Head of Hospitality (Wine Jobs: Management & Administration)

  Willow HR

  Bolney, Haywards Heath, England

About Bolney Wine Estate: 

Bolney Wine Estate is a renowned winery located in Sussex, England. Founded in 1972, it has established itself as a leading producer of high-quality English wines. Situated in a picturesque countryside setting, Bolney Wine Estate benefits from a unique microclimate that contributes to the cultivation of exceptional grape varieties.

The estate is dedicated to the art of winemaking, combining traditional craftsmanship with innovative techniques. Their skilled team of winemakers carefully tends to the vineyards, selects the finest grapes, and employs meticulous methods to produce a diverse range of wines. Bolney Wine Estate also features a charming café and restaurant, offering visitors a delightful culinary experience.

We are dedicated to creating an open and inclusive working environment, and this starts with our recruitment practices. We try to ensure that everybody who is interested in joining our team has equal opportunity and ability to start that journey with us. We intend to have flexible and accessible hiring practices and will make every attempt to adapt to your needs throughout. We welcome any requests for adjustments in our processes.

Key Purpose

As the Head of Hospitality and Commercial, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of hospitality operations at the Estate, including the tasting room, tours, events and restaurant/café. (i.e., not wine making and grape growing.) Your primary role will be to create a premium and engaging experience for all visitors, ensuring high standards of customer service and hospitality at all times. You will lead and manage a dedicated team, collaborate with other departments such as marketing and winemaking, and develop strategies to promote the Estate as a premier destination for wine tourism.

Leadership

• Create a vision and strategy for Hospitality in accordance with the overall business plan and budget.
• Manage and create annual budgets for the hospitality functions, including forecasting, expense control, and revenue generation initiatives.
• Recruit, train, and develop staff to deliver exceptional customer service. Oversee daily operations of all hospitality services.
• Develop and grow the Bolney Wine Club subscription service.
• Foster a positive and productive work environment; ensuring staff are knowledgeable and passionate about the Estate’s wines and history.
• Deliver effective management of resources, including management of budget for zero hours staff.
• Create strong interdependencies across functions, enabling teams to achieve more collaboratively.
• Ensure that a culture of health and safety is maintained and continuously encouraged on site.

Guest Experience 

• Oversee all guest-facing activities, including wine tastings, tours, dining services, and private events.
• Ensure each visitor receives a high standard of service, from arrival to departure, creating memorable experiences.
• Continuously assess and improve the guest experience, addressing any feedback or complaints promptly and professionally.
• Utilise available tools, e.g., TripAdvisor, for both feedback and marketing purposes.

Sales & Revenue Management:

• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop initiatives to drive footfall, grow revenue, and enhance the vineyard’s brand presence.
• Monitor and report on hospitality-related revenue streams (e.g., tastings, tours, events), ensuring financial goals are met.
• Implement strategies to upsell products, including wine, merchandise, and special packages, ensuring a balance between revenue growth and guest satisfaction.
• Lead the restaurant and café teams to deliver an exceptional food and drink experience, step changing our offer and building average spend per head.
• In conjunction with the retail sales team, develop a strategy to deliver local sales within Brighton and the associated area.

Event Planning and Management 

• In collaboration with Marketing, plan and profitably execute a variety of events, including private dining events and corporate events.
• Work closely with the marketing team to promote events and develop partnerships with local businesses and organisations, and attract new guests.
• Ensure all events are seamlessly executed, from logistics to guest management, and uphold the vineyard’s reputation for excellence.

Quality & Standards:

• Ensure the highest standards of cleanliness, presentation, and safety are maintained throughout all hospitality areas.
• Ensure compliance with all licensing, health and safety regulations, and food hygiene standards.

Facilities & Maintenance

• Ensure the building and facilities are of an appropriate standard and match the desired guest experience.
• Accountable for the maintenance and upkeep of the non-winery buildings, visitor facilities and office areas.
• Ensure external contractors and internal teams are engaged to deliver timely repairs, renovations, and facility upgrades.
• Promote sustainable practices in the facilities, such as water usage, energy efficiency, and recycling initiatives, encouraging this culture across the site. Manage waste disposal in line with environmental regulations.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Work closely with colleagues in winemaking, marketing and the wider Frexienet Copestick and Henkell Freixenet team to align hospitality offerings with the vineyard’s and FXC overall strategy. Ensure team has the required product knowledge to deliver an exemplary customer experience.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for VIP guests and media, ensuring a positive representation of the brand.
• Provide regular reports to the board on performance of Hospitality.

Person Specification

• Proven experience in a senior hospitality management role, ideally within the luxury or fine dining sector, or at a vineyard, winery, or similar venue.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with a passion for customer service.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport with guests and staff alike.
• Knowledge of wine, with a passion for sharing that knowledge with others (WSET certification or similar is a plus).
• Experience in event planning and execution, with strong organisational skills.
• Ability to manage budgets, monitor financial performance, and implement revenue-generating initiatives.
• A creative and proactive approach to enhancing the guest experience and solving problems.
• Ability to thrive in ambiguous and complex situations within a high growth subsidiary of a larger business.
• Flexibility to work weekends, holidays, and evenings as required by the business.
• Knowledge and experience of adhering to laws, standards and best practice within the hospitality industry

Up to £75,000

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