Vineyard Manager (Wine Jobs: Vineyards & Cellars )

  Frankland Estate

  Albany & Great Southern, Western Australia

Frankland Estate Wines is seeking a fulltime hands-on working Vineyard Manager to manage all aspects of vineyard operations located in the Frankland River region of Western Australia.  

Frankland Estate is a family owned and operated premium producer of certified organic wines. We are looking for an experienced person to manage our certified organic vineyards comprising some 37 hectares with additional plantings planned.

This is a chance to be part of a passionate and dedicated team. Focused on quality, we produce all wines on site being fully integrated from grape growing to bottling. Our wines are sold to the domestic and international markets.
 

We are looking for someone who has considerable experience in the field of cool climate viticulture. The successful applicant will need to be organised and hands on, with the skills to manage staff and work independently. A self-motivated and passionate person with a fine wine grower mindset, good communication skills and relevant viticultural qualifications.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Responsible for all aspects of managing the vineyard and vineyard operation, including but not limited to:

• Focus on vineyard heath and grape quality
• Pruning and canopy management
• Pest, weed and disease management via organic methods
• Monitoring and associated recommendations related to vine health and fruit quality
• Managing blocks to individual specification
• Vineyard R&M (trellis and some machinery maintenance where possible)
  Machinery operation (including but not limited to tractor, mulching, spray unit, undervine weeding, etc.)
• Harvest and crop estimation (bunch counts, bunch weights and weight per vine)
• Work within assigned budgets
• Supervision of, and working safely, respectfully and professionally with a small, dedicated team.
• Carry out vineyard operations efficiently and effectively as instructed.
• Able to operate vineyard machinery - tractors, grape harvesters, multi-row equipment.
• Prepare and complete all organic vineyard management programs including: pest, weed and disease monitoring and control, canopy management, trellis maintenance, irrigation management and maintenance, nutritional management, pruning regimes, yield optimisation and estimation, harvest, vine training regimes
  
  This position reports to the General Manager.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

The ideal successful candidate will have:

• A positive and energetic can do attitude with a passion for grape growing
• Tertiary qualifications in Viticulture, Horticulture or Wine Science
• Minimum 3 years of vineyard management experience (experience in organic vineyard management is highly desirable)
• Have an interest in and passion to learn and develop organic, biodynamic and sustainable practices.
• Demonstrated improvement of vine health and grape quality in their previous roles
• Positive disposition and outlook, strong self-motivation, initiative and time management skills
• A fantastic attention to detail, hands on attitude and positive can-do personality
• Excellent verbal and written communication, computer and interpersonal skills

Salary is negotiable and will reflect experience and suitability. Applicants must have Australian citizenship/residency or a valid existing Australian work visa.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.