Tasting Room Manager Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Ugly Dog Distillery is looking for a motivated, hospitality-driven Tasting Room General Manager to lead the next chapter of our tasting room and full-service spirits bar.

This is an opportunity for someone who wants more than a traditional bar management position. We are looking for a problem solver, self-starter, and natural leader who is excited to take ownership of the guest experience, build a strong team, and transform our programming into something that keeps guests coming back.

The Ugly Dog Tasting Room is a full-service spirits bar and hospitality destination. The General Manager will have responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the space while working closely with our Director of Operations and Regional Hospitality Manager to develop strategy, programming, events, and opportunities to grow the business.

What You'll Own

• Full day-to-day management of the tasting room and spirits bar
• Staffing, scheduling, training, and team leadership
• Opening and closing as a key holder
• Guest experience and hospitality standards
• Tasting room programming and events calendar
• Event planning and execution
• Cocktail menu development and seasonal drink programming
• Sales and revenue performance
• Inventory and supply management
• Cleanliness, organization, and overall presentation
• Resolving guest and operational issues
• Identifying opportunities to increase traffic, sales, and repeat visits

Transform the Guest Experience

We are specifically looking for someone who is excited to create, lead, and improve.

You will have the opportunity to rethink what the Ugly Dog tasting room can be, from recurring events and live entertainment to cocktail programming, spirit education, community partnerships, seasonal programming, special releases, and other experiences that give people a reason to visit.

We want someone who naturally asks:

1. "What can we do better?"
2. "What would make people want to come back?"
3. "How can we make this more fun, memorable, and profitable?"

Lead the Team

You will have full responsibility for the tasting room staff, including:

• Hiring and onboarding
• Scheduling and labor management
• Training and development
• Setting service standards
• Performance management
• Building a positive, accountable team culture

You will be supported by our Bar Leader, who will provide leadership and support around day-to-day bar operations. This allows the General Manager to focus more heavily on the overall guest experience, team leadership, programming, cocktail development, and growth of the tasting room.

This is still a hands-on hospitality position - the GM will work directly behind the bar regularly to gauge our performance and hospitality KPIs, when feasible, and this comes with the opportunity to earn tips.

Who We're Looking For

You may already be an experienced hospitality manager, or you may be a strong self-starter who has demonstrated the ability to lead people and take ownership of a business or operation.

We're looking for someone who is:

• Motivated and entrepreneurial
• A natural problem solver
• Comfortable working independently
• Confident making decisions
• Experienced managing people and operations
• Highly organized and dependable
• Energetic and genuinely hospitality-minded
• Creative and excited about events, cocktails, and programming
• Comfortable working directly with guests
• Able to balance big-picture thinking with the details of daily operations
• Willing to jump in wherever needed
• Comfortable working evenings, weekends, and special events

Extensive spirits expertise is not required on day one, but curiosity and a willingness to become highly knowledgeable about our products are essential.

How You'll Work With Our Leadership Team

This position is designed to provide autonomy with strong leadership collaboration.

You will independently manage the day-to-day tasting room operation while partnering with our Director of Operations and Regional Sales Manager on:

• Tasting room strategy
• Revenue growth
• Events and programming
• Cocktail and beverage strategy
• Community partnerships
• Guest experience initiatives

We want you to take real ownership of the success of the tasting room, while knowing you have a leadership team behind you to help turn good ideas into great ones.

Qualifications

• Previous management or supervisory experience required
• Hospitality, restaurant, bar, brewery, winery, or tasting room experience preferred
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Comfortable managing a flexible hospitality schedule
• Must be 21+
• Ability to obtain required alcohol-service certifications

Compensation

**Full-Time | Competitive Management Salary + Tasting Room Performance-Based Commission **

Compensation will be based on experience and qualifications.

Ready to Build Something?

If you're the person who sees an empty calendar and immediately starts thinking about what event could fill it, sees a problem and figures out how to solve it, and sees an opportunity to improve the guest experience and thinks "we could make this great" we want to talk to you.

Ugly Dog Distillery is looking for someone who wants to lead, create, improve, and take real ownership of the success of the tasting room. Please submit a cover letter outlining your experience and motivation to accompany your resume.