Tour Guide

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Balfour Winery is seeking a Wine Ambassador and Tour Guide to deliver high quality vineyard tours and tastings, actively selling wines during experiences and guiding guests back to retail spaces, while assisting the hospitality team and representing the estate at local events. The role requires weekend and bank holiday availability, strong time management, adaptability, the ability to read different audiences, excellent communication and customer service, and a willingness to learn about viticulture and winemaking; basic computer skills and teamwork are essential. Salary is £15 per hour on a part-time or zero hours contract, onsite at Hush Heath Estate, Staplehurst, Kent. To apply, tailor your CV to highlight tour guiding, tastings, sales and public-speaking skills, include a short covering letter, and email Kerry at [email protected].

 Wine Ambassador / Tour Guide

Balfour Winery, Staplehurst TN12 0HT

£15-hour (Part-time / Zero Hours Contract)

About Balfour Winery:

Balfour Winery is one of England’s most respected and pioneering wine producers, nestled in the heart of the Hush Heath Estate in Kent. Founded in 2002, our family-run estate has built a reputation for producing world-class English still and sparkling wines with elegance, personality, and a true sense of place.

A Passion for Innovation and Quality

Balfour was among the first English wineries to win international recognition for sparkling wine, with our Balfour Brut Rosé 2004 taking a gold medal at the International Wine Challenge and being the first English Sparkling wine to be served in BA First Class and the official English wine of the London 2021 Olympic Games. Since then, we’ve continued to push boundaries, making award-winning wines that rival the best from Champagne and beyond; all while celebrating our English terroir.

The Estate

Our home, Hush Heath Estate, spans 400 acres of pristine Kent countryside. Of that, 130 acres are under vine, planted with classic Champagne varieties, (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay), along with aromatic still wine varieties like Bacchus and Ortega. We farm sustainably and are committed to protecting our ancient woodlands, wildflower meadows, and orchards that surround the vineyards.

Our Wines

We specialise in both traditional method sparkling wines and a growing range of award-winning still wines, crafted by our expert winemaking team led by Fergus Elias. Every bottle reflects the care we take in the vineyard, the skill in the winery, and the unique character of our English climate.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

• To deliver a topquality tour and wine experience to all guests and provide engaging, fun and educational vineyard tours and tastings, whilst maintaining a high level of professionalism.
• Actively sell our wines throughout the tour experience and ensure that groups are escorted back into the retail areas after the tour, highlighting offers and encouraging wine purchases.
• Set up and clear tasting rooms ahead of each experience, keeping a clean and tidy work area.
• Support the wider Hospitality Team at Balfour Winery when required by completing additional tasks, such as polishing glasses, serving in the restaurant, welcoming guests or supporting in the main tasting room or terrace.
• Act as an ambassador for Balfour Winery at local wine events, hosting tastings for the public and inspiring interest in our wines and visits to the estate.
• Deliver engaging, tutored wine tastings and experiences at client venues, supporting our corporate programme with confident, knowledgeable presentation.
• To the best of your ability, ensure all health and safety, security and emergency policies are adhered to.
• Helping to create a professional environment for staff to work in and for customers to enjoy.

Personal Qualities / Expectations:

• Flexible working over weekends and bank holidays is essential.
• Strong time management – being punctual and keeping experiences to time is essential whilst maintaining a relaxed atmosphere.
• Ability to adapt to change with creativity and progressiveness
• Skilled at reading the room and adapting the tone, pace and detail to different audiences.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills
• Attention to detail
• A willingness to learn about viticulture and winemaking, alongside our range of awardwinning wines
• Basic computer skills
• An ability to work closely, supportively, and flexibly with other staff members

We welcome applications from a diverse range of individuals and will consider any reasonable adjustments to enable candidates to perform as well as possible during the recruitment process. Please email [email protected] with you CV and a short covering letter.