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Title Grower Relations Representative - Napa Luxury
Employer Foster's Wine Estates
Employment Location Napa Area
Company Description ABOUT FOSTER’S WINE ESTATES AMERICAS:
As a premium global beverage company conducting business across 150 countries, Foster's offers an exciting and diverse portfolio of career opportunities. Our people are innovative, passionate and energetic - working as one team with one high-performance culture.

Foster's is committed to creating an 'inspiring workplace' which attracts and retains highly skilled people. At Foster’s, we recognize and value employee diversity.
Don't let this great opportunity to work with a dynamic and energetic group of individuals pass you by, please apply now! EEO/AAP
Type Full Time
Pay Scale Competitive
Employment Start Date 12/1/09
Job Description Primary Purpose of Role

The Napa Luxury GRR is responsible for efficiently sourcing and negotiating the purchase of high quality grapes of the required type, grade and price from third parties for the Etude and Stag’s Leap programs under the guidelines set by the Grower Relations Manger. The Napa Luxury GRR is accountable for ensuring purchased grapes are grown to specification, the orderly delivery of grower fruit and management of grower contracts for their region.

Key Relationships
Internal
• Grower Relations Manager
• Etude and Stag’s Leap Winemaking teams
• Director, Technical Viticulture and Grower Relations
• Grower Relations team
• Technical Viticulture team
• Vineyard Operations team
• Grape/Wine Resources Administration
• HSE
• HR
• Intake Coordinator/Scheduler

External
• Growers
• Grape Grower Associations
• Grape & Wine brokers
• Suppliers and service providers allied to grape growing
• Viticultural Industry Bodies

Key Decision Making in this Role:

• Proper field grading at harvest and field assessments during the season and the assessment of specifications at the weighbridge.
• Initiating negotiations under guidelines set by Grower Relations Manager
• Providing growers with correct technical and business suggestions of relevance to the FWEA grower relationship
• Well – judged and timely communication with growers and FWEA to avoid or minimise legal disputes or actions that may result in less than desirable supply of grapes
• Planning and coordinating an efficient intake system, understanding and taking into account processing capacity, quality and cost of grapes

Key Responsibilities/ Accountabilities:

1. Respond to demand plan, source and advise the company of available fruit at the appropriate grade and price.
2. Responsible for business relations and communications with an allocated group of growers within designated regions, in line with FWEA’s medium and long term plans.
3. Responsible for business relations and communications with Etude and SLW growers, in line with the brands and FWEA medium and long term plans.
4. Build close relationship with Etude and Stags’ Leap Winemakers to understand and represent the respective brands.
5. Source new potential grape suppliers to met business requirements.
6. Conduct grower days/events to communicate vintage outcomes, FWEA expectations and to build relations.
7. Ensure the highest fruit quality standards are meet by continually monitoring, educating and providing sound viticultural advice to Etude and SLW growers.
8. Lead negotiations of adjustments to grower’s agreements, in accordance with short term and long term grape requirements, including adjusting all grape quality standards and other provisions.
9. Monitor grower performance and maintain grower records, including a minimum of 5 field assessments, tracking phenology, performing yield estimation and measuring plant water status throughout the growing season utilizing the vineyard information system.
10. Initiate, update and verify crop estimates from growers using the Crop Forecaster methodology in accordance to the vineyard activity calendar.
11. Monitor ripening patterns and estimate growers picking program.
12. Conduct and record field inspections with winemakers for final grading to ensure maximum end use potential of fruit and efficient batching and streaming of fruit deliveries during vintage.
13. Interact with Intake coordinator to formulate intake of grower deliveries and ensure conformity to schedules and bookings.
14. Maintain Etude and SLW brand identity with growers while working in the FWEA corporate environment.
15. Ensure chemical usage records are supplied and fruit complies with FWEA and government standards before delivery is received.
16. Ensure grape quality standards are met and that the documentation of grower deliveries is correct.
17. Undertake activities that enhance the FWEA’s profile and community image.
18. Promote Etude and Stags’ Leap Wines to consumer, trade and media when applicable
19. Develop a positive industry presence; monitor grower’s activities within the grape growing industries.
20. Liaise with the Regional Viticulturists and Technical Viticulture team on technical matters including grape quality standards, variety and clonal evaluation, chemical usage, vineyard practices and crop forecasting.

Key Challenges in Achieving Goal(s): (What are the key challenges faced by this role in meeting it’s goals/objectives)
• Dealing with growers and influencing them to achieve desired outcomes.
• Communicating and achieving with growers the desired outcomes for FWEA and the grower, without leading to conflict, especially legal dispute.
• Predicting and ensuring that the grape quality targets match FWEA requirements.
• Accurately predicting the potential end use and wine grade from field assessments.
• Management of time and work efficiencies during vintage.

Qualifications and Experience
• A degree in viticulture or equivalent tertiary qualification is desirable.
• Minimum 3 years experience in grower relations, viticulture or vineyard management.
• Good communication and conflict resolution
• Liaison and organisational skills
• Advanced computer skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Conversational Spanish is an advantage

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands described below are representative to successfully perform the essential job functions. The following percentages are given in terms of an eight-hour workday. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Vineyard inspections will involve working outside in all weather conditions, exposure to extreme heat and cold in some cases.
• Office related tasks include sitting at a desk, using computer based technology.
• Long distance driving required to interact with growers and visit vineyards.
• Overnight travel may be required when sourcing and interacting with growers.
Contact Info TO APPLY:
If you are interested in this position please apply online. Go to http://searchjobs.fweacareers.com/ to submit your resume and please include your salary requirements.

No relocation assistance is available for this position. No recruiters or phone calls, please.

Contact Address 610 Airpark Road
Napa, CA 94558
Contact Website http://www.fweacareers.com
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