, and KPI tracking.
  
  
  

Position Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, or a related field is required, and an MBA is desirable.
• Strong leadership and communication skills that emphasize team building and problem-solving.
• Experience in business and management principles, including strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, event and wine sales, leadership techniques, and production methods.
• Knowledge of the principles and processes for providing excellent customer service, which includes assessing customer needs, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
• Winery experience and management oversight experience. In addition to wine production knowledge, experience should include branding, sales, private event execution, wine-related legal and technical reporting requirements, etc.
• Demonstrated experience managing vineyard contracts, farming operations, and vineyard site selection.
• Demonstrated success in developing product mix, pricing, brand, and sales strategies.
• Must be able to demonstrate a proven record as a top executive at one or more wineries. Key metrics will be overall growth, wine score trends, wine club growth, and online ratings at previous wineries managed.
• Proficiency in using standard software applications, including Office 365 and other winery-specific tools like Wine Direct, ShipCompliant, Vintrace, Innovint, etc.
  
  
  

Position Responsibilities:

General Functions:

• Overall strategic management of the Amaterra brand:
• Along with the winemaker and executive chef, lead the process of creating the lineup of wines to be made each year.
• Develop pricing, product and storytelling strategies around each SKU
• Along with controller and ownership, lead volume forecasting for each SKU and ensure exceptional quality fruit contracts are in place to meet production targets.
• Along with winemaker, plan and execute vineyard selection, contracting of necessary vineyards
• Along with winemaker direct all farming and agricultural direction for estate vineyards as well as contract vineyards.
• Evaluate and recommend strategies for most efficient production whether that be on-site or at contract locations, by SKU
  
  
  

Restaurant & Event Space Oversight:

• Manage the operations of the restaurant and event space, ensuring exceptional guest experiences.
• Lead event sales functions, including booking and coordinating weddings, corporate events, social gatherings, and private dining experiences.
• Develop and execute strategies to drive revenue and attract new clients to the venue.
• Lead Tasting Room and Restaurant staff to meet and exceed wine sales and wine club membership targets through developing robust training plans and creating a positive culture of sales success.
  
  
  

Production Team Oversight:

• Manage the production winemaker and the wine production team to ensure high-quality wine production aligned with brand standards.
• Oversee inventory management, quality control, and scheduling wine production.
  
  
  

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Sales & Wine Club:

• Led the DTC wine club manager to grow membership and increase revenue through direct sales channels.
• Collaborate with marketing to implement campaigns and promotions to drive DTC sales.
  
  
  

Bend Location Management:

• Provide oversight for the general manager at the Bend restaurant and tasting room, ensuring consistency with the overall brand and operational standards and establishing a self distribution platform.
  
  
  

Financial Success & Budgeting:

• Monitor and manage operational budgets, ensuring profitability across all departments.
• Regularly analyze financial performance and identify opportunities for cost reduction or revenue growth.
  
  
  

Brand Development & Storytelling:

• Champion Amaterra’s brand values, mission, and story across all customer touchpoints.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop and implement strategies for brand development and storytelling to enhance customer engagement.
• Manage brand development, marketing, and the positioning of Amaterra as a premium restaurant, event space, and winery. Collaborate with the Central Office marketing team to develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive business marketing plan to effectively promote Amaterra, including submitting wine scores to third parties.
  
  
  

Facility Management:

• Ensure the physical buildings in Portland and Bend are maintained to exacting standards of cleanliness, safety, and aesthetic appeal.
• Oversee facility-related projects, such as renovations, improvements, and repairs.
  
  
  

Leadership & Team Development:

• Lead, motivate, and support a diverse team across all winery areas, including production, sales, events, and hospitality.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to staff, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
  
  
  

BENEFITS:

• On-Demand pay, so you can access your pay as you earn it
• Paid time off
• Education assistance
• Learning and development opportunities that include events, restaurant, tasting room and winery.
• Team Member Recognition Programs
• Health, dental, and vision benefits for employees that work 30 hours and their eligible dependents
• 401K with match
• Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Program
• Supplemental insurance options
  
  
  

When you work with us, you'll get to entertain and meet people from all over as you build your experience. Join us and grow through opportunities to explore the business; opening yourself to various career options. No matter your path, we’ll make sure you feel right at home.

Check us out at www.amaterrawines.com.