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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.