The Tasting Room and Hospitality Manager is responsible for leading all aspects of tasting room operations while delivering memorable guest experiences that reflect the winery's brand, values, and culture. This position oversees staff development, sales performance, wine club growth, event planning and execution, scheduling, and facility management while fostering a welcoming, service-oriented environment for guests, wine club members, and visitors. This position collaborates closely with the owner, Wine Club, and Winemaking teams to achieve Direct-to-Consumer revenue goals and execute engaging hospitality experiences that drive brand loyalty and customer engagement.
Performance Duties and Responsibilities
Hospitality & Guest Experience
- Lead by example in providing exceptional hospitality and personalized service to all guests, wine club members, and visitors.
- Create and maintain a welcoming, engaging, and memorable tasting room experience that encourages customer loyalty and repeat visitation.
- Foster a culture of hospitality excellence through coaching, training, and performance management.
- Address guest concerns and service issues promptly, professionally, and with a solutions-oriented approach.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with wine club members, VIP guests, and repeat customers.
- Ensure all customer inquiries, including emails, phone calls, text messages, and online requests, are responded to promptly and professionally.
- Oversee the appearance, cleanliness, and overall ambiance of the tasting room and outdoor hospitality spaces.
Event Planning & Coordination
- · Working very closely with the owner, Charles Smith, plan, coordinate, and execute winery events, wine club gatherings, private tastings, and special guest experiences from concept to completion.
- · Manage event logistics, including scheduling, vendor coordination, venue setup, staffing, and event timelines to ensure seamless execution.
- · Serve as the primary point of contact for vendors, partners, and event stakeholders, maintaining strong professional relationships and service standards.
- · Coordinate event budgets, track expenses, and identify cost-effective solutions while maintaining a high-quality guest experience.
- · Oversee event preparation and day-of operations, ensuring all details are executed efficiently and exceed guest expectations.
- · Support the development and implementation of promotional strategies to increase event attendance, wine club participation, and customer retention.
- · Evaluate event outcomes and guest feedback to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and enhanced customer experiences.
Leadership & Team Development
- Recruit, hire, onboard, train, and develop tasting room staff to deliver exceptional guest experiences and achieve sales goals.
- Provide ongoing leadership, coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback to tasting room employees.
- Partner with the Winemaking team to provide ongoing wine education and product knowledge training.
- Schedule and lead regular team meetings focused on hospitality, operational updates, sales initiatives, and employee engagement.
- Develop staff schedules that balance operational needs with excellent guest service coverage.
- Conduct performance evaluations and assist with employee development planning under the direction of Charles Smith.
- Promote a positive, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.
Sales & Business Development
- Develop and implement strategies to increase tasting room revenue, wine sales, wine club memberships, and merchandise sales.
- Establish, monitor, and report on sales goals and key performance indicators.
- Coach staff on effective sales techniques, wine club conversion opportunities, and customer relationship-building.
- Partner with the Wine Club Manager to achieve membership acquisition, retention, and engagement goals.
Operations & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with all company policies and procedures as well as federal, state, and local regulations governing alcoholic beverage sales, shipping, marketing, and workplace safety.
- Forecast tasting room inventory needs and coordinate with internal teams to maintain appropriate inventory levels.
- Coordinate and manage public tastings, private experiences, VIP visits, and group hospitality events.
- Maintain accurate records, reporting, and operational documentation.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Tasting Room Associates
Skills, Experience and/or Education:
- Minimum 5 years successful experience in hospitality management or related experience, preferably in the wine industry
- Skilled in the use of a PC in a networked environment, including MS Office products: Word, Excel, Outlook, internet browsers, etc.
- Strong interpersonal skills build rapport and inspire trust. Ability to collaborate with all winery managers and teams. Set example of high professional standard for staff
- Excellent management skills are required
- Experience planning, coordinating, and executing hospitality, winery, tourism, or customer-focused events.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, event logistics, budgets, timelines, and vendor relationships while maintaining a high level of guest service.
- Deal with conflict in a professional manner with both staff and guests
- Experience working alongside staff tasting, selling, and conversing with customers
- Customer-focused with excellent sales, service, and people skills
- Possess a strong work ethic and availability to work weekends and some evenings
- Must have excellent verbal and written skills
- Must be detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills
- Wine savvy is a prerequisite
- A passion for and sound knowledge of the wine industry is preferred
- Must learn the history and mission of our winery, along with our applicable policies and procedures
- Knowledge of ABC/TTB laws and requirements for doing business in a Tasting Room
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
Work Environment:
This job operates primarily in a professional office and sales environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
Pay: $80,200.00 - $83,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
