Director of Events and Hospitality

Position Summary:

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Director of Events and Hospitality to join our dynamic team at Redwood Empire Whiskey. Our distillery, located on historic Mare Island in Vallejo, features an event and restaurant space that we aim to develop into a top visitor center with tours, tastings, consumer experiences, restaurant, and bar.

This full-time position will oversee all facets of hospitality and events, including the restaurant, bar, tasting room, private events, and trade events. The restaurant is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday.

The position comes with comprehensive benefits, including three weeks of PTO, 12 paid company holidays, medical, dental, and vision insurance, eligibility in our 401(k) plan (with match), and various company perks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Actively promote, market, and sell the distillery's private event space, restaurant, and tasting/tour experience.
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Marketing on homeplace strategies, including décor, design, menu selection, cocktail offerings, and branding.
• Manage a team of two, comprising the Manager of Hospitality and the Kitchen Manager.
• Oversee the guest experience from start to finish.
• Oversee restaurant operations, working closely with the chef/cook on inventory, reporting, seasonal offerings, commercial kitchen needs, and logistics.
• Oversee the bar program, including inventory, reporting, vendor relationships, and logistics.
• Develop and deliver tour content and tour experiences, training employees who provide tours.
• Deliver exceptional food and catering experiences for event clients.
• Manage the hospitality budget, setting revenue/profit expectations and overseeing expenses.
• Oversee staff and schedules for hospitality operations.
• In partnership with HR, manage staffing needs related to hospitality.
• Maintain awareness of safety procedures for the assigned work area.
• Familiarize yourself with Employee Handbook policies, particularly those regarding California meal and break policies.
• Support and assist Servers, Kitchen Manager, and Hospitality Manager.

Qualifications:

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in tasting room/restaurant management, with a focus on event management and sales.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Experience with support software such as Toast and Tock.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, with a strong ability to motivate and guide a team.
• Excellent multitasking and adaptability in fast-paced environments.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• RBS certification and/or training preferred; current food handlers card a plus.
• Ability to work weekends, as needed by the business.
• Capacity to lift 35 pounds and perform tasks requiring standing, walking, and bending on concrete flooring.