Head Wine Ambassador

Hotel Du Vin; West of England; Sur place; GBP 19 000 - 21 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Staff room rate discounts

Discounted Friends and Family rate

Dining discount 35% off

Fully funded Apprenticeship programmes

Cycle to work scheme

Healthcare plans

Referral schemes up to 1500

Complimentary stays on anniversaries

Wellness & Campaign days calendar

Employee Assistance Programme

Résumé du poste

Hotel du Vin in the United Kingdom is seeking a Head Wine Ambassador to champion Wine First. You will lead wine service, train FOH staff, drive beverage revenue and mentor team members toward higher wine credentials.

You will manage cellar operations, collaborate with Bibendum, design tastings and seasonal experiences, and ensure luxury presentation across venues. Strong WSET background and storytelling skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in structured team training and mentoring FOH staff.
• Stock control, inventory auditing, cellar management for prestige lists.
• Experience with external suppliers/merchants (e.g., Bibendum) is beneficial.
• WSET Level 3 certification (or Level 2 with commitment to Level 3).
• Strong upselling, GP awareness and inventory optimisation.
• Excellent storytelling and presentation of wine notes.
• Organised planning for training, audits and supplier meetings.

Responsabilités

• Direct wine service during peak hours in the Bistro, bar and private dining rooms.
• Recommend expert food-and-wine pairings to drive upsells and wine flight bookings.
• Own signature brand experiences and host guided tastings.
• Onboard FOH staff with training and mentor staff toward WSET certifications.
• Lead daily “Wine of the Day” briefings and host tasting sessions.
• Oversee cellar rotation and manage inventory PAR levels to minimise waste.
• Maintain wine lists, displays and merchandising aligned with luxury branding.
• Collaborate with partners to train and co-host events, audits & activations.
• Champion sustainable wines and coordinate local activations.

Connaissances

Wine knowledge

WSET Level 3

Staff training

Inventory management

Supplier liaison

Brand storytelling

Upselling

Formation

WSET Level 3 certification

WSET Level 2 with commitment to Level 3

Description du poste

Competitive Pay and Generous Company Benefits, Training & Development

Job Description

Up to £14.50ph including tronc

40 hours per week

The Head Wine Ambassador is the primary guardian and local champion of Hotel du Vin’s legendary "Wine First. Always." philosophy. Grounded in the enduring legacy of our co-founder, the late Gérard Basset, this role exists to demystify wine and deliver "unpretentious excellence."

By merging technical wine knowledge with an engaging, storytelling-driven approach, the Head Wine Ambassador ensures wine is placed at the absolute center of the guest journey. This role is responsible for driving beverage revenue, cultivating on-property wine expertise, championing sustainability and ESG targets, and leading a passionate, certified front-of-house (FOH) team.

What will you be doing as Head Wine Ambassador?

• Direct wine service during peak hours in the Bistro, bar, and private dining rooms, delivering engaging, approachable, and story-driven guest interactions.
• Recommend expert food-and-wine pairings to drive consistent upsells, premium wine flight bookings, and beverage upgrades.
• Own the execution and growth of signature brand experiences, hosting structured packages like Taste du Vin alongside spontaneous, informal guest tastings.
• Onboard front-of-house staff with basic training and mentor team members toward achieving their WSET Level 2 certifications.
• Design and lead daily "Wine of the Day" briefings and host monthly/quarterly deep-dive tasting sessions to keep staff knowledge sharp.
• Oversee cellar rotation, manage inventory PAR levels to minimize waste, and strategically move bin-end wines using the Prestige Wine List.
• Ensure all wine lists, promotional displays, advertising, and merchandising are immaculate and aligned with luxury brand guidelines.
• Collaborate with partners like Bibendum to align training, co-host events, and successfully navigate quarterly mystery guest audits
• Champion winemakers with low-carbon footprints to support our Net Zero targets, and coordinate local activations like English Wine Week.
• Target measurable growth including a +10% increase in Bistro average beverage spend, a 95%+ mystery guest audit score, and improved online review sentiment.
  

What we're looking for:

• Track record of delivering structured, engaging team training and mentoring FOH staff.
• Proven experience in stock control, inventory auditing, cellar management, and working with prestige lists.
• Experience working in collaboration with external suppliers/merchants (e.g., Bibendum) is beneficial.
• WSET Level 3 certification (or WSET Level 2 with a commitment to achieving Level 3 within 6 months).
• Exceptional commercial acumen, with a strong understanding of upselling techniques, gross profit (GP) margins, and inventory optimisation.
• Advanced storytelling and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex wine tasting notes simply.
• Strong organisation skills for managing training plans, audit reports, and supplier meetings.
• Charismatic, warm, and highly approachable ("Passionate, Not Pretentious").
• Self-motivated with an infectious passion for wine, hospitality, and food-matching trends.
• Physically able to handle cellar logistics, lifting, and the correct storage/organization of heavy stock.
• Highly adaptable and willing to work flexible shifts, including peak weekends, holidays, and evening dinner services.
  

In addition to competitive rates of pay we offer:

• Heavily discounted Staff Room Rates at Malmaison & Hotel du Vin with rooms available from £65 per night.
• Discounted Friends and Family Room Rate with 50% off best available rate.
• 35% off your bill when you dine in our Brasseries and Bistros
• Fully funded Apprenticeship programmes that support you in developing your career
• High Street Discounts on a range of high street shops, experiences, holidays and much much more
• Cycle to work scheme – save up to 40% on a wide range of bikes
• Healthcare Cash Plans - dental, optical, medical and more available from £5 per month
• Referral schemes that pay up to £1500 (just for getting your mates jobs!)
• A decent uniform that doesn’t make you look like an extra from a 70s TV sitcom.
• We have a Wellness & National Campaign Days Calendar which promotes and encourages activities like – Pay Day Lunches/Treats, National Popcorn Day, Mental Health Awareness week and more
• We work with Stream giving instant access to your pay as it’s earnt. Stream is a tool for everyday life that lets you get paid your way by letting you track your wages in real time, stream up to 50% of the money you’re already earned, learn easy tips to manage your money better and save direct from your salary
• We also offer complimentary stays on your 1st, 3rd and 5th anniversary with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
• We are a proud sponsor of The Brain Charity, helping people with all forms of neurological conditions to lead longer, healthier, happier lives.
• Employee Assistance Programme – free, confidential advice available 24/7 to you and your family

Our Sustainability Goals:

• 100% of our electricity is generated using renewable energy with most of it coming from Wind Farms around the UK
• We recycle a minimum of 70% of the waste from our hotels. This target is achieved by everyone I the hotel focusing on the waste we produce and is championed by our Sustainability Council who work on project year round
• We have moved to a chemical free cleaning system in our bedrooms and public areas and an enzyme based eco-friendly system for our kitchens.
• Volunteer to work for sustainable charities 2 days per year on full pay instead of your normal workplace

Malmaison & Hotel Du Vin are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.