Vice President, HR & Talent Development

A Vice President, HR & Talent Development position is available helle Wine Estates (SMWE). This role is responsible for leading the organization’s HR talent strategy and operations across all functions. This position partners with executive leadership to align people strategies with business objectives, ensuring the company attracts, develops, and retains top talent while fostering a culture of inclusion, engagement, and high performance.

The VP of HR & Talent Development will oversee HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition and Retention, Compensation & Benefits, Learning & Career Development, HRIS, and Employee Relations, driving organizational effectiveness and compliance.

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the largest wine company in the Pacific Northwest, and among the largest premium wine companies in the U.S, with roots dating back to 1933. Throughout our 90+ year history, what has remained constant is our unwavering commitment to quality, service to our customers, and connection with our community. We are proud that our award-winning wines farmed in Oregon and Washington are an expression of all the best things about the Pacific Northwest — the spirit of people, the abundance of the land, and the excellence-driven culture.

Our distinctive portfolio of wines, including Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14 Hands, Columbia Crest, Erath, A to Z Wineworks, REX HILL, Intrinsic, Liquid Light, Northstar, and Spring Valley Vineyard, are enjoyed across the U.S. and distributed in over 100 countries.

• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with the company’s vision and growth objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive team on all human capital matters.
• Lead organizational design and change management initiatives to support business transformation in the evolving wine industry.
• Build development programs that support the growth and effectiveness of people managers and that help employees feel respected, valued, and appreciated.
• Design and deliver an equitable performance management system and process that encourages smart risk-taking, develops diverse talent, rewards strong performance and creates a learning culture of continuous improvement.
• Design and implement a focused talent development and retention strategy, process, and tool set designed to prepare employees for greater responsibility and/or improve everyday performance
• Implement an annual talent review with senior management designed to create and document career plans for top 20% of SMWE employees, establish needs and plans to address critical role bench-strength, and proactively upgrade SMWE talent across all departments
• Develop and lead a market-based compensation and benefits strategy that serves to recruit and retain high quality, diverse talent in alignment with the organization’s mission and business objectives.
• Provide advice and counsel to all levels of management and model a culture where positive and constructive feedback is encouraged and embraced.
• Drive succession planning, leadership development, and workforce planning to build bench strength, mitigate risk, and support long-term growth.
• Oversee recruitment strategies to attract diverse, high-performing talent.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Manage HR functions across multiple locations (e.g., wineries, offices, vineyards or tasting rooms)
• Mitigate risk through proactive policy development and regular audits.
• Foster a culture of inclusion across all levels of the organization.
• Manage HR budgets and financial performance, aligning resources with strategic priorities.
• Oversee HR technology and analytics to improve efficiency and data-driven decision-making

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree or HR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive HR experience, including at least 8 years in senior leadership roles.
• Proven track record in strategic HR leadership within Food & Beverage, Consumer Packaged Goods or related industries.
• Experience in Wine or adult beverage preferred.
• Experience with hourly production…