Vineyard Manager (Wine Jobs: Vineyards & Cellars )

  Mesa Vineyard Management, Inc.

  Templeton, California

Job Description:

Mesa Vineyard Management, a full-service vineyard management company on the Central Coast, is seeking a Vineyard Manager to oversee operations and personnel in growing organic varietal wine grapes in Paso Robles, California.

The Vineyard Manager is responsible for safe viticultural practices year-round, including total vineyard care (scheduling and directing tasks related to the life cycle of vines and performing vineyard upkeep such as pest control and irrigation maintenance), vineyard staffing, training and development. The Vineyard Manager requires a strong background in agriculture and proven supervisory and managerial skills. The ideal candidate will be passionate about maintaining our legacy of producing high-quality fruit for our customers. This role requires a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of vineyard practices to ensure optimal production and quality.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Vineyard Management:

•  Manages and schedules viticultural activities to maintain healthy and productive vines.

•  Oversees cultivation, thinning, pruning, tying, suckering, canopy management, planting and replanting, irrigating and harvesting.

•  Manages pest, fungicide and herbicide application in accordance with safe viticultural practices.

•  Manages irrigation maintenance; monitors progress and reports recommendations related to vineyard and fruit quality to Management.

•  Oversees and coordinates erosion control, trellis installation, irrigation installation, frost protection, vineyard installation, fence installation and R&M.

•  Maintains orderly inventory of vineyard equipment and tools.

•  Ensures county, state and federal regulation compliance.

•  Reasonably estimates harvest equipment needed; provides accurate harvest estimates; works within assigned budgets.

•  Improves fruit and wine quality through observation and viticultural decisions.

•  Works with management to review vineyard performance and wine quality to determine annual pruning strategies, or other vineyard practices that may affect yield and fruit quality.

•  Ensures that all necessary equipment is on site and in good operating condition prior to work.

•  Participates in safety and quality inspections and audits; serves as a member and/or supports the vineyard team member on the safety committee.

•  Maintains a safe work environment.

•  Maintains all required spray records according to regulations.

•  Assigns and enters all vineyard work orders.

People Management:

•  Manages personnel including full-time, part-time and seasonal vineyard staff.

•  Plans and efficiently schedules labor and work.

•  Develops training for all employees, focusing primarily on Policy, Procedures, and Safety.

•  Performs employee evaluations and development planning.

•  Enforces company policy, supervises to make sure all work is carried out safely and correctly.

•  Effectively communicates and works cooperatively with other departments.

•  Works with Human Resources to develop vineyard job descriptions; participates in the hiring, onboarding and management of vineyard staff.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

•  Bachelor's degree in Agriculture or other related field.

•  Minimum of five years of experience in an agricultural environment.

•  At least two years of supervisory or managerial experience.

•  Ability to lift and move up to 50 lbs. regularly.

•  Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time and repetitively bend/kneel.

•  Possession of a valid driver's license and ability to be insured on company vehicles.

•  Due to the nature of our business, must be at least 21 years of age.

•  Possession of a pesticide application license or the ability to apply for one a plus.

JOB COMPETENCIES:

•  Detail oriented and quality driven.

•  Possesses solid management and communication skills.

•  Experience with Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel) and ability to generate and utilize data reports.

•  Communicates and interacts well with customers and employees at all levels

•  Accepts direction and constructive criticism from others.

•  Takes ownership of responsibilities, including meeting deadlines for reports & filings.

•  Has a willingness to communicate in a persuasive and constructive manner that leads to positive change.

•  Bilingual in Spanish a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:

•  Adhere to Company PPE (personal protective equipment) policies

•  Frequently works outdoors in extremes of heat/humidity/cold and other weather conditions

•  Exposed to dust, noise, pesticides, gasoline and diesel fuel

•  Ability to walk on uneven ground

•  Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds

•  Ability to see clearly enough to a) drive safely b) distinguish vineyard pests and grape varieties c) recognize employees d) work safely at night outdoors

•  Ability to hear: engine sounds to evaluate for problems; whistles blowing signaling tractors during harvest are going to move; shouted warnings from individuals

•  Ability to work nights and long hours when required

•  Ability to drive

 

 

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