CAREERS

DIRECTOR OF WINE & HOSPITALITY

Early Mountain has an immediate opening for a Director of Wine and Hospitality to manage all aspects of our Tasting Room experience and Wine Clubs.

Job description

Our Director of Wine and Hospitality will lead the way in evolving our Tasting Room and ensuring that the Early Mountain experience is both distinctive and excellent. We are looking for someone with a true passion for outstanding service and appreciation of the culinary heritage of Virginia. Additionally, the Director of Wine and Hospitality will possess restaurant operations expertise, significant wine knowledge, and an enthusiasm for the excellent wine now being produced at Early Mountain and around the state ofVirginia.

An ability to balance multiple demands and roles is critical. The most successful candidate will be able to handle administrative and managerial tasks associated with running the Tasting Room as well as working with other managers to maintain an appropriate floor presence. TheWine and Hospitality Manager will work in tandem with our Executive Chef and the culinary team to ensure we have the best culinary offering in Virginia WineCountry. This individual will possess in equal parts leadership, creativity, operational savviness, and exceptional execution abilities. The position will demand weekend and holiday hours but does not include regular evening hours like a traditional restaurant.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Hospitality Operations:

· Clearly describes, assigns, and delegates responsibility and authority for the operation of the Early Mountain Tasting Room. Responsible for managing a team of approximately ~25 floor staff across multiple positions as well as two managerial personnel.

· Responsible for interviewing, hiring, training, planning, assigning, and directing work, evaluating performance, rewarding, and disciplining associates; addressing employee complaints and resolving problems.

· Responsible for creating a wine and culinary experience that is polished and distinctive, with an emphasis on wine and culinary excellence.

· Identifies opportunities along with managers and the culinary team to control costs and other expenses. Works closely with the General Manager on policies and procedures and the monthly inventory processes.

· Executes inventory control and calculation for monthly analysis and reconciliation.

· Prepares weekly schedule for Service Staff in conjunction with other Tasting RoomManagers.

· Implements policies and procedures for the Food & Beverage department including compliance of company standards relating to quality of products and services.

· Oversees the online reservation system (currently Tock) and guest flow to maximize traffic.

· Attends to any complaints logged by guests (either in person or online) in a professional and timely manner.

Strategy, Finance, & Marketing:

· Assists with preparation of revenue goals and the expenses for the Tasting Room as well as generating various (weekly, monthly etc.) business volume forecasts and planning accordingly.

· Monitors market conditions that impact business volume and profitability.

· Responsible for keeping up with industry trends in fine dining and wine and enhancing theFood and Beverage operations year to year.

· Works closely with the Director of Marketing to promote our Tasting Room initiatives, wine, and culinary to drive traffic and increase average spend.

· Reviews and analyzes various financial results/reports with accounting and the General Manager to monitor overall Food and Beverage performance and takes any corrective actions that may be needed.

· Oversees the Community Manager’s execution of the 1784 Wine Club, ensuring maximum retention and average revenue per member via creative Wine Club programming.

· Participates with the Executive Chef and Managers in the creation of menus/promotions to provide to the Marketing Director that distinguish the Early Mountain experience.

· Develops impactful incentive programs for associate team to maximize sales and Wine Club conversion.

Training & Purchasing:

· Oversees product selection and purchasing of our notable “Best of Virginia” wine program in the Tasting Room. This program requires a wine professional that can assess wine quality and understands the depth and breadth of Virginia wine offerings across the state.

· Works in tandem with the wine club manager and General Manager to coordinate our standard wine club and the Taste of Virginia Wine Club that is fulfilled twice per year and focuses on some of the most interesting and rare wines in the state.

· Responsible for proper execution of our Server Training Program that includes both standards of table service as well as wine service and education. We expect our team to bring both a global knowledge and elevated service standards to the wine program and look to this individual to define that.

