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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Tasting Room & Cocktail Bar Manager
Burlington, Vermont
Full Time, Year-Round, Salaried Position
Are you a hospitality professional who loves creating cocktails, excels at leading teams, and is ready for a role that offers work-life balance? Join us at Mad River Distillers as the manager of our flagship Burlington Tasting Room and Cocktail Bar.
This is a unique opportunity to be the face of our award-winning spirits brand in a dynamic, guest-facing environment—without the late nights and stress of traditional restaurant work. This is a leadership role with room for creativity, autonomy, and professional growth within a passionate and supportive team. If you love craft spirits, enjoy building community, and thrive in a dynamic retail/hospitality setting—this could be your next great opportunity.
Our Ideal Candidate has:
- Minimum 2 years of management experience in a bar, restaurant, or customer-facing setting
- Solid bartending skills and ability to train others on technique and service standards
- A passion for craft spirits, especially aged whiskey and rum
- Strong customer service mindset with natural leadership and team-building ability
- Comfort with tech tools: Square, Shopventory, Excel
- Excellent organizational and math skills for managing inventory, scheduling, and reporting
- A marketing-minded approach with an eye for event programming and brand building
- Willingness to be an ambassador for the brand in our home market
Job Requirements:
1. Lead the Bar Program
- Design and rotate cocktail menus with a mix of classics and creative seasonal offerings
- Innovate a photographable garnish program that’s both sustainable and memorable
- Oversee to-go cocktail production and canning
- Hire, schedule, and train staff
- Handle alcohol inventory, deposits, and cash reconciliation
- Monitor and manage bar costs and monthly reporting
- Coordinate bills, sample tracking, and bar supply ordering
- Work with our team to plan and host in-store events
- Develop and manage a snack food program that works without a kitchen
- Maintain a consistently clean and welcoming space
2. Manage Retail Operations
- Curate and order cocktail-related retail items (bitters, bar tools, glassware, etc.)
- Merchandise and rotate displays seasonally to enhance the shopping experience
- Maintain accurate retail inventory and pricing
- Use Shopventory and Square to manage stock and track sales
- Serve as a brand storyteller, offering tastings and education to every visitor
3. Drive Foot Traffic & Community Engagement
- Plan and host monthly cocktail classes and industry nights
- Coordinate partner events and guest bartender takeovers
- Collaborate with our marketing team to promote events and maintain the calendar
4. Operate Within Budget
- Manage labor and product costs effectively
- Contribute to a quarterly bonus program for meeting financial goals
Compensation:
The manager position traditionally has a base salary, plus additional clock-in shifts to participate in the tip pool. Range of compensation is between $55k-$75K depending on how the position and team is organized. Quarterly Team and Manager Bonus based on a combination of retail sales and event goals. Revenue Bonus for yearly targets in the store.
Benefits:
- 6 paid holidays [New Year, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas]
- Sick Leave: 5 days
- Vacation / PTO: 14 days
- Opportunity to participate in our retirement plan. We will match up 3% of your compensation that goes into a Simple or ROTH IRA.
- Opportunity to participate in our Aflac accident, vision, dental and/or disability plans.
To apply for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter to info@madriverdistillers.com.