Rockliffe Hall is entering an exciting new chapter. Under the culinary direction of James and Maria Close, the resort is undergoing a major transformation, with ambitious new food and beverage concepts that will redefine the guest experience.
Alongside this transformation, we’re creating a wine programme that we believe has the potential to become one of the most exciting and respected in the UK.
This isn’t simply an opportunity to manage an established wine list. It’s a chance to help build, shape and grow a programme from the ground up—working with exceptional wines, passionate people and a team that shares a genuine love for hospitality.
Day to day you will cover three very different venues
- Rialto – our vibrant all-day Italian-American restaurant and the heart of the wine programme, with a particular focus on Italy and North America.
- Ro – a Japanese-inspired cocktail bar where wine, sake, premium spirits and beautifully crafted cocktails come together.
- The Morning Room – offering a refined take on the British afternoon tea experience with English sparkling wines and speciality teas.
Every venue offers its own style of service, giving you the opportunity to develop across a broad range of hospitality experiences. From premium sparkling to H
The Wine Programme
You’ll be working with a cellar of approximately 1,400 references, representing many of the world’s finest producers alongside exciting new discoveries.
With a focus on: exceptional producers, outstanding food pairings and approachable, knowledgeable service.
The Role
As Assistant Head Sommelier, you’ll work alongside the wine team to help lead the wine programme across the main hotel.
You’ll spend your days doing what great sommeliers do best:
- Creating memorable guest experiences through genuine hospitality.
- Recommending wines and building thoughtful food pairings.
- Supporting service across all three venues.
- Managing stock and cellar organisation. (high level organisational skills are vital)
- Helping develop our wine lists.
- Training and inspiring the wider front-of-house team.
Most importantly, you’ll become an ambassador for our wine programme.
Who We’re Looking For
Qualifications are important, but they’re not what will get you this job. We’re looking for someone with real passion. Someone who gets excited talking about wine. Someone who enjoys learning, teaching and making wine accessible to guests. Someone who understands that hospitality always comes before ego.
Ideally you’ll have:
- Experience in quality restaurants or luxury hospitality.
- Strong wine and food pairing knowledge.
- Excellent service standards and attention to detail.
- The ability to remain calm and organised during busy service.
- WSET Level 3, CMS Introductory or Certified, ASI Level 2 or equivalent (preferred, not essential).
If you’re motivated, curious and committed to improving every day, we’d much rather invest in the right attitude.
Training & Development
Learning is one of the pillars of our department. You’ll receive continuous coaching in tasting, food pairing, service techniques, decanting, cellar management and wine knowledge.
We actively support professional development through CMS, ASI and WSET, and you’ll have the opportunity to grow alongside a passionate team that genuinely enjoys sharing knowledge.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary (depending on experience).
- On-site accommodation available.
- Access to a cellar of approximately 1,400 wines from many of the world’s finest producers.
- Ongoing support for CMS, ASI and WSET qualifications.
- The opportunity to help shape one of the UK’s most exciting developing wine programmes.
- A supportive team where your ideas, passion and ambition will genuinely make a difference.
Why Rockliffe?
Life in the North East offers something increasingly difficult to find: balance.
Rockliffe Hall is located just outside Darlington, with direct rail links to London in around 2½ hours. You’ll be close to stunning coastline, the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors and Northumberland National Park, while enjoying a significantly lower cost of living than most major UK cities.
A Final Word
This is an opportunity to help build something from the ground up.
We’re looking for someone who loves wine, believes great service should always feel warm and genuine, and wants to be part of creating a wine programme that people will talk about.
If that sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.