Alcohol Compliance Specialist

Location: Remote / Flexible Reports to: Accountant Team Lead The Mission: Keep our clients licensed, labeled, and legal, so they can focus on selling.

About Cultivar We are the financial operations partner for growing CPG brands. We go beyond standard bookkeeping to deliver insight-driven, channel-smart financial management and advice, including accounting, FP&A, sales tax, inventory costing, and beverage alcohol compliance. Our bev-alc clients are wineries, distilleries, and RTD brands, mostly between launch and $25M in revenue. Many sell direct-to-consumer, through distributors, and online at the same time. That means a lot of filings, a lot of states, and very little room for error. We bring order to chaos, calm to uncertainty, and clarity to the bottom line. We're a remote-first team obsessed with the operational details most people overlook, because we believe structure creates freedom.

The Role We're hiring an Alcohol Compliance Specialist to own federal and state compliance for a portfolio of beverage alcohol clients. You'll file the reports, keep the licenses current, register the labels, and be the person our clients trust to say "you're covered." This is a hands-on execution role , not a leadership position. We need a specialist who doesn't just file forms on time, but understands why the numbers on a TTB report have to tie to the books, the inventory system, and the shipping data. You'll work closely with our accountants and Account Managers, because at Cultivar compliance is connected to the financials, not a separate silo.

What You'll Do Federal Compliance (TTB) • Operations Reports: Prepare and file monthly, quarterly, or annual TTB Reports of Operations (wine premises, brewery, and distilled spirits plant reports).

• Federal Excise Tax: Calculate, prepare, and file federal excise tax returns, including small-producer tax credits.

• Labels & Permits: Submit and track COLA applications, and keep federal permits and amendments current through TTB's online systems.

State Compliance • State Reporting: File state excise tax, production, and shipment reports — including California CDTFA and ABC filings and out-of-state equivalents.

• Direct-to-Consumer (DTC): Maintain DTC shipping licenses and file monthly/quarterly shipment reports in every state a client ships to.

• Brand & Label Registrations: Manage out-of-state brand and label registrations, renewals, and price postings for distributor (three-tier) sales.

• License Calendar: Track every license, permit, bond, and renewal date across your client portfolio so nothing lapses.

Data Integrity & Reconciliation • Tie It Out: Reconcile compliance reports against QuickBooks Online, inventory systems, and DTC/e-commerce platforms before anything is filed.

• Root Cause Analysis: When production, inventory, or shipping data doesn't match, find and fix the source — don't just force the report to balance.

Client & Agency Communication • Agency Liaison: Communicate with TTB and state agencies on clients' behalf, including responding to notices, inquiries, and audits.

• Client Guidance: Explain compliance requirements in plain language and flag risks early — new states, new products, new channels.

Process Optimization • Document Everything: Build and maintain clear, repeatable procedures and checklists for every filing type.

• Standardize & Improve: Spot inefficiencies in our compliance workflow and help us deliver faster and more accurately with each cycle.

Must-Have Requirements • Experience: 2–5+ years of hands-on beverage alcohol compliance experience at a winery, brewery, distillery, importer, or compliance/accounting firm.

• Federal Filings: Proven experience preparing TTB Reports of Operations and federal excise tax returns independently.

• Multi-State Knowledge: Working knowledge of state-by-state DTC shipping rules, state excise reporting, and brand/label registration.

• Accounting Foundation: Comfortable reading financial statements and inventory reports, and tying compliance data back to the books.

• Organization: Ability to manage dozens of recurring deadlines across multiple clients and jurisdictions without anything slipping.

• Communication: Clear written and spoken English for agency correspondence and client guidance. Spanish is a plus — our team works in Spanish internally.

Technical Knowledge Deep-Dive • Production-to-Tax Logic: Understanding how bulk and bottled inventory movements, removals, and bond transfers flow into TTB reports and excise tax.

• Channel Awareness: Knowing how DTC, wholesale (three-tier), and e-commerce sales each trigger different licensing and reporting obligations.

• Systems Fluency: Experience pulling data from QuickBooks Online, inventory management systems, and DTC platforms — and knowing what to do when they disagree.

• Troubleshooting Mindset: Seeing a report that won't tie out as a puzzle to solve at the root, not a number to adjust.

Nice to Haves • Experience with compliance software such as Sovos ShipCompliant or similar.

• Experience with DTC/winery platforms (e.g., Commerce7, WineDirect) or spirits/brewery production software.

• Experience across more than one category — wine, beer, spirits, and RTD.

• Exposure to import/export compliance or federal basic permit applications.

• Experience working in a client-facing professional services firm.

Success Metrics (KPIs) • Zero Missed Deadlines: Every federal and state filing submitted on time, tracked in Karbon.

• Zero Penalties: No late fees, lapsed licenses, or agency penalties caused by our work.

• Accuracy: Compliance reports tie to the books and inventory data before filing; minimal amendments.

• Capacity Efficiency: Consistently delivering high-quality work within budgeted hours.

Why This Role Matters • Protect the Business: A missed filing or lapsed license can stop a client from shipping or selling. You're the safeguard.

• Enable Growth: When a client wants to enter a new state or channel, you make it possible — quickly and correctly.

• Autonomy: You own your portfolio and your process, with the responsibility to make it bulletproof.