The Oregon Wine Board (OWB) is a semi-independent Oregon state agency managing marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. The Board works on behalf of all Oregon wineries (1000+) and growers (1300+) throughout the state's diverse wine growing regions. The Oregon wine grape and wine industry contributes more than $7.2 billion in economic activity to the state economy each year, including more than 40,000 wine-related jobs and $1.5 billion in wages.
The OWB is overseen by a board of nine governor-appointed Directors serving up to two 3-year terms.
OWB MISSION, VISION, AND OBJECTIVES
Mission
OWB’s legislated mandate is to promote Oregon’s wine-grape growing and winemaking industries and to support research to develop sustainable wine and wine grape business practices within Oregon.
Vision
The OWB firmly believes that a rising tide lifts all boats. In its unique statewide position, the OWB is critical partner to the Oregon wine industry working to raise the tide by cultivating an environment in which our grapes and wines are coveted, winegrowers and producers are well-equipped to compete, all people are treated with equal respect, and all are buoyed by our industry’s collective success.
Objectives
In support of the OWB Vision, the following key objectives have been established, which the OWB Executive Director has responsibility for delivering with their management team and outside resources.
Enhance the Reputation of Oregon Wine
Define, protect, and promote the reputation of Oregon Wine globally.
Establish a well-defined Oregon Wine brand with focused messages, attributes, and brand guidelines
Promote statewide alignment to amplify and ensure consistency of brand message to external audiences
Increase domestic and global awareness of the quality and breadth of the Oregon wine category
Fuel research that sustains and advances wine and grape quality
Deliver Knowledge and Insights
Advance collective intelligence in support of growing, making, and selling quality wines and sustaining the Oregon wine businesses that conduct that work.
Commission and curate technical, business, and market research to advance industry practices
Be the experts on the Oregon wine industry in support of telling its stories and communicating its impact
Make data and insights easily accessible to industry members at all times
Leverage funding and maximize knowledge-sharing through partnerships in research and education
Serve as a resource for industry marketing and technical data helpful to statewide wine industry groups in their advocacy efforts
Provide Leadership and Partnership
Harness statewide strength to unite and empower the Oregon wine industry.
Prioritize activities that will have greatest impact on the advancement of the statewide industry
Establish development opportunities for regional associations appropriate to their life stage needs and in service to the advancement of Brand Oregon
Institutionalize venues for cooperation and input-gathering among regions and other industry
THE POSITION
The Executive Director serves at the pleasure of the Oregon Wine Board and oversees a staff of eight and a budget of $2.6 million. The position is responsible for leading all of the OWB’s marketing, promotion, constituent relations, strategic planning and OWB branding efforts. The Executive Director is a recognized leader on issues of importance to the Oregon wine industry ranging from research and education needs to market development.
The Executive Director is a leader and spokesperson for the industry, representing in a balanced and effective manner the various wine related interests within the state. The Executive Director is both a leader and consensus builder, charged with developing innovative programs and activities for consideration of the Board Members and their constituents, as well as helping maintain industry unity. These programs reach from Oregon throughout the country and abroad. The position’s essential functions include the following:
Leadership: Take a leadership role in driving a collaborative process with OWB Directors, staff, industry associations and industry members that develop goals, objectives, and operational plans for the organization to fulfill the stated vision and strategic plan for the Oregon wine industry. Leading, Planning and Execution of the Vision of the OWB Preparing for the future is one of the most critical leadership responsibilities of the Executive Director. Working with the Board, the Executive Director must maintain a shared vision for the future of the organization, build understanding around the mission, and develop appropriate goals, systems and strategies to advance that mission.
Strategic Planning: This effort sets the stage for funding priorities now and into the future. The Executive Director will provide leadership necessary to ensure all voices are heard, the growth and changes in the industry are fully understood to form the foundation of information necessary to drive a strategic plan that has broad support of the entire wine industry. This plan should contain metrics which the industry will embrace to measure success and be presented to the board for their input and final approval.
People: The Executive Director has overall responsibility for understanding the talent and skills required to meet the needs of the OWB. The Executive Director leads the search for individuals and teams, as well as the development and retention of high performing individuals and teams for the success and growth of the OWB over time. The Executive Director ensures that the organization has a diverse staff with skills appropriate to the needs of the positions and organization and fosters an open and positive work environment and develops professional development plans that allow for staff growth.
Financial Management The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that resources are managed wisely. The ED’s role is to see that the organization’s goals and strategic plan serve as the basis for sound financial management, that solid budgeting and accounting systems are in place, and that appropriate financial controls and risk-management strategies protect the organization’s assets and allow for execution the execution of its mission and goals.
Communications The Executive Director serves as the primary spokesperson and public face of the OWB and the Oregon Wine Industry. This role has three major components: effectively promoting the organization, advocating for the mission and work of the organization, and building relationships with constituent or stakeholder groups critical to the success of the organization.
Board Management The Executive Director and the Directors of the Board form the leadership team of the OWB. Each arm of the team draws upon its unique strengths and abilities. The Executive Director and Board have joint responsibility for developing and maintaining a strong working relationship and a system for sharing information that enables the Board to effectively carry out its governance role.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The Executive Director must set a standard by intellectually and emotionally engaging people at all levels – from growers and vintners to consumers – and doing so in a wide range of settings and through various media. The new Executive Director will lead the OWB in keeping its message and profile fresh, relevant and effective.
