VP, Regulatory Counsel at Duckhorn Wine Company

United States

$167.5k - $210k

<div><p data-pasted="true">The Duckhorn Portfolio is North America&#39;s premier luxury wine company, with eleven wineries, ten state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, five tasting rooms and over 2,200 coveted acres of vineyards spanning 37 Estate properties. Established in 1976, when vintners Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Napa Valley&#39;s Duckhorn Vineyards, today, our portfolio features some of North America&#39;s most revered wineries, including Duckhorn Vineyards, Decoy, Kosta Browne, Sonoma-Cutrer, Goldeneye, Calera, Greenwing, Paraduxx, Migration, Canvasback and Postmark. Sourcing grapes from our own Estate vineyards and fine growers in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, California&#39;s North and Central coasts, Oregon and Washington State, we offer a curated and comprehensive portfolio of acclaimed luxury wines with price points ranging from $20 to $230 across more than 15 varietals. Our wines are available throughout the United States, on five continents, and in more than 50 countries around the world.</p><p>The VP, Regulatory Counsel serves as a key senior leader in the Legal department, combining high-level strategic regulatory oversight with hands-on legal counseling. This role owns the company&#39;s regulatory compliance program for alcohol beverage operations while providing practical, business-oriented legal advice on a broad range of matters in the highly regulated wine industry. The ideal candidate is a seasoned attorney with deep expertise in federal and state alcohol regulations, trade practices, distribution, and related compliance issues, who can proactively manage risk, support growth initiatives, and collaborate cross-functionally. This position directly supervises the Regulatory Compliance team.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>What we will ask you to do:</strong></p><p><strong>Regulatory Compliance Leadership</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li>Manage the team that is responsible for developing and implementing the company&#39;s comprehensive regulatory compliance program, ensuring adherence to all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing the production, importation, labeling, marketing, promotion, distribution, and sale of wine and alcoholic beverages.</li><li>Provide strategic support across the organization to enable business leaders to compliantly structure key growth and commercial initiatives.</li><li>Lead internal compliance training, audits, and monitoring programs; identify and mitigate regulatory risks across the business.</li><li>Serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory agencies (TTB, FDA, state liquor authorities); respond to inquiries, audits, investigations, and enforcement actions.</li></ul><p><strong>Legal Advisory &amp; Counseling</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li>Provide timely, pragmatic legal counsel to senior leadership, marketing, sales, operations, supply chain, and other teams on regulatory, compliance, and general business matters.</li><li>Review and approve marketing materials, advertising, promotions, sponsorships, events, social media, and packaging/labeling for compliance with alcohol-specific rules.</li><li>Advise on distribution agreements, supplier contracts, wholesaler relationships, and three-tier compliance issues.</li><li>Offer general in-house legal services, including advising on a wide variety of subject matters.</li><li>Support contract drafting, negotiation, and review for commercial transactions with both a business minded and regulatory lens.</li><li>Collaborate on risk assessments for new products, market expansions, acquisitions, or innovative marketing strategies.</li></ul><p><strong>Mergers &amp; Acquisition Support:</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li>Provide regulatory guidance on M&amp;A activities.</li><li>Assist in structuring, negotiating, and documenting M&amp;A transactions, ensuring compliance with alcohol-specific regulatory approvals, and integration planning.</li></ul><p><strong>Risk Management &amp; Enforcement Response:</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li>Monitor evolving regulatory landscape (federal/state legislative changes, TTB rulings, industry guidance) and advises on impact to the business.</li><li>Lead or coordinates responses to regulatory investigations, subpoenas, notices of violation, or litigation involving compliance issues.</li></ul><p><strong>Cross Functional Collaboration:</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li>Work closely with marketing, sales, production, finance, and executive teams to embed compliance into business processes and support strategic growth initiatives.</li><li>Creates a workplace culture that emphasizes the mission, vision and values of Duckhorn.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>What you will need:</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li>Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.</li><li>Active bar membership in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction).</li><li>Minimum of 8 years experience, including significant in-house or law firm work focused on alcohol beverage regulatory compliance.</li><li>Deep knowledge of the three-tier system, tied-house prohibitions, and state-by-state variations in alcohol law.</li><li>Demonstrated involvement in M&amp;A transactions, preferably in the consumer goods or beverage sector, including due diligence and deal execution.</li><li>Strong business acumen with the ability to provide practical, risk-balanced advice that supports commercial objectives.</li><li>Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to distill complex regulations into clear guidance for non-lawyers.</li><li>Proactive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented mindset.</li><li>High ethical standards and sound judgment.</li><li>Prior experience at a winery or spirits/beverage company preferred</li><li>Managerial experience preferred</li><li>Demonstrated ability to plan and organize projects.&nbsp;</li><li>Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality.</li><li>Excellent written and oral communication skills; attention to detail and responsiveness.</li><li>Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint.</li><li>A growth mindset and can-do attitude</li><li>Limited travel is required.</li></ul><p style="margin-left:.25in;"><br></p><p><strong>What we will provide:</strong></p><ul style="list-style-type: disc;margin-left: 0in;"><li>Health benefits for you and your family, including medical/dental/vision (with a competitively priced employee contribution to premium), and disability, life, &amp; pet insurance.</li><li>Paid time off and 11 paid holidays.&nbsp;</li><li>401(k) plan where we invest 10% of your wages every year for your retirement at no cost to you, subject to management discretion.</li><li>A diverse team of coworkers that care about each other in a fun, exciting work environment.</li><li>A company that promotes from within, provides great training and a generous tuition reimbursement program.</li></ul><p><br></p></div>