Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Managing Director

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Managing Director Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, one of the top three auctions and cultural events in the American wine industry, is seeking its next managing director. This demanding job is unique in the nation, and the successful candidate will be a person of tremendous talent, drive, and experience. About Sonoma Wine Country Weekend Sonoma Wine Country Weekend (SWCW) is the signature event for the Sonoma County wine community, bringing together over 200 of the county s best winemakers and chefs, and attracting over 5,000 consumers and connoisseurs from around the country. SWCW has experienced dramatic growth. Between 2012 and 2016, annual proceeds increased from $700K to $5.7M. This has enabled SWCW to become a crucial philanthropic contributor to programs in Sonoma County that are improving education for our children, reducing poverty, and protecting the environment. Having been jointly produced by Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance for the past several years, SWCW is currently undergoing a transition to become an independent 501(c)3 organization. SWCW seeks a Managing Director to drive the event s continued success and growth, to use the considerable resources available from the present organizers in order to build and steward a new organization, and to provide the vision and leadership to write the next chapter for both the event and for philanthropy in one of America s premier wine producing regions. Role Description The Managing Director will be a visionary leader with the drive to build Sonoma Wine Country Weekend (SWCW) into the nation s premier charitable wine auction. S/he will possess an entrepreneurial spirit, strategic vision, immense diplomatic skills, and a passion for wine culture--from farm to table. S/he will excel not only at fundraising and donor management, but at organization building, brand management, and the excruciatingly detail oriented operations of event management. S/he will also possess a fundamental commitment to the people in need 1

throughout Sonoma County who benefit from all of this enterprise, talent, and hard work. In other words, s/he will be extraordinary. Primary Responsibilities Strategic Planning and Visioning Provide vision and organizational stability to SWCW. In partnership with relevant stakeholders, develop a smart, 2-3 year strategic plan for Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, with aggressive-yet-practicable goals and metrics. With key stakeholders, agree upon decision-making processes among constituent organizations in order to ensure clear and effective collaboration, enhance transparency, and improve efficiency. Fundraising, Donor Development, and Donor Stewardship Working with relevant stakeholders (Boards of Directors and SCV Foundation), and taking into account the organization s mission and vision, articulate SWCW s philanthropic goals. Building upon the success of the event s history, design a cogent, aggressive, practical development strategy to achieve philanthropic objectives, including the development of a balanced funding mix of donor sources and and a year-round stewardship strategy to build long-term relationships with donors. Lead the implementation of the organization s development strategy, playing a key role in donor cultivation and stewardship, and guiding key donors and Board members in activating their respective networks for giving. Maintain a strong working relationship with Community Foundation Sonoma County, clearly communicating SWCW s philanthropic objectives and maintaining continual situational awareness of the performance of programs that SWCW funds support. Working with key stakeholders, help to facilitate sponsorship relationships and opportunities. Build a strong back-of-the-house for the fundraising system and oversee internal processes to track development activities. Relationship-Building with Board, Community, and Partners Act as a spokesperson for the organization. Build strong relationships with key Board members, Oversight Committee members, staff, donors, community partners, major vintners/growers, relevant government agencies, 2

media outlets, local authorities, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure open communication and clarity on objectives, progress and division of labor. Specifically, Managing Director will build a transparent and collaborative working relationship with the Oversight Committee and the Executive Director of SCV (to whom the Managing Director reports) to ensure alignment on direction, progress and success. Managing Director will be responsible for implementing internal processes to allow for thorough, timely reports on progress to the Executive Director and Oversight Committee. Managing Director will play a leadership role in cultivating a shared mission and vision for key stakeholders, fostering the continued development and management of a professional and efficient organization. Financial Management Develop and recommend SWCW s annual budget for Board approval. Develop and manage budget to ensure the financial stability and growth of the organization, and also manage the day-to-day financial operations of the organization, including payroll, audit, risk management and control processes. Staff and Volunteer Management Direct, oversee and manage existing SWCW team members; successfully collaborate with Executive Directors of SVVGA and SCV to ensure healthy, organized working relationships amongst shared staff. Recruit, train, retain, and skilfully manage new talent to build a high-performing, collaborative SWCW team, designed for growth. Recruit, train and maintain strong relationships with SWCW fundraising volunteers. Brand Management and Marketing Develop, formulate and execute comprehensive marketing, brand and communication strategies (including event theme) designed to increase attendance and success of the event, while also ensuring consistency throughout the organization and reflecting the organization s mission. Establish clear guidelines surrounding the SWCW brand to guide decision-making on organizational strategy (for example, deciding which events are critical to the weekend s success). 3

Event Planning, Implementation and Oversight Play the lead role in clearly identifying the strategy and logistics behind SWCW - including details ranging from establishing the theme, to articulating philanthropic objectives, to designing the event experience, to marketing the event and overseeing the public relations program, to overseeing operations, and managing execution. Design and own the guest experience. Manage relationships with vendors, including negotiations to secure the most effective contract terms for SWCW. Establish clear policies, protocols and standards to facilitate exceptional operational execution, and monitor performance of team in execution. Specifically, ensure operational approach is designed for scale, and seen as a leader in terms of registration, digital, content and learning opportunities. Preferred Qualifications and Experience A proven record of success in a leadership role (preferred: 10+ years senior level experience) in an entrepreneurial setting: comfort navigating ambiguity, ability to make sense of complex situations, experience with building institutional structures Experience in developing and overseeing budgets Strong development experience, including signature fundraising events with an auction component, designing comprehensive development programs with clear objectives, and cultivation of major gifts Outstanding presentation and communication skills and the affinity and passion to be an outgoing spokesperson, relationship builder, and fundraiser Graciousness and charisma to achieve consensus amongst differing opinions, ability to communicate and work effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to build a strong coalition Experience in establishing vision and strategic plan, and designing teams and workstreams accordingly to achieve success Strong commitment to professional development of staff; successful track record of recruiting and retaining a diverse team Significant familiarity with the wine industry and national charitable auctions 4

Equal Opportunity Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender or political affiliation. Compensation Information Sonoma Wine Country Weekend offers competitive financial compensation based on experience. Health and dental insurance provided; 401K opportunities available. Application Information To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter that outlines how your skills and experiences meet the qualifications of the position to swcw@schaffercombs.com. In the subject line, please include your FIRST and LAST name, the job title for this position, and the company name ( Name - Managing Director - Sonoma Wine Country Weekend ). Please do not contact the client directly. Schaffer&Combs is retained by SWCW to manage the Managing Director search. Schaffer&Combs solves problems and provides growth solutions for purpose-driven organizations. 5