Adirondack Winery

Adirondack Winery is seeking an experienced General Manager to oversee operations of both its original Lake George Tasting Room and its brand-new, multi-million dollar Tasting Room in Queensbury, NY. Founded in 2008, Adirondack Winery is on the rise. Already the largest winery in this region, Adirondack Winery is focused on growing from a 20,000-case winery to a 50,000-case winery over the next 10 years.

About the Tasting Rooms:

The Lake George Tasting Room, located at 285 Canada Street, opened in 2008 and welcomes over 65,000 visitors annually, and while open year-round, June through September is when 60% of its business occurs. At peak season, the General Manager will oversee operating hours of 10am to 10pm daily. This location delivers a consistent wine tasting experience, with a limited food pairing option and a constant flow of customer traffic purchasing wine and retail merchandise. This location functions as walk-in only.

The Queensbury Tasting Room, located at 395 Big Bay Road, opened May 2022 and was designed to be able to offer our customers the experience they’ve been asking us for, for so many years. The downstairs tasting room seats 50 inside and 36 outside on our patio. Not only do we offer the Original Wine Tasting Experience, wine purchasing and retail merchandise customers have come to know and love, but we also offer a full range of elevated tasting experiences, impressive charcuterie and dessert board options, wine by the glass, beer, cider, spirits, and an impressive list of craft cocktails. Live Music, Trivia, and Tasting Room Takeovers are just a snapshot of the events we host in this Tasting Room. In addition, there is a semi-private barrel room, where we host bus groups, bachelorette and birthday parties, group tastings and more. Upstairs we boast a private event space that seats up to 96, where we host Uncork & Craft events, Wine & Food Pairing Events, Yoga, and private events. While business at this location brings much less foot traffic than Lake George, tickets are bigger and it has more consistent year-round potential; it too is busiest in peak season of June through September, with hours of 11am to 9pm daily.

The General Manager would oversee operations of both locations with a staff of approximately 25 at peak season, including a dedicated Assistant Manager and Leads at both locations, as well as Keyholders and Part Time Associates. You would also work closely with our Sales Manager, who oversees private events at Queensbury and offsite events.

The ideal candidate would have at least 4 years of experience in a General Manager capacity (preferably in the restaurant or hospitality sector) with strong knowledge of front and back-of-house operations including staff management (hiring, training, scheduling, coaching and supervision), sales and performance motivation, budgeting and cost control, purchasing, inventory, food safety, menu development and presentation, reservation management, customer service, marketing and events support, and effective retail merchandising. Strong communication is a must for the General Manager, as they are the liaison between ownership and tasting room staff, ensuring that all ideas, programs, policies, and procedures are executed and followed through as intended by the company. Reporting to the Company President, the General Manager promotes a sales-driven, customer-focused culture with the goal of delivering a WOW experience repeatedly; and builds productivity, training Tasting Room staff for future growth through hiring and developing great people.

Physical demands: The ability to frequently lift, move and load cases of wine (approx. 35lbs each), must be able to remain in a stationary position for 50% of the time, sitting or standing. Constantly operate a computer and other office machineries such as a calculator, copier, and printer.

Working conditions:

Must be able to work in a retail/restaurant setting with multiple people and/or distractions, with many customers and employees.
Must be able to maintain reliable transportation to get to and from work sites.
THIS IS NOT A REMOTE POSITION

Work Locations:

Adirondack Winery Tasting Room 395 Big Bay Road, Queensbury, NY
Adirondack Winery Tasting Room 285 Canada Street, Lake George, NY
Time will be split between both locations to meet business needs.

Work Schedule:

As a salaried position, the hours of work is dependent upon the seasonality and work load. The expectation is that the General Manager will work the hours needed to complete the tasks assigned to meet or exceed management’s expectations. Weekends, evenings and Holidays are required – latitude will be given with ongoing success.

