Senior Production Winemaker

winejobsonline.com; Marlborough; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

VinLink is seeking a Senior Production Winemaker to lead winemaking and production activities, ensuring client specifications and quality standards are met. You will collaborate on planning, harvest, blending, and quality decisions while mentoring a team and maintaining safety culture.

The role requires a winemaking qualification and at least 5 years' experience in a commercial, large-scale winery environment, with strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Winemaking qualification (Oenology or related field).
• Minimum 5 years' experience in commercial winemaking, preferably large-scale production.
• Experience in wine production in a large-scale winery, vineyard monitoring, harvest planning, and production processes.

Responsibilities

• Comply with HSE legislation and company safety policies.
• Ensure quality programs (BRCGS, SWNZ) compliance.
• Manage client relationships and production requirements.
• Collaborate on grape quality and harvest planning.
• Oversee blending, tasting, dispatches, and quality decisions.
• Mentor winemaking team and develop SOPs for safe, efficient operations.
• Support planning of workloads and resources to meet objectives.
• Promote leadership and a positive workplace culture.
• Participate in committees as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Education

Winemaking qualification (Oenology)

Tools

Vintrace

Microsoft SharePoint

Job description

Position: Full time

Salary: Remuneration dependent on experience.

Purpose

The Senior Production Winemaker is responsible for managing assigned winemaking clients and collaborating on the planning, coordination, and execution of winery production activities to ensure wines are produced to client specifications, quality standards, and production targets. The role provides technical leadership and support across winemaking and production operations while fostering a positive, safe, and high-performing workplace culture.

General Duties & Responsibilities

• Comply with all Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) legislation, Regulations, and Code of Practice relevant to your work, as well as VinLink Workplace Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Undertake all activities required in your role to maintain compliance with company and client quality programs including, but not limited to, BRCGS and SWNZ.
• Manage client relationships and communicate production requirements.
• Collaborate with the client to ensure delivery of optimal grape quality. Participate in vineyard assessments, monitoring and harvest planning as required.
• Managing blending, tasting, dispatches, and quality decisions throughout the winemaking process.
• Support the Chief Production Winemaker to maintain and mentor a permanent and casual winemaking team.
• Create and update job notes, operational instructions, and monitoring documentation to ensure production protocols are followed.
• Contribute to the planning and allocation of workloads and resources to support short-term and long-term production objectives.
• Actively contribute to the continuous review and maintenance of relevant SOPs to ensure they remain up to date and support the safe and efficient operation of the winery.
• Function as a key stakeholder within the Quality & Compliance framework by collaborating with the Quality & Compliance Manager (QCM) to promote food safety, quality culture, regulatory compliance, certification readiness, and continuous improvement across all winery operations.
• Actively demonstrate and promote high standards of leadership that foster a positive culture, employee engagement, and a safe and productive working environment.
• Participation in committees as assigned (e.g. FSQL, HSE etc).
• Full job description available upon request.

Skills, Experience & Education

• A qualification in Winemaking, Oenology, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in a commercial winemaking role, preferably within a large-scale production winery.
• Experience in wine production is essential, including direct experience within a large-scale winery, vineyard monitoring, harvest planning, spray diaries assessment and managing production processes in a high-quality, fast-paced environment.
• Practical knowledge of winemaking systems, processes, and safety requirements.
• Proficient in Vintrace and Microsoft SharePoint.
• Advanced written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills with the ability to multi-task and work to multiple deadlines.
• Self-motivated, with an ability to work as part of a team, and independently, when required and works well under pressure.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal communication skills.

NZ citizen, permanent resident, or hold an applicable work visa.