Assistant Manager – Wine & Spirits Auctions in North Sydney

Assistant Manager – Wine & Spirits Auctions

Join an established wine and spirits business and play a key role in delivering successful auctions, building industry relationships and driving commercial growth.

United Cellars is an established wine retailer and wholesaler operating across Australia and New Zealand, specialising in premium wines and spirits from leading local and international producers.

With a strong focus on quality, customer relationships and exceptional products, we continue to develop our auction, wholesale and retail channels.

United Cellars | North Sydney, NSW, Australia

About United Cellars

United Cellars is an established wine retailer and wholesaler operating across Australia and New Zealand, specialising in premium wines and spirits from leading local and international producers.

With a strong focus on quality, customer relationships and exceptional products, we continue to develop our auction, wholesale and retail channels.

About the Role

We are seeking a commercially minded and highly organised Assistant Manager – Wine & Spirits Auctions to join our team, based at our North Sydney office.

This is a varied, hands‑on role combining wine and spirits auction coordination, account management, inventory administration and business development.

Working closely with our Buying, Sales, Marketing and Operations teams, you will help manage the end‑to‑end delivery of our auctions, develop relationships with consignors, collectors, suppliers and trade customers, and identify opportunities to grow auction participation and revenue.

The ideal candidate will bring strong organisational and relationship management skills, commercial awareness and a genuine interest in the premium wine and spirits industry.

Key Responsibilities

Auction Management & Coordination

• Support the planning, administration and execution of online and live wine and spirits auctions.

• Coordinate auction catalogues, product listings, descriptions and photography.

• Liaise with consignors regarding wine and spirits submissions, valuations and auction requirements.

• Manage auction schedules, deadlines and key deliverables.

• Monitor auction performance, bidder activity and sales results.

• Coordinate post‑auction invoicing, customer enquiries and order fulfilment.

Relationship Management & Business Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with consignors, collectors, trade customers and suppliers.

• Identify opportunities to secure new wine and spirits consignments and grow auction participation.

• Support the development of wholesale and trade accounts.

• Develop an understanding of customer preferences, market demand and emerging opportunities within the premium wine and spirits sectors.

• Deliver responsive, professional customer service and ongoing account support.

Inventory & Commercial Support

• Coordinate auction inventory and stock movements with Buying and Warehouse teams.

• Maintain accurate product information, stock allocations and system records.

• Assist with auction pricing, sales reporting and margin analysis.

• Identify opportunities to improve auction performance, profitability and operational efficiency.

• Support supplier promotions, tastings, events and broader commercial initiatives.

About You

To succeed in this role, you will ideally have:

• 3–5+ years' experience in account management, sales, auction administration or a related commercial role.

• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing deadlines.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

• Commercial awareness and a proactive approach to identifying business opportunities.

• Strong administrative capability and intermediate to advanced Excel skills.

• Experience using CRM, inventory or business management systems.

• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.

• A genuine interest in premium wines, spirits and the broader auction and collectibles market.

Highly regarded, but not essential:

• Experience within the wine, spirits, liquor, auction or premium retail industries.

• WSET qualifications or equivalent wine and spirits knowledge.

• Familiarity with premium wine and spirits valuations, provenance, collectability and secondary market trends.

• Knowledge of collectible spirits, including whisky, bourbon, cognac and other premium categories.

• Experience with auction platforms, NetSuite or Shopify.

• Existing relationships within the wine and spirits trade, collector or auction communities.

Why Join United Cellars?

• Work with premium wines and spirits: Gain exposure to sought‑after Australian and international wines, rare spirits and collectible products.

• Variety and ownership: Enjoy a diverse role combining auction operations, customer relationships and commercial development.

• Industry exposure: Build relationships with suppliers, collectors, consignors and trade customers.

• Opportunity to grow: Develop your knowledge and experience within an established and evolving wine and spirits business.

• Collaborative environment: Join a passionate team with a shared interest in delivering exceptional products and customer experiences.

Location

This is an office‑based position located at our North Sydney, NSW office, working closely with colleagues across our Australian and New Zealand operations.

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