Beer Manager
Petite Cellars is seeking a passionate and knowledgeable Beer Manager to join our team in Ellicott City. If you have a deep appreciation for craft beer, a knack for storytelling, and a commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience, we want to meet you.
Role Overview
As the Beer Manager, your primary goal will be to oversee and grow our beer department while guiding customers through our extensive selection. You will provide knowledgeable recommendations tailored to customers' preferences, budgets, and occasions while building relationships with local breweries, distributors, and beer enthusiasts.
Salary: $32,000 – $72,000 per year (commensurate with experience)
Additional Compensation: Commission-based incentives
Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Location: Ellicott City, MD (11079 Resort Rd)
Key Responsibilities
Beer Expertise & Customer Consultation: Provide personalized beer recommendations and education to customers, ranging from casual drinkers to serious craft beer enthusiasts. Develop a strong understanding of beer styles, brewing techniques, breweries, and flavor profiles.
Sales Excellence: Drive department sales through proactive customer engagement, thoughtful product recommendations, and effective merchandising. Highlight featured beers, new arrivals, limited releases, seasonal offerings, and high-margin selections.
Department Management: Take ownership of the beer department, ensuring the selection is organized, well-stocked, accurately priced, and visually appealing. Monitor inventory levels and work with distributors to maintain a diverse and exciting product assortment.
Inventory & Ordering: Assist with beer ordering, receiving, stocking, and inventory management. Track sales trends and customer preferences to help determine which products and brands should be added, reordered, or rotated out.
Tastings & Events: Lead and assist with in-store beer tastings, brewery events, educational seminars, and promotional activities to build community engagement, increase sales, and strengthen relationships with customers and brewery partners.
Vendor & Brewery Relationships: Develop and maintain strong relationships with local breweries, distributors, and brand representatives. Stay informed about new product launches, limited releases, seasonal rotations, and promotional opportunities.
Continuous Learning: Stay up-to-date on craft beer trends, emerging breweries, brewing techniques, beer styles, and industry developments. Continuously expand your knowledge to provide customers with engaging and approachable recommendations.
Qualifications
Experience: Previous experience in beer retail, hospitality, beverage distribution, brewery operations, or a related field is highly preferred.
Knowledge: Strong foundational knowledge of major beer styles, brewing processes, flavor profiles, breweries, and food pairings.
Communication: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical beer terminology and tasting notes into approachable and engaging recommendations for customers.
Sales & Leadership: Strong sales skills with the ability to build customer relationships, drive department growth, and take ownership of the overall beer department.
Physical Ability: Must be able to stand for extended periods and regularly lift and move cases of beer weighing approximately 40–50 lbs.
Availability: Must be able to work a flexible 40-hour week, including weekends and holidays.
Passion: A genuine enthusiasm for beer and the ability to share that passion with customers and coworkers in a fun, welcoming, and knowledgeable way.