Vacation Black-Out: Long term vacations are prohibited during the busy summer season, as this is a critical period for Adirondack Winery’s Tasting Rooms. This generally encompasses the end of June through Columbus Day weekend. The General Manager is also expected to be present at each Anniversary Celebration, which typically occurs in Mid-April. Specifically, we allow no more than 5 consecutive scheduled and unscheduled days off during this period, and other critical holiday periods.

PAY: $70k-$80k/year + bonuses

PERKS: Employee discounts including 1 free bottle of wine a week (worth $1000+ annually!); Reciprocal benefits at other major attractions in the area, free coffee, work outings and more!

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance after 30 days of employment, 401K with employer match eligibility after 6 months of employment, Paid Time Off, employee referral program, and employee discount!

Disclaimers: Nothing in this job description restricts management rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description is subject to change at any time.

To be considered for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume.

We look forward to hearing from you!

PERKS: Employee discounts including 1 free bottle of wine a week (worth $1000+ annually!); Reciprocal benefits at other major attractions in the area, free coffee, work outings and more!

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance after 30 days of employment, 401K with employer match eligibility after 6 months of employment, Paid Time Off, employee referral program, and employee discount!

This is an inspiring opportunity to be the Lead Events Associate for a fast-growing Winery that has an excellent reputation in our region! You would assist with the execution of private, semi-private, and public events held at our brand-new, state-of-the-art Queensbury Tasting Room. We host private events of all kinds for up to 96 people; plus we hold our own Uncork & Craft, Wine Pairing, Yoga, Live Music, Trivia and other fun events for the general public! You will also assist with the preparation and execution of our participation in offsite events, such as wine festivals, wine tasting fundraisers, liquor store tastings, and more.

Adirondack Winery recently opened a brand new multi-million dollar tasting room and winemaking headquarters in Queensbury, which now allows the company to triple its production and expand its services! Being an employee at Adirondack Winery means you get to learn a lot about wine, get to brag about the cool place you work at, and be a part of a family atmosphere where not only does your work make a difference but your team cares about you!

The Lead Events Associate primarily reports directly to the Sales Manager but will also work closely with the General Manager to ensure wine and food service runs smoothly for each event, and with the Marketing and Events Manager to ensure public events are delivered as promised. This position is a ton of fun with plenty of variety, but it is also hard work! Someone with an outgoing personality, who can draw the attention of a crowd of people, and who has excellent customer service and sales skills, in addition to strong organization and leadership skills will be perfect for this position. The Lead Events Associate will also work closely with the marketing department to collaborate on event marketing activities, as well as to assist in carrying out marketing promotions at our Tasting Rooms and at Offsite events.

An interest and knowledge in wine is a plus, but not required, we train! The ability to train and lead a team to work these events with you is key to success! Our event staff must ensure that all internal and external customers receive exemplary customer service and receive a positive event and brand experience.

Adirondack Winery is very much a teamwork focused company; we all work together to achieve our Company goals! The Lead Events Associate may be required to “chip in” on general tasting room and/or winery work, including, but not limited to, working in any other company departments, or assisting the senior tasting room manager with a variety of activities.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Tasting Room Events / Private Events:

Assist with coordination and execution of open-to-the-public or ticketed events (wine dinners, wine club events, crafting and wine pairing classes, onsite entertainment, etc.)
Assist with coordination and execution of Private Functions (bridal and baby showers, reunions, birthday and anniversary parties, corporate parties and meetings, etc)
Lead event staff to ensure successful execution of all events.
Is responsible for overseeing clients’ needs during the event and making necessary changes or adjustments.
Be able to conduct event space showings when necessary (sales skills required)

Off-Site Events:

As the Lead Events Associate, you will assist in organizing our presence at offsite events, which includes communicating with event planners, completing paperwork, reporting, research, coordination of wine and supplies, scheduling, and training staff to work with you or for you, and more. You will be expected to attend at least 5-10 off-site events per year, but will coordinate, train, and prepare additional event staff to execute several other off-site events throughout the year. Types of events include Wine Festivals, fairs, charitable tasting events, liquor store tastings, trade shows, etc.

