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 has traditionally had a base salary plus additional clock-in shifts to participate in the tip pool.
Range of comp 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.
6 paid holidays [New Year, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas]
If the store is open on one of those days and you have to work, you can substitute that day for another paid day off.
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 IRA, which is pre-tax.
Opportunity to participate in our Aflac accident, vision, dental and/or disability plans.