Pizzini Brand Manager
Pizzini is a leading wine and hospitality business located in Victoria's stunning King Valley Wine Region. The Pizzini family embrace their Italian Heritage with King Valley character and produce some of the most sought-after varietal wines and wine experiences in the country.
The Manager – Strategy, Growth & Innovation provides strategic leadership, drives business growth, and leads innovation across the organisation. This full-time role is responsible for contributing to and executing the business's long-term Growth strategy, developing new markets and partnerships, and overseeing the New Product Development (NPD) pipeline.
Reporting directly to the GM, this role forms part of the Executive Leadership Team and works in close collaboration with Sales & Marketing, Finance, and Production to ensure the business delivers on its growth ambitions.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
GENERAL
● Continuously uphold the Pizzini Wines Values:
○ Respect
○ Pride
○ Teamwork
○ Excellence
○ Growth
○ Communication
○ Transparency
● Consistently and effectively deliver service and performance expectations by exercising a high commitment to exceptional service, tolerance, and strong attention to detail.
● Create and maintain positive relationships with existing and potential customers, by driving customer engagement as the foundation of all Pizzini Wines interactions.
● Professionally represent the company at all times, both in the workplace and off-site.
● Comply with all Pizzini Wines workplace policies and procedures.
● Foster an environment of respect, tolerance, compassion, professionalism, and empowerment at all levels.
Key Area Responsibility 1: Strategy and Growth
· Contribute to the development and ongoing refresh of the 5–10-year strategic roadmap.
· Translate long-term goals into annual strategic initiatives and projects in their area of responsibility.
· Combine with the Marketing Manager and GM to oversee market intelligence, competitor analysis, and industry insights. Reporting outcomes to the senior management group.
· Conduct along with others a structured evaluation and entry planning for new domestic and export markets, market extensions, and channel opportunities, including business cases for approval.
· Develop, gain approval for and and Execute along with the National Sales and Marketing Managers approved growth initiatives. Including handover of day-to-day management of the initiatives to the Sales & Marketing teams.
· Contribute to an annual strategic growth plan with the senior management group and provide quarterly progress reports aligned to the company strategy and objectives.
· Evaluate new acquisitions and diversification opportunities, reporting on outcomes to GM/Senior management group.
· Participate in consumer pricing and margin optimisation strategies across all channels, ensuring alignment with market trends, brand equity, and profitability.
· Partner with Finance and Sales to model pricing and margin scenarios, including WET/Excise, channel discounts, and promotions.
· Partner with the GM and executive team to ensure alignment of strategy with operational delivery.
Key Area Responsibility 2: Business Development & Partnerships
· Identify, negotiate, and secure strategic partnerships across distribution, export, and brand collaborations.
· co-lead along with the general manager and national sales manager negotiations for major strategic accounts in partnership with the Sales team.
· Represent business at industry forums, trade events, and government relations platforms.
· Build and maintain high-value relationships with customers, distributors, and key stakeholders.
· Produce quarterly partnership and market performance reports to the GM
Key Area Responsibility 3: New Product Development and Innovation
· Manage the NPD Committee and manage the innovation pipeline through a structured stage-gate process.
· Ensure that new products meet the strategic priorities, mission, and values while balancing high-margin niche projects with scalable volume growth opportunities.
· Work with the team to identify and assess brand extension opportunities (new SKU's packaging formats, experiences, or collaborations.
· Oversee, along with the Sales and Marketing Managers, consumer and market research to inform product development. Reporting outcomes to the senior management group with recommendations.
· Champion a collaborative culture of innovation, ensuring commercial discipline and alignment with brand strategy.
· Facilitate cross-functional NPD meetings to ensure projects meet quality, budget, and launch timelines.
· Embed price–value discipline into New Product Development (NPD) decisions.
QUALIFICATIONS
(What qualifications are required for this position)
● A Business degree
EXPERIENCE
● At least five years of sales experience in the Australian Wine Industry or a similar industry segment.
SKILLS + ATTRIBUTES
● Above average communication and negotiation skills
● The ability to plan and sell change to others