Head of Winery & Operations in Haywards Heath

We have a unique opportunity to join Bolney Wine Estate as our Head of Winery & Operations. At Bolney Wine Estate, we are proud to produce award-winning English wines, combining tradition, innovation, and a commitment to quality. This role sits at the heart of our operation - bringing together people, process, and product to deliver outstanding results aligned with our long‑term strategy and growth ambitions.

As Head of Winery & Operations, you’ll lead a multi‑disciplinary team and oversee every stage of the journey from grape to bottle. You’ll play a critical role in ensuring operational efficiency, maintaining the highest standards of quality and health & safety, and delivering products that meet both commercial goals and consumer expectations. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands‑on, detail‑oriented leader with strong planning capability, a passion for winemaking, and the ability to balance technical excellence with commercial thinking.

What you’ll be doing:

• Oversee the full winemaking lifecycle including vineyard management, grape sourcing, harvesting, production, blending, bottling, warehousing, and supply chain.
• Lead and develop high‑performing teams across winery, production, vineyard, warehouse, and technical functions.
• Plan and manage production schedules to deliver finished products on time and within budget.
• Ensure full compliance with health & safety regulations, leading best practices across all operational areas.
• Maintain exceptional quality standards at every stage, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and accreditation requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement across operations, identifying efficiencies, cost savings, and process enhancements.
• Manage supply chain activities including procurement of fruit, dry goods, and production materials.
• Ensure accurate record‑keeping, inventory management, and regulatory reporting (including HMRC requirements).
• Oversee product traceability across the entire supply chain.
• Lead operational audits and ensure site compliance across all areas.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with sales, marketing, hospitality, and other teams to align production with demand and customer insights.
• Support strategic planning including mid‑term production, CAPEX investment, and product development.
• Deliver regular performance updates and insights to senior leadership.

What we’re looking for:

• Significant winery and operational experience, including strong technical knowledge of winemaking processes.
• Proven leadership experience, with a positive and engaging management style that motivates multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of vineyard operations, production, and supply chain management.
• A detail‑oriented and highly organised approach, with excellent planning and scheduling capability.
• A strong commitment to health & safety, with experience leading compliance in operational environments.
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to balance quality, cost, and efficiency.
• A proactive problem solver, comfortable working in a fast‑paced and dynamic environment.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across teams.
• Experience managing audits, quality systems, and regulatory compliance.
• Hands‑on approach with the ability to operate in a physically demanding environment when required.
• A passion for wine and creating exceptional products.

What we offer:

• 25 days annual leave + birthday day off + public holidays.
• Enhanced company pension contributions.
• Discretionary annual bonus.
• Private health cover.
• Life assurance (4x salary).
• Income protection insurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Enhanced parental leave.
• Generous staff discount.