Retail & Hospitality Manager (Wine Jobs: Management & Administration)

  Cave Spring Vineyard

  Jordan and Beamsville, Ontario

Cave Spring Vineyard

In 1973, the Pennachetti family acquired their first parcels of land at Cave Spring. Located on a gentle slope of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario, known as the Beamsville Bench, settlers named the site for its limestone caves and magnesium springs. Moderating onshore breezes and limestone-clay soils held great promise for cool-climate wine growing. Seeing the potential, the family planted some of the Niagara Peninsula's first vinifera vines in 1978 and, together with winemaker Angelo Pavan, began their winemaking journey in 1986. From its inception, the eponymous winery would be laser-focused on CSV's terroir, proving vital in the Niagara Peninsula's development as a globally recognized wine region. Over the decades, the refinement of an archetypical style for dry Riesling has firmly entrenched the winery on the international stage. Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Pinot Gris round out a diverse portfolio consistently ranking among Canada's finest.

Cave Spring Vineyard is seeking a dedicated and experienced Retail and Hospitality Manager to lead and oversee the day-to-day operations of the essential function of our two tasting rooms (Beamsville and Jordan). You will be responsible for organizing and managing all aspects of retail and hospitality, to ensure a seamless and exceptional customer experience. The Retail and Hospitality Manager leads by example and works on the floor with the team in addition to setting the standards for service and customer experience. As this is a team-oriented, customer-focused role in the service industry, we are looking for candidates with strong leadership abilities, excellent communication skills, a passion for providing outstanding customer service and the ability to empower the team to reach their full potential while meeting sales goals. The Retail and Hospitality Manager will be responsible for the annual budget of our two tasting rooms and will report directly to the VP of Sales and Marketing. The ideal candidate is someone who thrives in a fluid, hospitality driven environment where multi-tasking and quick problem-solving is essential to the role.  

Responsibilities:

• Organizing, planning and overseeing daily operations to ensure maximum effectiveness from a sales goal perspective in addition to customer experience and staff engagement
• Taking an interactive, hands-on approach to the role to understand all aspects of service and experience  
• Set the tone for customer experiences in CSV’s two retail locations to ensure repeat visits, referrals and overall customer satisfaction   
• Implement strategies to effectively meet and exceed sales expectations
• Utilize the Commerce 7 POS Platform to full potential in both retail locations
• Optimize all aspects of tasting room organization, layout and merchandising to achieve sales targets
• Maximize revenue per guest (upselling)
• Lead product knowledge training for staff including seasonal staff and utilize the Winemaker and Senior Vice President for touch points with staff Manage and supervise staff, including recruitment, training and performance evaluation
• Ensure all supplies and stock are adequate in quantity and quality
• Promote staff engagement by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees, seeking feedback and leading regular staff meetings 
• Ensure operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees as required
• Oversee and organize daily online and phone order fulfillment activities, including picking, packing and shipping preparation
• Enforce adherence to regulations and quality standards for safety and service
• Field guest feedback and resolve complaints or issues promptly and satisfactorily
• Stay updated on industry trends and best practices in the wine industry, continuously seeking opportunities to enhance guest experiences
• Oversee the execution and implementation of all winery events
• Conduct regular inspections to ensure cleanliness, functionality and maintenance of the tasting rooms

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

•  3+ years experience in hospitality management
• Relevant professional certifications, ie. WSET 2 + or equivalent experience - integral to the wine industry
• A proven track record at driving sales and meeting/exceeding targets
• Strong problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills
• Proficiency in hospitality/retail management systems, reservation software and other relevant applications
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and maintain positive relationships with guests, staff, and industry peers
• Strong leadership and organizational skills to manage a diverse team and ensure smooth operations.