About Williams Selyem
Williams Selyem is one of California's most celebrated and influential wineries — a benchmark estate whose name is synonymous with precision, craftsmanship, and the elevation of American Pinot Noir. With a devoted global collector following, an allocation-based model built on decades of trust, and a tasting experience rooted in Healdsburg's Russian River Valley, Williams Selyem represents the gold standard of what a California wine estate can be.
This is a pivotal moment for the winery. With a renewed focus on evolving the guest experience and a commitment to becoming one of the finest tasting destinations in the world, Williams Selyem is seeking a hospitality leader who can help architect that vision — someone who brings both the operational discipline to implement meaningful change and the warmth to make every guest feel like the only person in the room.

Role Purpose
The Hospitality Experience Manager serves as the steward of all guest and member experiences at the estate. This is not a role for someone who simply maintains the status quo — it is an opportunity for a driven, imaginative hospitality professional to lead a transformative reset of how one of California's greatest wineries welcomes its guests.
The ideal candidate brings relevant experience in luxury hospitality, fine dining, or elevated winery environments, and understands instinctively what it means to create one-of-one guest experiences. They lead from the floor, inspire their team, and treat every interaction — whether a first-time visitor or a decades-long allocation member — as an opportunity to deepen a relationship that lasts.

Key Responsibilities
Welcoming New Guests to the Estate
Introduce prospective guests to Williams Selyem through thoughtful, informed, and gracious tasting experiences that connect people to the land, the craft, and the community.
Provide meaningful context on vineyard sources, terroir distinctions, and the estate's role in shaping the history of American Pinot Noir.
Guide new visitors naturally toward an understanding of the winery's culture and the privilege of belonging to its allocation community — through authentic hospitality, never overt selling.

Cultivating Member Relationships & Retention
Treat allocation list members as cherished, known guests — honoring their loyalty with sincerity, discretion, and elevated care.
Anticipate guest needs before they arrive: leverage reservation systems, guest history, and available tools to personalize each visit in a meaningful way.
Create opportunities for members to deepen their connection to the estate through access, conversation, and shared learning about site, craft, and history.
Maintain continuity of care for returning collectors, long-standing supporters, and high-touch relationships over time.

Leading the Tasting Experience
Oversee all tasting salon and terrace operations with impeccable service standards grounded in warmth, refinement, and genuine hospitality.
Implement and champion a reimagined guest experience aligned with the winery's vision to be recognized among the world's best.
Ensure that physical spaces, tone of service, and team culture all reflect the estate's ethos: understated, confident, and grounded in excellence.

Team Leadership & Development
Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of approximately 8–10 hospitality staff alongside an Assistant Manager.
Develop and execute structured onboarding, ongoing training, and education programs covering luxury service standards, storytelling, food and wine pairing, and vineyard and winemaking knowledge.
Foster a team culture of pride, accountability, and genuine enthusiasm for the work.

Collector & VIP Engagement
Host private tastings, cellar visits, and library explorations for collectors, sommeliers, and notable guests.
Collaborate on thoughtful access to library wines, verticals, and large formats, honoring allocation traditions and respecting scarcity.
Represent Williams Selyem in a manner befitting a benchmark California winery with global recognition.

Events & Cultural Programming
Conceive and execute intimate events including Member Appreciation gatherings, masterclasses, and winemaker dinners with chefs and key trade figures.
Ensure all events feel personal, meaningful, and aligned with the house style — never transactional or promotional.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with Winemaking, Customer Service, Marketing, and Sales to ensure the guest experience reflects both the estate's heritage and its evolving direction.
Contribute observations about guest preferences, emerging interests, and experiential trends to inform broader brand decisions.

Operations & Compliance
Oversee reservations, scheduling, staffing, and hospitality protocols across a seven-day operation.
Establish and maintain service standards that ensure consistency without compromising warmth or individuality.
Maintain full compliance, safety, and excellence at all times.


Qualifications

Required
Demonstrated experience in luxury hospitality, fine dining, boutique hotels, private clubs, or an esteemed winery environment — relevant background is essential
Proven track record leading and developing teams in high-touch service settings
Deep appreciation for food, wine, and culture with the ability to share that knowledge in accessible, generous ways
Emotional intelligence, authentic warmth, and a refined confidence in engaging discerning guests and collectors without pretension
Operational discipline: strong command of scheduling, systems, and service standards
Comfort and enthusiasm for driving change, not just maintaining existing programs

A Plus

Wine certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers, WSET, or equivalent
Experience opening or relaunch

Williams Selyem and Own Rooted Hospitality are equal opportunity employers committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.