For this unique and important role the OWB seeks a dynamic, highly credible, unifying leader who is deeply committed to raising awareness and demand for Oregon’s grapes and wines through marketing and education.
The ideal candidate is an individual with experience and expertise in marketing, communications, special events, and branding (within the wine and/or luxury beverage market). The Executive Director is a recognized leader on issues of importance to the wine industry ranging from research, education needs, market development, and the regulatory environment, along with an understanding of the winemaking and grape growing process and appreciation for agriculture.
The Executive Director is both a leader and consensus builder, charged with developing innovative programs and activities for consideration of the OWB and their constituents, as well as helping maintain industry unity. The Executive Director must value and be able to demonstrate the ability to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for their staff, Board and industry programming. The Executive Director must also possess excellent organizational and management skills ranging from team building, strategic planning, budget and personnel management, and communications. The Executive Director is an attentive listener, sensitive and deferential to the needs of the constituents and staff alike, and must be able to function in a multi- faceted work environment. Candidates should bring strengths in both external relations and internal management with an ability to balance the two.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
A Bachelors degree with at least seven years of experience in a substantial leadership role involving executive level marketing, market development and promotion. The preferred candidate will have grape and wine industry experience and demonstrated success in all the following areas: marketing, market development, promotion, constituent relations, strategic planning and research and education.
PERFORMANCE DIMENSIONS
Leadership:
Lead courageously: Continuously build and defend the strength, reputation, and leadership of the OWB. Engage, motivate, and inspire a broad range of growers and vintners around shared vision and mission. Demonstrate principled leadership, personal courage and decisiveness.
Build talent pools: Hire, mentor, develop, and manage staff. Continue to build and reinforce a cohesive, dedicated, highly effective team.
Foster collaboration: Provide the tools, systems and resources that create a supportive environment for working as a team. Understand the different roles of the staff, Board Members and committees.
Strive for results: Set high standards of performance, be bold, pursue aggressive goals to raise awareness and demand for Oregon wine and persist in the face of obstacles.
Marketing and Market Development:
Build awareness: Develop and execute innovative marketing strategies and programs that enhance and grow the brand equity of Oregon wines.
Brand strategy: Create a strategy for and manage the public relations efforts for the region. Manage internal and external events that impact the image of the region to consumers, trade and the media.
Promotion: Promote the Oregon wine industry through involvement in community forums, civic organizations, and activities that offer opportunities to further the messaging about the OWB and industry as well as partnerships.
Foster development: Support viticulture and enology education and research. Increase awareness of the wine industry’s value to the economy.
Constituent Relations and Collaboration:
Drive effective external communications: Develop and nurture mission-critical relationships with the winegrape growers and wineries; business and civic leaders; political leaders and the media.
Build consensus: Collaborate with traditional and non-traditional partners.
Partnerships: Build and foster productive working relationships with other Oregon-based wine organizations as well as regional and national wine industry organizations
Communication:
Inspire trust: Communicate honestly, be consistent, follow through on commitments, and create an atmosphere of integrity, marked by fair respectful behavior.
Speak and write effectively: Explain direction and ideas with conviction in all settings; formal presentations, one-on-one and small and large meetings.
Listen: Actively listen to growers, vintners, partners and consumers.
Promote open communication: Maintain an environment where communication is open and direct, encouraged, rewarded and relevant.
Marshal support: Coordinate and cooperate with individuals and groups having divergent viewpoints and needs.
Strategic Planning:
Provide visionary insight: Be able to translate big picture vision and goals into both long and short-range plans that are comprehensive, realistic and effective. Identify key opportunities resulting from the intersection of external events (political, social, economic, demographic, environmental) to develop and strengthen the OWB’s effectiveness.
Manage change: Oversee the change management process, including successful communication strategies, involving others in the implementation of change and monitoring and reinforcing process and success. Create an environment that encourages original and innovative solutions.
Fearless commitment to vision: Create and communicate a vision that is aligned with the strategy and direction of the OWB. Clarify other’s involvement in the vision, inspiring a sense of energy and ownership, creating a culture of high performance and recognizing the efforts of others.
Application Process
Persons interested in this position should submit the following information:
A cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position
A current resume
If you have questions regarding this announcement, please call Marissa Karras at 360-956-1336. This position will remain open until filled but the screening process will move quickly. In order to be considered for the first round of interviews please submit your application materials at karrasconsulting.net by November 3rd, 2023.
OWB is an equal opportunity employer and is strongly committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce. We will provide assistance in the recruitment, application and selection process to applicants with disabilities who request such assistance.
If you are a veteran and want to apply for veterans' preference, please include a statement in your cover letter that you are a veteran AND submit a copy of your DD214 or DD215 or other documentation with your application packet by the closing date. Veterans' preference cannot be honored for this recruitment without it.
Total Compensation
The annual salary range for this position is $190K -$215K. OWB is an excellent employer offering an outstanding benefit package including Kaiser medical and dental coverage for employee and family members at 100% premium covered by employer, disability and life insurance; 457b retirement plan with employer annual match of up to 3%, employer paid ceil phone and employer provided state-owned vehicle.
ABOUT THE OREGON WINE BOARD
The Oregon Wine Board (OWB) is a semi-independent Oregon state agency managing marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. The Board works on behalf of all Oregon wineries (1000+) and growers (1300+) throughout the state's diverse wine growing regions. The Oregon wine grape and wine industry contributes more than $7.2 billion in economic activity to the state economy each year, including more than 40,000 wine-related jobs and $1.5 billion in wages.
