Program Manager, Wine Club

The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) provides all Cal graduates with rewarding connections to the university, to fellow alums, and to current students. Founded by the original graduates of the University of California in 1872, the Cal Alumni Association today represents more than half a million alums living throughout the world.

Our mission is to cultivate a lifelong relationship with our alma mater by connecting and inspiring alums, students, and the campus community through meaningful and inclusive opportunities. We foster a culture that celebrates diversity, creates a sense of belonging, and advances equity.

Position Summary

The Wine Club Program Manager is responsible for the end-to-end ownership, growth, and operational execution of a curated wine club program, including oversight of agricultural, vineyard, and winery management initiatives aligned with the program's brand and long-term strategy.

This role owns program performance, including membership growth, revenue goals, customer experience, events, and operational excellence. The Program Manager oversees vendor and grower relationships, production planning, inventory coordination, fulfillment logistics, customer service, and financial performance to ensure a high-quality, sustainable, and scalable program.

The Program Manager serves as the central point of coordination between vineyards, wineries, distributors, agricultural partners, fulfillment vendors, marketing, and leadership—ensuring alignment between production realities, business goals, and an exceptional member experience.

Key Responsibilities

Program Ownership, Growth & Goal Management

• Own the overall success of the wine club, including membership growth, retention, revenue, and margin goals
• Develop annual and multi-year program goals and growth strategies
• Track performance against targets and recommend adjustments to pricing, offerings, cadence, or experience
• Identify new opportunities for expansion, special releases, partnerships, and events
  
  

Program Management & Operations

• Manage day-to-day operations of the wine club, including shipment cycles, timelines, and deliverables
• Coordinate wine selection, pricing, and allocations with vineyard and winery partners
• Oversee order fulfillment, shipping logistics, and operational workflows
• Maintain accurate records of inventory, production schedules, memberships, and transactions
  
  

Agriculture, Vineyard & Winery Program

• Support the development and oversight of vineyard, agricultural, and winery management programs aligned with wine club needs and brand standards
• Coordinate with growers, vineyard managers, and winemakers on harvest planning, production timelines, and allocation strategy
• Monitor agricultural practices, sustainability goals, and quality standards
• Support long-term vineyard and winery planning, including varietal strategy, yield considerations, and future product development
• Serve as the bridge between agricultural operations and commercial demand
  
  

Customer Service & Member Experience

• Own the end-to-end customer experience for wine club members
• Serve as escalation point for member inquiries, issues, and service recovery
• Ensure timely, accurate, and thoughtful communications related to shipments, delays, releases, and events
• Use feedback and data to continuously improve service, satisfaction, and retention
• Establish and maintain customer service standards that reflect a premium, relationship-driven experience
  
  

Events & Experiential Programming

• Plan and oversee wine club–related events, including tastings, release events, vineyard experiences, winemaker dinners, and member gatherings
• Coordinate event logistics, partners, budgets, and staffing
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications on promotion and storytelling around events
• Ensure events deepen member engagement and support growth and retention goals
  
  

Vendor, Grower & Partner Relations

• Build and manage relationships with vineyard owners, winery partners, distributors, and fulfillment vendors
• Negotiate pricing, allocations, and program terms to support quality, margins, and member value
• Ensure partners meet quality, sustainability, service, and compliance expectations
  
  

Marketing & Growth (In Collaboration with MarCom)

• Partner with Marketing & Communications to execute acquisition and retention campaigns
• Support content and storytelling that highlights vineyards, agricultural practices, winemakers, and events
• Coordinate launch timelines for new vintages, seasonal releases, and special editions
• Contribute to strategies that increase member lifetime value
  
  

Financial Oversight & Reporting

• Own program-level financial performance, including revenue, costs, margins, and forecasts
• Track agricultural and production inputs alongside commercial outcomes
• Prepare regular performance updates for leadership
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, profitability, and sustainability
  
  

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with alcohol sales, shipping, agricultural, and tax regulations
• Maintain documentation related to licenses, vineyard agreements, contracts, and vendors
• Proactively identify and escalate regulatory, operational, or reputational risks
  
  

Qualifications

Required

• Experience owning or managing a consumer-facing program, subscription service, or product-based business
• Demonstrated responsibility for growth targets, revenue, or performance goals
• Strong customer service orientation and issue-resolution experience
• Experience coordinating with external partners, vendors, or producers
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  
  

Preferred

• Experience in wine, viticulture, agriculture, winery operations, or hospitality
• Familiarity with vineyard management, harvest cycles, and production planning
• Knowledge of alcohol compliance and direct-to-consumer shipping regulations
• Experience producing or managing events
• Comfort operating in entrepreneurial or evolving program environments