PAY: $17.20 per hour + gratuities + bonus (up to 10% of annual pay)

PERKS: Employee discounts including 1 free bottle of wine a week (worth $1000+ annually!); Reciprocal benefits at other major attractions in the area, free coffee, work outings and more!

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance after 30 days of employment, 401K and employer match with eligibility after 6 months of employment, Paid Time Off, and employee referral program!

Work Location: Home base is at our Queensbury Headquarters. This position also requires traveling to offsite event locations, primarily within a 2-hour drive, however a few events per year are a 4-6 hour drive away and require overnight travel. Travel expenses are covered. Must have your own vehicle.

Schedule: This is a full-time, year-round position with at least 40 hours per week required. Schedule is Thursday through Monday, with varying start and end times, depending on the current events schedule. Opportunities for overtime pay will occur as well.

Vacation Blackout Dates: Vacations longer than 5 days will be prohibited from June through September

Requirements: A relevant bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years in event planning experience with some employee supervision experience preferred, but equivalent experience accepted. Intermediate level skills in MS Office Suite required. Responsible and trustworthy money handling skills required. Wine knowledge preferred but will train the right candidate. Reliable transportation and the ability to work on your feet for several hours at a time and lift 50lbs is a must.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this job description restricts management rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description is subject to change at any time.

PAY: $17.20 per hour + gratuities + bonus (up to 10% of annual pay)

PERKS: Employee discounts including 1 free bottle of wine a week (worth $1000+ annually!); Reciprocal benefits at other major attractions in the area, free coffee, work outings and more!

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance after 30 days of employment, 401K and employer match with eligibility after 6 months of employment, Paid Time Off, and employee referral program!

Our Tasting Room Assistant Manager works under the direction of our General Manager in promoting a sales culture to build productivity and develops Tasting Room Staff for future growth through thorough training and consistent coaching. Provide leadership to achieve or exceed sales and metrics goals. Manage store operations, maintain appropriate inventory levels, and visual merchandising standards with guidance from the General Manager. Ensure all internal and external customers receive exemplary customer service and receive a positive Tasting Room and brand experience. Ensure Tasting Room Associates build relationships with customers. The Assistant Manager must be able to independently run the Tasting Room, with guidance from the General Manager.

Under the direction of the Company’s General Manager, the Tasting Room Assistant Manager’s responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Meet & Exceed Sales & Operational Goals:

Work to ensure Tasting Rooms meet or exceed sales and metrics goals, utilizing effective communication, organization, and leadership skills.
Prioritize, plan, and adjust tasks and daily agendas to meet business goals. Problem-solve complex issues and manage time to execute multiple tasks and changing priorities.
Personnel Management:

Hold a team of leads, keyholders, and sales associates accountable to training initiatives, achieving goals, developing their knowledge of Company products, services, and programs, and ensure they are following policies and procedures.
Train and motivate all associates through on-going programs in sales, customer service and product knowledge, developing them to assume increased levels of responsibility.
Assess performance and provide on-going coaching to tasting room staff.
Act as a key example for tasting room staff, motivating and influencing them by example and actions to provide excellent customer service and deliver comprehensive knowledge of company products, services, and policies. Ensure the tasting room team provides the same experience, in accordance with our brand and core values.
Create and maintain an environment where all staff are treated with dignity and respect, fostering a spirit of teamwork and cooperation.
Operations Management:

