- This is a specialist role generally found in larger wine companies that have significant focus on the on-trade. This role can offer an interesting progress for people in customer services roles and occasionally a step into the on-trade sales team. Moving into the on-trade sales team will depend on applying internally to vacancies, making internal connections and making it clear you want to move into the sales role. Junior on-trade sales roles internally will often be appointed on personality, enthusiasm and great attitude.
- Salary levels at the junior/mid-level can be between 3 -10% higher than customer services so there is not a significant uplift in moving to a sales operations role. However this move is more about positioning for your future career path – if you want to move into sales then it’s more likely from a sales operations role. If you want to develop an operations career then a customer services role can facilitate this.
- There is a lot more wine-specific work in a sales operations role and relatively quickly people in these roles will be given a good level of account management responsibility for smaller customers. If interested in this type of role the WSET 3 qualification (wine) is useful given the customer focus.
- Sales Operations Manager is the head of the team and these roles are rare. Salaries are similar to those for an Operations Manager but paid less than any full sales Manager position. It can be difficult for someone in a Sales Operations Manager position to continue to develop and progress in this area because there are so few roles available.
- Career progression can be to join the sales team or perhaps move to a wine development role. The latter can be an effective role in which to develop account management skills and more focus on P&L.
Wine Hiring Trends: 2026 So far: Four areas shaping the wine sales talent market
Where hiring demand is strongest, the challenge is becoming increasingly specific: – Experienced people are settled – Relationship capital is concentrated in incumbents –
