Assistant Manager - Vineyard Establishment
(Wine Jobs:
Vineyards & Cellars )
Full Time
Plumpton Green, East Sussex,
England
Vine-Works has been building and managing vineyards in the UK for over 10 years. This is an exciting opportunity to assist in every phase of establishment, from field visits in un-planted land through to trellising installation project management and finally handing over completed projects, ready for the next phase in the vineyard’s development.
This is a unique role to an industry which is blossoming under significant domestic and international investment. The right candidate will be both office and field based. One day could be meeting a prospective client, (smallholders, estates, existing growers/wineries). The next, compiling and writing reports, to visiting trellis teams, to liaising with the Vineyard Management team.
Reporting to the Establishment manager and company directors, the ideal candidate must have the enthusiasm, ambition, and attention to detail to provide the high level of service that both Vine-Works Ltd and its customers demand.
Sound viticultural knowledge and an understanding of the demands of grape growing in the UK are required. The role will involve liaising with clients, keeping them apprised of developments in each project. This individual will ensure projects are completed within determined timeframes, budgets and to the correct specification.
Duties
- Supervise the Vine-Works trellising function, build and maintain a 12-month schedule to organise five teams working concurrently
- Oversee each trellis installation project to ensure excellent quality and efficient delivery
- Prepare accurate information for budgeting and invoicing purposes
- Liaise with clients to communicate on all aspects of installation, troubleshoot any concerns and complete work to desired specifications
- Liaising with internal departments across sales, administration and logistics to ensure efficiency of tractor and material deliveries
- Assist the Health and Safety manager to complete site-specific risk assessments, take PPE inventories and compile team training manuals
- Assist in the formation of ‘Viticultural Suitability Reports’, (soil sampling, review of climatic analysis, material quotes)
- Traveling to sites to review ground preparation for planting, taking GPS measurements or discussing on going project development with clients
- Assist in presenting reports to clients, dealing with the resulting queries and developing site specific action plans in readiness for a successful planting
- Travel across the country each May with planting teams to install vineyards to detailed specifications
Qualifications & Skills
- Viticultural/Horticultural degree or similar
- Experience working in or managing in a vineyard
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
- Strong business and commercial acumen and analytic capabilities
- Mechanical aptitude
- Highly organised and ability to deliver against tight deadlines
- Competent in MS Office software packages inc. Excel, accounting and project management software
Vine-Works Ltd has a reach across the entire country with a base of operations near Plumpton Green, East Sussex. This facility houses our back-office administration functions and warehouse. We have our own 1.5ha vineyard on the same farm where we trial new technologies and produce fruit for winemaking. This area is also home to our equipment and logistic services.
Competitive salary based on experience
Company pension scheme
Laptop and phone provided
Mileage expenses when applicable