The Tasting Room Manager of Living Roots Finger Lakes is a crucial role to oversee all operations, staff, and hospitality standards in the Tasting Room. The main areas of focus of the person occupying this position are service and hospitality, staff management, inventory and systems management, and site management.
Key Responsibilities
Service and Hospitality
- Provide guests with exceptional service and hospitality, always positively representing Living Roots and embodying company Services and Hospitality Standards. Ensure that all staff do the same through consistent training, coaching, effective communication, and general support.
- Set the Tasting Room up for success through the creation and execution of service maps/plans, effectively delegating tasks [including but not limited to all opening and closing tasks] to ensure all guests have an excellent experience at Living Roots.
- Strive to continuously improve wine knowledge and share learnings with staff in a way that is educational and encourages them to further their wine knowledge.
- Ensure adherence of all staff to food safety and sanitation regulations, compliance regulations, liquor laws, inspections, audits and internal company policies.
- Oversee all communications that come through the flx@livingrootswine.com email and respond in a timely manner in a tone that reflects Living Roots’ hospitality.
- Get to know our wine club members, regulars, and VIP customers, engaging with them to ensure the highest level of hospitality.
Staff Management
- Set the tone and standard for all team members by leading with intention and ensuring the Assistant Tasting Room Manager does the same.
- Create a positive working environment in which all team members feel supported, able to ask for help, raise any concerns, and have the resources to do their job to the best of their ability.
- Manage tasting room schedule, communications, shift approvals, and leave requests in Deputy.
- Establish and maintain communication to oversee the Assistant Tasting Room Manager’s efficacy in fulfilling their responsibilities and supporting as needed.
- Facilitate continued team training, including working with the General Manager on quarterly team meetings to recalibrate and brush up on training as needed.
- Record daily cash tips via Google Drive, reconcile cash drawers, anticipate and request change needs, prepare weekly cash deposits, and maintain accurate records of all financials.
- Work closely with the General Manager to interview, hire, on-board and train according to Living Roots’ staffing needs. Ensure that all new hires receive a standardized training experience and fully understand what is expected of them.
- Conduct annual team check-ins, recognizing wins and coaching employees on areas of improvement with the support of the General Manager.
Inventory and Systems Management
- Oversee that all team members are properly trained in effective systems management in both Tock and Commerce7 and that all transactions and related data are input and recorded accurately.
- Conduct monthly inventory counts to accurately capture data of all wine in the Tasting Room inclusive of wines that are allocated for web/club orders.
- Work with the winery team to facilitate wine restocks from the warehouse for Tasting Room use and maintain an effective system in tracking inventory transfers.
- Maintain and restock merchandise and wine displays, including executing menu changes and wine club releases.
- Support and oversee the Assistant Manager to establish and maintain an efficient system for ordering all business and food supplies in a timely manner that does not negatively impact business operations, contribute to excess waste or costs. Pursue valuable opportunities for cost savings and new products and escalate any potential change to customer-facing items to leadership for approval.
- Project and proactively communicate tasting room needs for ordering new merchandise, menus, and signage to maintain the highest quality standard.
Site Management
- Ensure that the Tasting Room and all working areas are maintained to the highest cleanliness standards. This should be accomplished not only through the delegation and management of daily staff cleaning tasks but also through third party vendors if needed and at a reasonable cost within budget.
- Oversee Tasting Room facility maintenance including safety and improvements [including sweeping walkways, shoveling snow, etc.] communicating with General Manager and Owners regarding necessary outside help.
- Oversee general maintenance of all equipment necessary to service [ice machine, Zip water tap, printer, speakers] and troubleshoot when necessary.
Qualifications and Skills
2+ years of experience in a retail or hospitality management role
1+ years experience in an administrative role is a plus
Strong organizational, administrative, and time management skills
Attention to detail and ability to balance with the larger picture
Proficient in computer systems including Microsoft Office and Google Drive [Commerce7, and Tock are a plus]
Excellent communication skills [written and oral]
Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and manage stress effectively
Self motivated and team oriented
Ability to multitask
A positive attitude and enthusiasm