Hospitality Associate

About The Donum Estate Located in Sonoma County, The Donum Estate is known for exceptional wines, elevated hospitality, and its distinctive connection among wine, art, nature, and community. Donum fosters a collaborative culture grounded in sustainability, respect, teamwork, and excellence. Position Overview The Hospitality Associate is an ambassador of The Donum Estate and the embodiment of our guest-experience philosophy. This key position creates gracious, educational, and memorable experiences that bring together Donum’s wines, art collection, estate, and distinctive story. Reporting to the Hospitality Manager, the Hospitality Associate welcomes guests upon arrival and thoughtfully guides them throughout their estate experience. Through engaging storytelling and personalized service, the Associate shares Donum’s winemaking and viticultural practices, introduces guests to our wines, and invites them to deepen their relationship with Donum through wine purchases and membership. The Hospitality Associate is responsible for every aspect of the guest experience, including preparation, execution, and breakdown. The ideal candidate is polished, warm, knowledgeable, and attentive, with a genuine passion for wine and an intuitive understanding of elevated hospitality. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Guest Experience Welcome guests with warmth and professionalism and host engaging, educational, and memorable visits to The Donum Estate. Create meaningful experiences through thoughtful storytelling and by sharing knowledge of Donum’s history, wines, art collection, vineyards, and winemaking philosophy. Anticipate guest needs and deliver attentive, personalized service throughout every stage of the estate experience. Cultivate lasting relationships with members and guests through genuine, approachable, and gracious interactions. Create and maintain a guest-focused environment that encourages loyalty and a long-term connection to Donum. Host a variety of experiences, including member visits, VIP appointments, trade visits, and private experiences. Manage each experience within its designated timeframe while maintaining a relaxed, polished, and unhurried atmosphere for guests. Wine Sales & Membership Thoughtfully introduce guests to Donum’s wines and membership program in a manner tailored to their interests and preferences. Contribute to departmental goals for wine sales, membership enrollment, and guest engagement. Engage guests in meaningful conversations and encourage the collection of contact information for membership, mailing-list, and follow-up purposes. Demonstrate Donum’s core behaviors of Belief, Teamwork, and Excellence in every interaction. Enter orders, membership information, and detailed guest notes accurately and promptly in the point-of-sale and customer relationship management systems. Maintain accurate records of wine used for tastings, events, samples, or other approved purposes and complete the appropriate inventory write-off documentation. Experience Preparation & Operations Prepare each guest experience in advance, including glassware, menus, tasting materials, note cards, pens, wine, and other necessary supplies. Independently set up and break down guest experiences according to Donum’s service and presentation standards. Polish and clean glassware and replenish tasting-room supplies as needed. Assist with directing guest foot traffic and vehicle arrivals to support an organized and welcoming estate experience. Maintain the cleanliness, organization, and presentation of guest-facing and operational areas. Assist with daily, weekly, and monthly inventory management of wine, glassware, collateral, and hospitality supplies. Remain productive during periods between appointments by anticipating operational needs and completing assigned projects or recurring responsibilities. Perform detailed and repetitive operational tasks consistently, accurately, and with a positive attitude. Collaborate with colleagues across departments to ensure seamless communication and exceptional guest service. Qualifications Previous wine, luxury hospitality, fine-dining, or related experience preferred. Excellent verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. Passion for wine, hospitality, storytelling, and relationship building. Polished presence with excellent communication and organizational skills. Confidence discussing wine sales and membership opportunities. Ability to work independently and in a fast-paced team environment. POS and CRM experience preferred. Weekend, holiday, and occasional evening availability required. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Compensation & Benefits Hourly Pay Range: $25.00–$30.00 per hour, plus potential bonus opportunities and gratuities. medical insurance dental insurance vision insurance 401(k) with company matching voluntary life and AD&D insurance long-term disability coverage paid time off employee discounts tuition reimbursement scholarship opportunities for eligible dependents Work Location This is an on-site position at The Donum Estate in Sonoma, California. Equal Employment Opportunity The Donum Estate is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and believe diverse experiences and perspectives strengthen our culture and community. Pay Transparency Disclosure The stated range reflects the base pay Donum reasonably expects to offer for this position. Actual compensation will depend on job-related factors, including qualifications, skills, experience, education, internal equity, and market data. The Donum Estate reserves the right to modify this range. #J-18808-Ljbffr