Hybrid Winery Operations Lead

Placements24; Paarl; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Wine staff discounts

Generous annual leave

Professional development

Team lunches

Seasonal bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an Operations Manager - Winery in Paarl to oversee day‑to‑day winemaking and cellar operations. The role combines hands‑on cellar work with strategic planning and team management to ensure high‑quality wine production.

The successful candidate will have enology/viticulture expertise, practical winemaking experience, and strong organizational skills. Hybrid work is expected, with physical duties during harvest and close collaboration with the winemaking team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or equivalent in oenology, viticulture, food science, or related field.
• 3–5 years cellar operations or winery management experience required.
• Practical winemaking and cellar management experience.
• Strong understanding of grape-to-bottle production processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily cellar operations including fermentation, racking, blending and bottling.
• Ensure strict quality control and hygiene throughout production.
• Supervise and train cellar staff, fostering a safe, productive environment.
• Coordinate production schedules with harvest projections and winery capacity.
• Manage inventory of wines, raw materials and packaging.
• Oversee maintenance and operation of winery equipment.
• Support vineyard liaison to ensure optimal grape quality at harvest.
• Ensure health, safety and environmental compliance.
• Manage operating budgets for cellar and production activities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in the winery.
• Assist winemaker with wine analysis and quality assessment.

Skills

Team leadership

Organization

Communication

Wine production

Education

Oenology/ Viticulture degree

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an Operations Manager - Winery in Paarl to oversee day‑to‑day winemaking and cellar operations. The role combines hands‑on cellar work with strategic planning and team management to ensure high‑quality wine production.

The successful candidate will have enology/viticulture expertise, practical winemaking experience, and strong organizational skills. Hybrid work is expected, with physical duties during harvest and close collaboration with the winemaking team.