Part-time Tasting Room Manager (Wine Jobs: Vineyards & Cellars )

  The Vineyard at Windham

  Windham, New York

The Vineyard at Windham (“The Vineyard”) is a boutique vineyard and tasting room in the Catskill Mountains.  The Vineyard was formerly known as Windham Vineyards & Winery and ranked #18 in Travel+Leisure’s 2017 List for the “Top Vineyards All Around the U.S.”  Now under new ownership, The Vineyard is expected to open in early March and its tasting room will be open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Vineyard is seeking a part-time Tasting Room Manager to oversee tasting room operations on weekends and possibly other days for private events or as needed to stock the tasting room.  This is a very exciting time to join The Vineyard team to help us build our vision for the winery and its customers.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Tasting Room Manager is responsible for ensuring that visitors to The Vineyard receive impeccable customer service in a warm and friendly environment. The Tasting Room Manager will oversee the tasting room operations and greet and serve guests in a friendly, gracious manner with the highest level of hospitality, exceeding guest expectations.  As a key brand ambassador for The Vineyard, our ideal applicant is well spoken, polished, passionate about wine, and has management experience in the hospitality industry.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The following reflects the essential functions for this job. Other tasks may be assigned from time to time. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Work closely with The Vineyard’s owners to oversee the tasting room operations on a daily basis and ensure that all customers receive excellent service

• Be the “face” of the tasting room and maintain a consistent presence in the tasting room, building rapport with customers

• Greet all visitors with enthusiasm and make them feel at home

• Memorize facts about wines, winemaking techniques, and the winery/vineyard history to educate customers and share knowledge with the rest of the tasting room team

• Work with the owners to develop strategies that focus on increasing tasting room net revenue and foot traffic

• Provide weekly updates to the owners on tasting room operations, sales, and other topics of importance

• Serve as a primary point of contact for the community, encouraging the development of local partnerships and referral programs

• Be on-site point of contact for events on day-of and also leading up to the event

• Promote Tasting Room sales and events via word of mouth and social media channels

• Supervise staff to provide the highest level of customer service in a welcoming, fun, and educational atmosphere

• Help develop and enforce tasting room protocol and procedures to maintain a professional and safe environment

• Monitor the tasting room’s POS system to ensure all platforms are communicating cohesively and performing properly

• Track all inventory transfers to and from the tasting room, and count and reconcile inventory at month-end

• Lead guests through wine tasting flights – educating them about the specific wines they are tasting to ensure a fun and memorable customer experience

• On occasion, perform tours of the on-site wine-making facility or vineyard grounds for customers

• Work towards developing relationships with guests to create repeat customers

• Effectively suggest and sell wine, with the ability to “up-sell”

• Occasionally representing The Vineyard at off-site events/tastings

• Organize tastings for larger groups for birthdays, bachelorette parties etc.

• Lead guests through site visits for events during hours when the tasting room is not open (most likely on Fridays/Saturday or Sunday mornings)

• Actively continue education in wine production, viticulture, and winery history

• Quickly recognize the signs that a guest should not be served alcohol and take appropriate action to professionally address the situation according to tasting room protocol

• When necessary, drive to pick-up supplies, inventory etc.to bring back to the tasting room

• The Vineyard plans to hire a Tasting Room Associate, but the Manager will be expected to work with the Associate on the following daily tasting room operations and ensure that everything is running smoothly:

1. Set up the tasting room bar

2. Open and verify condition of wines, decanting when appropriate

3. Open/Close POS system/register

4. Manage cash drawer

5. Stock wine and merchandise in tasting room

6. Perform sales transactions for on-site and off-site consumption

7. Maintain clean and organized guest spaces at all times

8. Capture sales and customer contact info in a digital POS system

9. Answer the phone

10. Maintain cleanliness of customer facilities, including glassware

EXPECTATIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

 

• Must have excellent knowledge of wine and food with enthusiasm to continually learn new information and share knowledge with guests and other co-workers, degree in Enology or Viticulture preferred

• Must be a creative self-starter with strong management, leadership, and team-building skills

• Must have excellent communication skills and enthusiasm for the tasting room experience

• Must be able to use social media tools

• Must be punctual, detail-oriented, and able to multitask and problem solve in a fast-paced environment

• Must be professional, responsible, and able to work independently

• Must be able to work a flexible schedule on Saturdays and Sundays, maybe some holidays, and possibly Fridays on holiday weekends or for other private events

• Must have a car in case pick-ups are needed

• Must be 21 years of age

• Must be able to lift 40 lbs

• Must undergo New York TIPS Alcohol Training Program for responsible beverage service training, if applicant hasn’t already done so

• Must be able to work in a standing position for long periods of time

• Experience with a luxury wine brand a plus

• Special event experience a plus

How To Apply

TO APPLY:
Please submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

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