Qualification Requirements:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to perform this job satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Experience

5+ years of experience in restaurant hospitality, including managerial responsibilities
Extensive wine knowledge with preference for certification or sommelier experience
Proven ability to help businesses meet or exceed forecasted revenue goals

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Excellent verbal communication skills
Self-starter that can work independently and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously
Driven with a strong work ethic
Passionate with desire for continuous improvement
Collaborative, team-oriented approach
Enthusiasm for and interest in learning more about the Virginia wine industry
The ability to lead and motivate a team

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DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Traditional Marketing and Administration:

Work with the Events Team to design and promote large-scale events and other targeted on-site events
Work with the Tasting Room Management and Culinary teams to drive traffic to the primary hospitality space and highlight wine and food offerings as well as special menu features, dinners, and experiences
Work with the community manager to develop wine club communications, craft promotional strategies to gain new members, and improve retention metrics
Create and distribute quarterly marketing/media reports and operational summaries
Develop and manage the annual marketing budget

Public Relations & Advertising:

Oversee public relations initiatives and manage agency support if utilized
Assist in securing, organizing, and staffing media appointments
Develop and execute strategies for engaging media & industry influencers
Determine ad buys to best support business units and revenue goals for all channels (Tasting Room, Culinary, Wedding/Events, Online, Distribution)

Strategic Planning and Branding:

Work with the executive team to establish annual revenue goals and craft marketing strategy to meet or exceed them with a focus on traffic generation & wedding inquiries
Analyze market trends and recommend changes to marketing and business development strategies based on analysis and feedback
Ensure Early Mountain branding remains consistent across all platforms

Social Media/Digital Media:

Serve as primary communications representative on all social media platforms
Both monitor and engage online conversations about Early Mountain across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, blogs, web, or other platforms as deemed
Monitor wine-focused social networking sites for conversation and engage consumers to encourage interest in Early Mountain and Virginia wine
Keep EM website, online store, and event calendars up to date

Collateral Development:

Execute or coordinate and provide on-site support for photo and video shoots
Work with third party design teams to coordinate printing of all marketing materials & advertisements (e.g. wedding/events ads, brochures, rack cards, event materials and online graphics) to ensure brand messages are consistent

Online Sales:

Work with executive team and community manager to set budget and phasing for online revenue during annual planning
Assess success and modify plans to fill gaps to budget
Develop creative product offerings and partnerships to maximize online sales
Ensure online fulfillment system is being managed and executed efficiently and accurately

Miscellaneous:

Represent Early Mountain at appropriate events within the industry (wine tastings, dinners, festivals, etc.)
Familiarize and follow all laws set for farm wineries by the Virginia ABC
Ongoing ability to work weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed

Qualification Requirements:

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, communications or a similar field
5+ years of experience in marketing, communications and social media
Past project coordination, hospitality experience, and wine knowledge is a plus
Proven ability to help businesses meet or exceed forecasted revenue goals

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Self-starter that can work independently and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously
Comprehensive understanding of digital media
Driven with a strong work ethic and ability to complete tasks on deadline
Passionate with desire for continuous improvement
Collaborative, team-oriented approach
Enthusiasm for and interest in learning more about the Virginia wine industry
The ability to coordinate internal team members from different business units

Other Qualifications, Technology, Software

Google Analytics
Social media sites for business (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc)
Final Cut Pro, After Effects, Photoshop/InDesign (basic knowledge & interest)
CMS platforms
Ability to learn point of sale (POS) systems specific to the wine and hospitality industry
Skilled in the use of MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel

HUMAN RESOURCES / PAYROLL ADMINISTRATOR

Early Mountain Vineyards is in search of an experienced, motivated, and organized Payroll & Human Resources Administrator. This full-time position (32-40 hours per week plus benefits) is an integral part of human resources administration and supports the finance structure of the winery.He/she must have experience handling multiple tasks within payroll and human resources departments and have a very high attention to detail. The ideal candidate should have the ability to carry out direction with minimal supervision and possess effective organizational and time management skills.He/she must work well within a team-oriented environment.

Responsibilities:

-Company-wide human resources administration for approximately85 employees (25 full-time, 60 part-time).

-Responsible for organization of new hire paperwork and compliance - including H2A/agricultural employees.

-In charge of creating and maintaining employee files.

-Responsible for benefits administration for the winery; serves as primary point of contact for all employee benefit inquiries.

-Responsible for handling workers’ compensation claims and OSHA reporting requirements.

-Responsible for payroll processing and administration for all employees. Weekly and semi-monthly payrolls involved.

-Prepare payroll reports and enter payroll journal entries into accounting system.

-Prepare monthly account reconciliations and journal entries as a part of the financial statement close process.

-Maintains employee confidence and protects payroll and human resources operations by keeping information confidential.

-Assist with functions associated with Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable.

-Perform ad hoc special projects for management, as required.

