The Director of Estate Experiences is responsible for shaping, leading and evolving how guests experience Bouchard Finlayson.
This role carries accountability for the vision, leadership, commercial performance and operational excellence of every guest-facing experience across the estate, encompassing wine, food, hospitality, storytelling, events and future visitor experiences.
As custodian of the Bouchard Finlayson experience, the Director of Estate Experiences ensures that every guest interaction reflects the values that define our estate - exceptional care, impeccable hospitality, craftsmanship, creativity, innovation, respect for our land, pride in South Africa, and a commitment to placing every guest at the centre of every decision we make.
Beyond delivering exceptional experiences today, this role is responsible for continually redefining what wine hospitality can be. Through curiosity, innovation and attention to detail, the Director of Estate Experiences will challenge convention, introduce new ideas, elevate standards and position Bouchard Finlayson amongst the world’s most admired wine destinations.
The Director of Estate Experiences leads and inspires a team responsible for wine tastings, food experiences, hospitality, guest services, events and estate presentation. They are responsible for building a culture where every interaction reflects warmth, generosity and professionalism, ensuring that every guest leaves with a deeper appreciation of our wines, our people, our philosophy and the remarkable place we call home.
Equally important is the responsibility to establish, train and continuously refine the standards that define Bouchard Finlayson. Through coaching, mentoring and hands-on leadership, this role develops a team that consistently delivers experiences of the highest calibre while fostering a culture of continuous learning, accountability and excellence.
Success in this role will be measured not only by guest satisfaction, but also by creating experiences that build lasting emotional connections, inspire advocacy, strengthen wine sales and Wine Collective membership, repeat visitation, and establish Bouchard Finlayson as one of South Africa’s most distinctive and sought-after wine estates.
As a member of the leadership team, the Director of Estate Experiences is expected to maintain fiscal responsibility, collaborate across disciplines, champion innovation and help shape the future direction of the guest experience, ensuring Bouchard Finlayson sets benchmarks for wine, hospitality and estate experiences.
Key Responsibilities
i. Curate the Estate Experience
- Shape and continually evolve the complete guest journey across all touchpoints, from first enquiry through to post-visit engagement, ensuring every interaction is seamless, personalised, memorable and unmistakably Bouchard Finlayson.
- Curate experiences that connect guests not only with our wines, but with our people, landscape, history, creativity, architecture, art and philosophy, creating lasting emotional connections to the estate.
- Champion a culture where every decision begins with the guest, continually seeking opportunities to surprise, delight and exceed expectations.
- Ensure every wine tasting, culinary offering, event and estate experience reflects the values that define Bouchard Finlayson: exceptional care, craftsmanship, creativity, authenticity, innovation, sustainability and a profound sense of place.
- Monitor guest feedback, review platforms, advocacy and satisfaction metrics, translating insight into continual innovation and measurable improvement.
- Maintain a highly visible leadership presence across the estate, inspiring confidence, setting expectations and leading by example.
ii. Lead Wine, Culinary & Estate Experiences
- Provide strategic as well as operational leadership across the guest-facing experiences, including the Estate Tasting Room, Legacy Experience, Pop-Up, Farm Stall, culinary experiences, private appointments, Wine Collective events, VIP visits and any future hospitality concepts.
- Develop a food philosophy that celebrates the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and South Africa’s extraordinary produce, working with local growers, artisans and producers to ensure our culinary offering is as distinctive as our wines.
- Work collaboratively with the winemaking, commercial and culinary teams to continually develop new wine experiences, food pairings, seasonal menus and signature events that reinforce the uniqueness of Bouchard Finlayson.
- Ensure every experience is delivered with warmth, generosity, professionalism and meticulous attention to detail, achieving service standards comparable with the world’s leading wineries, boutique hotels and luxury lodges.
- Act as custodian of all guest-facing environment, ensuring that furnishings, artwork, music, uniforms, table settings, presentation and atmosphere are maintained, and they combine to create a cohesive and memorable estate experience.
iii. Establish Exceptional Operating Standards
- Define, document and continually elevate the hospitality philosophy, operating procedures and service standards that distinguish Bouchard Finlayson.
- Build a culture where excellence becomes instinctive through coaching, mentoring, structured training and visible leadership.
- Recruit, develop and inspire a hospitality team recognised for warmth, professionalism, authenticity and care, ensuring our people become one of the estate’s greatest points of difference.
- Ensure every team member develops exceptional wine knowledge, storytelling ability, culinary understanding, confidence and emotional intelligence, enabling them to become true ambassadors for the estate.
- Conduct regular coaching conversations, performance reviews and development planning, identifying future leaders and creating meaningful succession pathways.
- Foster a culture of curiosity, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement, encouraging innovation while ensuring team members live the Bouchard Finlayson values in both behaviour and service delivery.
- Ensure hospitality systems, guest data platforms and CRM tools, including Commerce7, are fully leveraged to deliver personalised experiences, operational excellence and long-term guest relationships.
