Who We Are

Wine Enthusiast Companies is a Certified B Corporation and the ultimate source of innovation and information around wine. Founded in 1979 by Adam and Sybil Strum, the family-owned company is composed of Wine Enthusiast Commerce and Wine Enthusiast Media. Wine Enthusiast Shop provides premium wine-lifestyle products, reaching millions of consumers globally via direct mail, an e-commerce site, and a business-to-business division. Wine Enthusiast magazine is an award-winning print publication and online resource that showcases wine news, food trends, and more than 25,000 ratings and reviews annually. Wine Enthusiast events include the annual premier Wine Star Awards gala. In 2024, the company launched a travel division, which includes the Tasting Room Directory and Cork+Compass Travel. Together, Wine Enthusiast Companies is the indisputable hub for everything wine. We bring wine to life.

Your Role in Our Journey

You’ll lead the strategy and execution of our signature events—from the prestigious Wine Star Awards Gala to tasting events and custom client activations. You’re a creative producer, operational leader, and brand storyteller who thrives at the intersection of media, hospitality, and experience design.

This high-impact role collaborates across departments—Editorial, Sales, Tasting, and Marketing—to deliver memorable, high-ROI events that drive audience engagement and business growth. You’ll also manage and mentor junior team members as the events program expands.

You move fast, think strategically, and bring bold ideas to life. A passion for wine and media is essential.

Must be based in the tri-state area.

What You'll Be Uncorking

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end production of all Wine Enthusiast events, including the Wine Star Awards, national tastings, and custom client activations—from concept through execution and post-event analysis.
• Define and evolve event strategy to align with brand vision, audience engagement, and business growth goals.
• Develop and manage all event documentation including timelines, run-of-shows, briefs, and post-event reporting.
• Ensure brand and editorial excellence across every event experience, in partnership with Editorial and Tasting teams.
• Drive innovation and revenue by creating new event concepts and refining existing formats based on feedback and ROI insights.
• Manage internal and external teams, including at least one direct report, and oversee vendors such as venues, production teams, caterers, and designers.
• Own budget and vendor negotiations, ensuring all contracts align with scope, timeline, and financial targets.
• Collaborate closely with Sales to deliver high-impact client activations and sponsorship integrations.
• Communicate proactively with internal stakeholders and leadership, ensuring clarity, alignment, and strategic visibility.

The Perfect Blend (What You Bring to the Table)

Qualifications:

• 5-7+ years of experience in event management, including large-scale galas and experiential events.
• Proven success leading complex events with budgets over $500K.
• Demonstrated ownership of event P&L, with the ability to manage budgets, control costs, and optimize financial outcomes.
• Media experience is preferred, ideally working within a publishing, content, or lifestyle brand environment.
• Experience managing direct reports and/or building a small team.
• Strong vendor negotiation and contract management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; comfortable interfacing with senior executives and clients.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and deadline-driven.
• Proficiency in tools such as Google Workspace and Monday.com for project management.
• Must be based in New York City or the surrounding area and able to attend regular in-office meetings and onsite event production.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in wine, spirits, luxury, or lifestyle industries.
• Familiarity with hybrid/virtual event production platforms.
• Background in branded content, media, or integrated marketing events.

This hybrid role has an onsite requirement of 1 day per week at our Valhalla, NY headquarters.

Our Commitment to You

Unlimited PTO, Full Medical, Dental and Vision benefits, 401(K) Match, FSA & Dependent Care FSA, Flexible Work Environment, Pet Discount Plans, Employee Discount, Wellhub, optional Wine Tasting Class participation, Flexible Schedule, Dynamic and Collaborative work culture.

Our Core Values

PASSION

We’re not just a company; we’re a community. Our job is to enhance the lives of others, making the wine industry and all its offerings accessible and enjoyable. Delighting and educating our consumers is at the core of everything we do.

COLLABORATION

We believe in the power of working together, sharing ideas, and leveraging our collective talents to achieve our goals. We mentor those we lead and surround ourselves with people who drive us to do more than our personal best.

INNOVATION

We value those who think outside the box to elevate the company. We celebrate change, appreciating that a nimble culture attracts talent and motivates team members to push the envelope and build our business for the future.

TRANSPARENCY

Communication and integrity are the cornerstones of our relationships with each other and our customers. We speak openly about our achievements and challenges, with the goal of helping each other grow.

EMPATHY

We support our employees with patience and understanding, recognizing that work hours represent a substantial percentage of one’s time. We encourage a diverse mindset that helps us better reflect the evolving wine culture.

JOY

We recognize that our business is not just about numbers, but also about people. As a family business, we honor the importance of our employees’ home lives. We encourage fun, discovery, adventure and health for our teams.

Our Commitment to Inclusion & Equity

At Wine Enthusiast, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and do not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. As part of our commitment to fair hiring practices, we have adopted "ban the box" policies to provide individuals with criminal records a fair chance at employment. We consider all applicants on their merits and qualifications, considering their ability to perform the job.

Our family-owned company was born from a passion to bring a fine wine experience to the everyday. We believe wine is best shared with others and brings people together. In 2021, Adam and Sybil's daughters Erika Strum Silberstein and Jacqueline Strum were named co-presidents and continue to lead the mission of bringing wine to life. The second generation works together with the collective team to create new and better ways for everyone to explore and enjoy the exciting world of wine, including low-alcohol wines, non-alcohol wines, spirits, and beyond! We hope you’ll join us with a glass in hand.