Qualifications:

-At least 1-2 years of relevant payroll & HR experience, preferably in a managerial capacity

-Proficiency in payroll processing platforms (Paycor preferred but not required)

-Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and knowledge of various accounting software and applications with the ability toquickly learn and adapt to new technology.

-Must be professional with an upbeat and energetic personality.

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LINE COOK (FULL TIME)

Please submit your resume via email to JOBS@EARLYMOUNTAIN.COM

Early Mountain is seeking an experienced (1 year minimum) line cook for the culinary team. We offer a competitive hourly wage ($16-$18 an hour) as well as full benefits (PTO, 401k, healthcare) and room for growth.

Job responsibilities will include:

• Learn and remain familiar with all menu items: including all components of each menu item and how they are prepared.

• Maintaining proper holding and heating temperatures, FIFO, organization of station & walk in space.

• Review prep list, check daily pars and maintain pars as necessary, and ensure all food items are dated and up to company standards.

• Know and comply with cooking methods, quality standards as well as rules, policies and procedures.

• Keep a clean and sanitary work station, including all cooking equipment, tables, shelves and refrigeration equipment.

• Inspect equipment before and after use, making sure everything is clean and in proper working order.

• Prepare all menu items with acute attention to detail while balancing the quick upbeat energy of a fast-paced environment.

• Follow all recipes & plating specifications as directed.

• Follow all opening and closing checklists to ensure that kitchen is closed safely and properly.

• Maintain a positive and professional rapport with all coworkers and guests.

• Perform other related duties as assigned by Executive Chef and/or Sous Chef.

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Qualifications:

• Minimum 1-2 years experience, or at least 6 months experience in a similar capacity.

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with all personnel.

• Must be able to lift 40 lbs regularly, as well as bend, stoop and reach, as well as remain standing for as many as 12 hours.

• Maintain personal hygiene standards in accordance with Virginia State Health Standards for Food Service Employees.

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TASTING ROOM ASSOCIATE

Please submit your resume via email to JOBS@EARLYMOUNTAIN.COM

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Our winery is looking for friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic associates with a passion for wine, food and people. Candidates must enjoy speaking on, serving, and uplifting Virginia wine. Exceptional customer service skills, fantastic communication with both customers and other employees are also essential qualities. A desire to expand knowledge of Virginia wine and provide top notch service experiences for our members and guest are key to this position.

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Compensation:

We offer a competitive hourly rate with the addition of restaurant equivalent gratuity.

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Roles and Responsibilities:

Duties vary and will include:

Explain to guests the different style tasting/flight options offered in a knowledgeable and effective manner

Properly checking customer's ID's

Following steps of service that has been set forth by management

Offering wine paring suggestions that complement our menu items

Maintain specific side-work and ensure the total cleanliness and smooth operation

Clearing and resetting tables

Washing and polishing glassware and silverware

Stocking wine and retail items

Must be able to interact with guests in a friendly and professional manner to ensure complete satisfaction

Working effectively in a team

Learning new wines on a weekly basis

Assisting with special events when needed

Qualifications:

At least 21 years old

Able to work a flexible schedule including holidays and weekends

Excellent communication and customer service skills

Holiday and weekend hours are required

Ability to lift 40 pounds and walk/stand for long periods of time

Comfortable learning our sales system using advanced technology, such as iPads, for ordering

Handle transactions with accuracy, including taking payments, giving change and packaging of merchandise

Please email resume and cover letter to jobs@earlymountain.com or drop off at the winery at 6109 Wolftown-Hood Road, Madison, VA 22727.

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CATERING SERVICE TEAM MEMBER

Please submit your resume via email to MELISSA@EARLYMOUNTAIN.COM

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Early Mountain is seeking motivated and hospitality-oriented servers, bartenders, and other experienced service staff for high value catering events at the winery. Early Mountain is building a team to support the increase in their full-service catering of weddings and other private events. The catering staff list will be offered 3-4 events per month with 60-90 days of advance notice. The ideal candidate will have hospitality experience, a great attitude and be interested in flexible work opportunities with very competitive pay.

Role requires transportation to Early Mountain in Madison, Virginia and may require working late nights.

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Responsibilities:

- Work as a team to follow the steps of service as communicated
- Set up/Break Down
- Service / Side work
- Prompt and reliable
- Bartenders
- Dishwashers

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Qualifications:

- 21 & over preferably
- Prior Banquet/Catering Experience a plus/training provided
- Evening/weekend hours
- Must be able to lift 45 pounds.

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CAREERS