Vineyard Manager – Clos Henri Vineyard, Marlborough, New Zealand

Company

Nestled in the rolling hills of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, lies our exceptional organic Estate that was established and is tended to by the Bourgeois Family of Sancerre.

This family has honed their winegrowing expertise over the last two centuries by combining techniques of both the old and new world to produce wines of terroir and refinement.

Our single vineyard estate is a testament to the family's mastery of the craft, as each bottle of wine is carefully made with the utmost respect for tradition and with a deep reverence for the land.

The wines are a tribute to the timeless art of grape growing and winemaking, each reflecting the unique terroir of the estate, and the families’ unwavering devotion to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Role

We are seeking an experienced Vineyard Manager who is passionate about organic and biodynamic grape growing and has a genuine interest in the production of fine wine.

The ideal candidate will be practically-minded with a hands-on approach, a positive thinker who thrives on leading his/her team to achieve the best viticulture practices in line with the company culture, values, and goals.

This role reports to the General Manager and from time to time to the owners based in France.

Key responsibilities (not limited to):

• Seasonal and daily planning of all vineyard tasks throughout the year, ensuring an efficient use of labour, resources, plant, and equipment.
• Carry out the everyday work in the vineyard with the team throughout the viticultural year by respecting the vegetative cycle of the vine and by adapting the rhythm of work according to the weather conditions.
• Build, support, lead the team by promoting a positive work culture where each team member feels valued and empowered in his/her daily job.
• Be passionate about organic, biodynamics and other natural practices enhancing the quality of our grape growing and our environmental practices.
• Monitor plant and soil health and disease pressure to maintain vine longevity and desired crop level and quality.
• Be proactive and innovative in the development of sustainable practices in the vineyard and the wider company.
• Ensure good maintenance of all vehicles and machinery to enable safe and efficient operations and mitigate breakages.
• Be Health and Safety focused through open communication, continual implementation, co-ordination and improvement of the company’s Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Build working budgets and capital expenditure forecasts in correlation with the General Manager and the Finance Manager; follow approved budgets and forecasted capital expenditures accurately over the course of each financial year.
• Maintain robust and efficient record keeping and ensure administrative tasks are completely in a timely manner.
• Ensure compliance with all current and future vineyard certifications (WSMP, BioGro, SWNZ, etc.).
• Participate in the planning and implementation of the property maintenance tasks to ensure the estate grounds are kept at the highest standard at all times.

Profile, skills and experience:

• Qualifications in viticulture and/or agronomy will be a strong advantage.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in viticulture and management of staff.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills with attention to detail.
• Computer literate.
• Motivational.
• Team player.
• A genuine love for nature and working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Practically and mechanically minded.
• Physically fit.
• Health and Safety focused.
• Stay calm under pressure.
• Holistic and long-term approach to sustainable viticulture and farming practices.
• Keen learner and keen to share his/her learning.
• Listen and embrace others' views and ideas.
• Positive and critical thinker with a drive for continuous improvement and open-minded to change.

Location

Work location will be primarily at the Clos Henri vineyard in the Wairau Valley.

Remuneration

The appropriate remuneration will be commensurate with the skills and experience of the successful candidate.

Applicants for this position must be eligible to work in New Zealand. 

Please send your application along with a cover letter and 3 work references to Chrissie Wilson and Damien Yvon, via the 'apply now' button above.

• For information about the Marlborough wine region, click here.

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