APP Development Manager - Americas - WSET

WSET is the world’s leading provider of drinks qualifications and courses with over 50 years’ experience in designing and delivering education to help both professionals and enthusiasts learn more about wine, spirits, beer and sake. A not-for-profit organisation, our purpose is “to empower people all over the world through inspiring learning experiences”.   

Our qualifications are available in over 70 countries and 15 languages. We have 700 Approved Programme Providers (APPs) globally, and over 140,000 candidates annually.  

As our APP Development Manager, you will ensure the timely and impactful delivery of our global APP development strategy. You will be responsible for growing and strengthening provision of WSET qualifications across our network of APPs throughout the Americas region. You will enhance our programme of onboarding and support, curate a robust and realistic visit schedule and facilitate in-market brand awareness opportunities. You will bring dynamic and creative solutions to supporting APPs in achieving their WSET ambitions. 

The APP Development team upholds WSET’s values – Dynamism, Inclusivity, Empowerment, Inspiration, Trust and Integrity. Protecting the integrity of our qualifications whilst delivering excellence in customer service is key to our offering and paramount in the success of our APP network.  

Responsibilities:

Account Development

• Develop, build and maintain a market and sector development strategy maximising the opportunities found within our existing APP network, which includes:

• Improving of customer experience and higher engagement across the APP network

• Improving educational and operational standards

• Increasing conversion rate between qualification levels and categories

• Broadens the breadth and depth of WSET qualifications offered across the network

• Increasing WSET and APP presence and local and national events

• Collaboration with the Customer Service team and Governance team to ensure implementation and success of new processes leading to improvement in customer experience and viable visit schedule

• Identification and development of partnerships with key industry organisations to further enhance opportunities for our course providers and candidates

• Field and screen inquiries from potential APP applicant. Make recommendations on the potential applicant’s fit within the greater APP landscape and within the wider U.S. drinks industry and support the rigorous application process and subsequent onboarding requirements for new course providers.

Training, Quality and Integrity

• Identify and help implement training requirements and CPD needs across the APP network

• Work with the ETP team to ensure that the APP Development team is up to date with any changes in the ETP delivery, content and assessment and organise team training and upskilling where appropriate and build capability to observe and monitor classroom activities within the APP network

• Attend APP activities such as courses, examinations, events and networking opportunities as required to ensure consistency, quality and integrity are maintained to protect WSET reputation

• Support the Governance team in any investigation where the quality and integrity of WSET qualifications are at risk. Action any resulting recommendations, corrective and preventative measures with the APP at the direction of the Governance team

• Oversee the development of the global APP onboarding process, working with all relevant departments

Marketing

• Collaborate with the Global Marketing team APP toolkits, action the development of translated sales support and monitor need for additional global and regional marketing needs

• Contribute to the content of marketing activities at trade fairs, events and activations globally

• Write and host WSET presentations for regional and global marketing purposes

Reports, projects and communication

• Analyse APP activity and spending patterns to support business decisions

• Produce annual reviews of APP, regional and sector performance and projections for future years to support effective budgetary and performance planning

• Represent APP Development on intra- and inter-departmental projects as required

• Plan and execute specific projects required to support the APP Development team and the wider organisation in meeting our objectives

• Provide others in the team with robust data confirming business activity and highlighting areas of concern and/or growth potential

Other Activities:

As a member of the WSET Americas team:

• You will, at the request of the Global APP Development Director, represent the APP Development team and participate in inter-departmental working groups reflecting your areas of responsibility

• You will provide feedback and reports on WSET qualifications and systems to ensure the successful future development of the WSET

• Using your business knowledge and market experience, you will give support to Marketing and the Product Team where requested to ensure the successful operation of our business

• Propose and manage all agreed budgets associated with your area responsibility, providing monthly reports on expenditure in line with development and tactical plans for review by Finance and the Global APP Development Director

As an employee of the WSET:

• You are expected to contribute to the overall successful operation of WSET by undertaking such other tasks as may from time to time be requested. Evening and weekend work, overnight stays and overseas travel will be required on occasion

Limits of Authority

You are to observe the following limits:

Finance: Operate within agreed budgets.

Person specification

• Must be eligible to work across all states within the USA and have a valid, up to date passport for international travel without restrictions

Core Competencies 

• Clear and Confident Communicator: A strong communicator who can express ideas effectively and succinctly, fostering trust in interactions both with APPs and internally at WSET

• Management acumen: Previous demonstrable experience managing people and/or teams. Ability to lead a team to fulfil strategic imperatives and personal objectives, and support with training, development and mentoring needs

• Dynamic and Proactive: A dynamic individual who approaches challenges with enthusiasm and inclusivity

• Adaptable and Flexible: An adaptable team player who embraces challenges and change with a positive attitude

• Organised and Detail-Oriented: An organised individual with a keen focus for detail, ensuring accuracy and reliability in all tasks

• Problem Solver: A confident and proactive problem solver who seeks dynamic solutions to meet APP expectations

• Customer-Focused: A customer-centric individual who prioritizes APP needs, fostering trust and credibility with all stakeholders who has experience in promoting and realising ideas for change

• Team Player: A collaborative team player who inspires and supports colleagues, always working towards a positive team culture

• Positive Attitude: A positive individual who contributes optimism and motivation to the team through a can-do attitude

• Culturally Aware: A culturally aware individual who respects and values diversity and who is capable of adapting to the cultural sensitivities of the region  

• Resilient: A resilient professional who remains steadfast in challenging situations, maintaining integrity and trust at all times. An individual who recognises the importance of maintaining the integrity of WSET qualifications and therefore its processes and operations

• Passionate about Wine, Spirits, Sake and/or Beer: A passionate individual with a genuine interest in the drinks industry.  WSET Level 3 or equivalent as a minimum, previous experience in education/teaching and the ability to successfully complete the WSET Certified Educator programme during initial onboarding

• Industry Savvy: Demonstrable experience in, and understanding of the U.S. beverage alcohol industry, including the three-tier system and the major players within the industry

• Empathetic: An empathetic individual who understands and supports colleagues and APPs

• IT competencies: Good IT skills: Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook & PowerPoint), CRM, LMS 

Desirable attributes:

• WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine, WSET Level 2 in a second/third subject category

• Other drinks category education (Cicerone, Wine Scholar Guild, CAPS, ISG, CMS)

• Educational background in Business, Business Administration, Business Management, or Education preferred

• Fluency in a second language (Spanish, Portuguese, French)

Any offer of employment or your ongoing employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a thorough background check by an independent third party.

Salary Range: $63,000-67,000 USD

Location: Remote

Available to Applicants in Delaware, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

USA Benefits

WSET Americas offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees, subject to elections and eligibility. Some key highlights of our benefits package include:

• Competitive PTO and Holiday Schedules
• Competitive Health Benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Bonus Eligibility
• Retirement Savings

US Applicants Only: 

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance; stoop; kneel, crouch, and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust and focus.

DISCLAIMER: 

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned, at any time.