Rickety Bridge Winery is a premium family-owned wine estate in the heart of Franschhoek, South Africa. With a portfolio spanning the entry-level Foundation Stone range through to the old-vine Regna Loca and award-winning Cap Classique sparkling wines, we are a brand with genuine character, growing distribution across South Africa and internationally.
We are entering an exciting phase of growth — expanding our Western Cape footprint across retail, on-trade, and direct accounts, while building towards international distribution. We are looking for a high-energy sales professional to help drive that next chapter.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This is a ground-floor commercial role with real growth potential. You will be the primary driver of Rickety Bridge's volume growth across the Western Cape — building our retail footprint store by store, placing our wines on restaurant wine lists, and growing existing key accounts. The role works in close collaboration with our Western Cape distributor and reports directly to the Sales Manager.
In the near term the role is weighted towards off-trade sales and new account development. As the brand matures and our premium range becomes more established, the role will evolve towards a senior national sales management position — this is a career opportunity, not just a sales job.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Build our retail presence across the Western Cape — door by door, store by store — targeting the top stores and expanding from there
- Secure new on-trade wine list placements in restaurants, fine dining venues, golf estates, and premium lifestyle accounts across the Winelands, Cape Town, and Garden Route
- Grow volume in existing accounts by expanding range listings and driving SKU depth
- Manage and grow our direct accounts — a high-volume anchor relationship
- Plan and execute in-store activations: consumer tastings, promotional campaigns, case stack displays, and competitions
- Conduct waiter and trade training to build genuine brand advocacy at point of service
- Work closely with reps across the territory — supporting, aligning, and unlocking opportunities they surface
- Maintain a structured call cycle and weekly reporting on activity, listings, and volume performance
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for someone hungry, self-directed, and commercially sharp. The right person will be excited by the challenge of building a brand from the ground up in a competitive market — not intimidated by it.
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ESSENTIAL
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ADVANTAGEOUS
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• Proven track record in FMCG, wine, or drinks sales
• Strong off-trade and retail sales instinct — comfortable going door-to-door
• Self-starter who manages their own time and pipeline without close supervision
• High energy, presentable, and able to represent the brand credibly at any level of the trade
• Valid driver's licence and own reliable vehicle
• Based in the Western Cape
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• Wine knowledge or a passion for wine — formal qualification is a plus but not required
• Existing relationships in the Western Cape on-trade or retail stores
• Experience with distributor-supported sales models
• Marketing qualification or brand-building experience
• Comfort with digital reporting tools and CRM / tracking spreadsheets
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WHAT WE OFFER
This is a performance-driven role with a compensation structure designed to reward results. The more you grow the business, the more you earn.
-Fixed Net Salary
-Travel Allowance
-Mobile Allowance
-Performance commission
-Year-end KPI bonus
In addition: staff wine allocation, farm visits, winemaker events and tastings, and the opportunity to be part of a growing South African wine brand with international ambition.
THE BRAND YOU WILL REPRESENT
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Foundation Stone
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Entry-level to mid-tier range — the core BTG and retail play. Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Rosé, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cap Classique.
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Regna Loca
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Premium old-vine wines — Chardonnay, Palomino, Semillon, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon. The fine dining and somm play.
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Cap Classique
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Award-winning Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines — Brut and Brut Rosé. Strong events and celebrations channel.
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HOW TO APPLY
Send your CV and a short covering note (no more than one page) to:
salesmanager@ricketybridge.com
Subject line: WC RSM Application — [Your Name]
In your covering note, please tell us briefly: where you have sold before, what channels you know best, and why this role appeals to you. We are not looking for a formal letter — we are looking for someone who can communicate clearly and directly. That starts here.
Closing date: 30 April 2026— we reserve the right to appoint before the closing date if the right candidate is identified.
Rickety Bridge Winery is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to employment equity and encourage applications from all suitably qualified candidates. Preference will be given to candidates from designated groups in line with our EE plan.