- Champion a relationship-led approach to hospitality, ensuring every interaction begins with a desire to understand each guest. Leverage these insights to personalise experiences, anticipate need and provide recommendations that deepen engagement, strengthen long-term relationships and grow wine sales, Wine Collective membership and guest advocacy.
iv. Drive Operational & Commercial Excellence
- Ensure the seamless daily operation of all guest-facing experiences through effective planning, reservations management, guest flow, staffing, scheduling, stock control and resource allocation.
- Continually assess operational processes, identify inefficiencies and implement improved systems, structures and ways of working that simplify operations while enhancing the guest experience.
- Assume ownership of the hospitality budget, departmental expenditure, supplier relationships and resource planning, ensuring commercial discipline without compromising quality.
- Monitor revenue, wine sales, Wine Collective performance, conversion, repeat visitation, guest satisfaction and other key performance measures, using data to drive continual improvement.
- Develop and nurture strong relationships with partners, destination management companies, tour operators, luxury travel advisors, hotels and other strategic partners to maximise high-quality referrals and commercial opportunities.
- Work collaboratively across winemaking, commercial, marketing, operations, People & Culture and ownership to ensure one aligned vision for every guest experience.
- Ensure the hospitality environment operates efficiently while maintaining uncompromising standards of presentation, cleanliness, maintenance and operational readiness.
v. Stewardship Within the Estate & Shaping the Future
- Play a leadership role in the visitor experiences, service models and commercial opportunities, ensuring the estate continually evolves.
- Act as custodian of the estate’s reputation, ensuring every guest experience strengthens advocacy, reinforces the brand and builds long-term loyalty.
- Ensure full compliance with all health, safety, food safety, liquor licensing and regulatory requirements, maintaining safe, professional and legally compliant hospitality operations.
- Lead a culture of responsible stewardship, ensuring that our hospitality practices honour the land, celebrate our people, support local communities and reflect our commitment to sustainability.
- Inspire the team to see themselves not simply as hosts, but as ambassadors for Bouchard Finlayson, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and South Africa, setting a benchmark for wine hospitality that others aspire to follow.
Leadership Qualities & Personal Attributes
The Director of Estate Experiences will be an individual who is naturally inspired by excellence and driven by a desire to continually raise standards. They will possess the curiosity to explore new ideas, the confidence to challenge convention and the humility to learn, recognising that exceptional hospitality is never finished but is continually refined.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A passion for creating exceptional guest experiences and an instinctive understanding that hospitality is about making people feel recognised, welcomed and valued.
- An unwavering commitment to excellence, with the belief that every detail, no matter how small, contributes to the guest’s overall experience.
- A natural curiosity and creativity, constantly seeking new ideas, experiences and inspiration to evolve Bouchard Finlayson’s hospitality offering.
- The ability to inspire, coach and develop people, building confident, knowledgeable teams who take pride in delivering experiences that exceed expectations.
- A deep appreciation for wine, food, craftsmanship, design, art and culture, and an understanding of how these combine to create extraordinary experiences.
- The confidence to define, implement and continually elevate world-class service standards while leading by example.
- Strong emotional intelligence, empathy and interpersonal skills, enabling authentic relationships with guests, colleagues and partners alike.
- Excellent communication and storytelling abilities, capable of bringing the estate, its wines and its philosophy to life in an engaging and memorable way.
- Commercial awareness and sound business judgement, understanding how exceptional guest experiences naturally translate into loyalty, advocacy and sustainable commercial success.
- Strong organisational and leadership capability, with the ability to balance strategic thinking with operational excellence.
- The confidence to make decisions, embrace accountability and take ownership while fostering collaboration across multiple disciplines.
- An entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable with innovation, continuous improvement and challenging established ways of thinking.
- A pride in South Africa, its people, its produce, its wines and its creative talent, with a desire to showcase the very best our country has to offer.
- A commitment to sustainability, responsible stewardship and creating experiences that honour the land, support local communities and reflect the long-term vision of Bouchard Finlayson.
- A restless desire to continually improve, recognising that the pursuit of excellence is a journey not a destination.
- The ability to act as an ambassador for the estate, serving as a trusted custodian of the Bouchard Finlayson brand, philosophy and reputation.
Qualifications & Experience
The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of creating and leading exceptional guest experiences within luxury hospitality, premium wine, gastronomy or experiential tourism.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A degree, diploma or relevant qualification in Hospitality Management, Tourism, Business, Culinary Arts or a related discipline is advantageous but not essential where supported by outstanding professional experience.
- Significant leadership experience within luxury hospitality, premium wine or other exceptional guest-focused environments.
- Demonstrated success in creating, leading and continually evolving exceptional guest experiences that strengthen both brand reputation and commercial performance.
- Experience developing and leading high-performing hospitality teams through coaching, mentoring and a culture of continuous improvement.
- A strong understanding of luxury service standards, guest journey design, food and beverage operations, wine service and premium hospitality environments.
- Experience managing operational budgets, financial performance, service standards, reservations systems, CRM platforms and key hospitality performance indicators.
- Proven ability to build strong relationships with high-value guests, concierge networks, destination management companies and other strategic partners.
- An established passion for wine, as well as food, hospitality and creating experiences that leave a lasting impression.
- A valid driver’s licence.
Please send a detailed CV with contactable references to recruiment@bouchardfinalyson.co.za.