Maintain a safe and healthy work environment and ensure ongoing safety and cleanliness training and awareness.
Manage store-operating procedures in accordance with company guidelines, ensuring accurate inventory procedures, opening, and closing procedures, money handling and cash control procedures, tracking and reporting of tasting room expenditures, etc. are all followed to company standards.
Ensure store standards are met and maintained, i.e., visuals, cleanliness, signage, safety, etc.
Retail merchandising – Maintain accurate and sufficient inventories, optimize retail displays, rotate product, etc.
Manage the preparation and service of food samples in accordance with health and cleanliness policies, maintaining food and supply inventories, ensuring cost control, etc.
Marketing Objectives:

Create effective retail merchandise displays, etc - all with the goal of maximizing sales and achieving marketing initiatives.
Ensure that Tasting Room staff are effectively delivering marketing initiatives and working to achieve goals, promote and execute events to expectations, and assist the marketing department in garnering content, and more.
Customer Service Objectives:

Ensure that sales associates effectively, appropriately, and accurately carry out the Company’s Customer Service policies and procedures.
Procuring customer information and ensuring accuracy of that data is of utmost importance.
Communicating with customers via phone and email to process reservations, orders and resolve issues is frequently required and the Tasting Room Assistant Manager must serve as a best example of Customer Service.
Command a thorough understanding of the Company’s MyADK Subscription and Case Club programs. Ensure associates sell these programs effectively and procure club information accurately. Adirondack Winery’s Club customers must be treated with the utmost care and respect and the Tasting Room Assistant Manager should foster these relationships with customers.
Technology:

Develop complete knowledge of Wine Direct POS and TOCK Reservation system to execute all functions on the POS and Reservation system as needed, in accordance with company policies and procedures.
Effectively and efficiently utilize company software, computers, and technology as a tool to achieve company goals and adherence to procedures; analyze and track performance, etc. Develop technology troubleshooting skills and share that knowledge with all tasting room staff.
Some use of Microsoft Excel is required for reporting of store metrics (KPIs), sales goals, inventory, ordering and more.
Team Player:

Facilitate effective communication between General Manager, Tasting Room Staff, Headquarters staff, customers, and suppliers to achieve company marketing initiatives, adherence to company policies and procedures, and communication of customer service and operational issues.
Must be prepared to work at the tasting room in a pinch when Tasting Room Associates fail to show up to work, or the Tasting Room is busier than expected.
Adirondack Winery is a small business and as such, all employees must be prepared to jump in as needed on a variety of tasks with the well-being of the company as the goal.
Physical demands:

The ability to frequently lift, move and load cases of wine (approx. 35lbs), Must be able to remain in a stationary position for 50% of the time, sitting or standing. Constantly operate a computer and other office types of machinery such as calculator, copier, and printer.
Working conditions:

The ability to work in a retail setting with multiple people and/or distractions, with many customers and employees. THIS IS NOT A REMOTE POSITION. Must be able to maintain reliable transportation to get to and from work sites.
Work Schedule:

A minimum of 40 hours per week is required, but more time will frequently be required to meet Company goals.
We are open 7 days per week and 12 hours per day at peak season, so shift times will vary; covering weekends, nights, days, swing shifts, etc.
Covering for staff members who “call out” on short notice is also required.
We allow no more than 5 consecutive scheduled and unscheduled days off during peak season and other critical holiday periods.
All time must be approved by the General Manager in advance.

PERKS: Employee discounts including 1 free bottle of wine a week (worth $1000+ annually!); Reciprocal benefits at other major attractions in the area, free coffee, work outings and more!

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance after 30 days of employment, 401K with employer match eligibility after 6 months of employment, Paid Time Off, employee referral program, and employee discount!

PAY: Starting at $21/hour depending on experience + bonuses.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this job description restricts management rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This job description is subject to change at any time.

PERKS: Employee discounts including 1 free bottle of wine a week (worth $1000+ annually!); Reciprocal benefits at other major attractions in the area, free coffee, work outings and more!

BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance after 30 days of employment, 401K with employer match eligibility after 6 months of employment, Paid Time Off, employee referral program, and employee discount!

PAY: Starting at $21/hour depending on experience + bonuses.