Distillery Experience Manager in Columbus, Ohio at Marussia Beverages USA

About Marussia Beverages USA

At Marussia Beverages USA, we share a passion to build and grow brands that consumers love, leveraging a legacy of exploration, risk taking, and striving for each day to be better than the last. Our portfolio includes Watershed Distillery, Mozart Chocolate Liqueur, Hatozaki Japanese Whisky, Torabhaig Single Malt Scotch, and Akashi-Tai Sake, alongside a range of international craft brands. We are a versatile team that thrives on ownership and trust, and we are here to do the best work of our careers, together.

About the Role

The Distillery Experience Manager is the host of the Watershed Distillery Homeplace and runs it day to day, including the retail bottle shop, distillery tours, and every event and onsite experience. Reporting to the Brand Manager, you own the guest experience and grow it into loyal fans, repeat visits, and bottle shop, tour, and event revenue.

Purpose of the Seat

Make every guest feel at home at Watershed, turn first-time visitors into lifelong fans, and run the bottle shop, tours, and events as a well-managed and growing part of the business.

Core Accountabilities

1. Hospitality & Guest Loyalty. Own the guest experience from the first hello to the follow-up. Treat every guest like a visitor in your home, remember regulars, and build the relationships that bring people back and turn them into Watershed advocates.

2. Bottle Shop Operations. Run the retail bottle shop, including hand-selling, merchandising, POS and cash handling, inventory counts, ordering, and limited and lottery releases.

3. Tours & Tastings. Lead distillery tours and tastings and manage the tour schedule, bookings, and guest flow.

4. Events & Onsite Experiences. Plan and deliver all onsite events and experiences, such as tastings, release days, private events, and barrel picks, from planning and budgeting through set-up, delivery, and follow-up, in line with the Watershed brand calendar.

5. Compliance & Safety. Ensure all sales, sampling, and events follow Ohio Division of Liquor Control rules, including purchase and sample limits, ID checks, and responsible service, and keep the space safe, clean, and guest-ready.

6. Performance & Guest Feedback. Track bottle shop sales, tour and event attendance, and guest feedback, and share results and ideas with the Brand Manager to keep improving the experience.

Key Activities

• Welcoming guests and building relationships with regulars

• Following up with guests and groups after visits and events

• Bottle shop opening, closing, and cash reconciliation

• Inventory counts, product ordering, and merchandise displays

• Leading tours and tastings

• Tour bookings and guest communications

• Event planning, set-up, and breakdown

• Local partnership and community events with the Brand Manager

• Photos and event details for social media and email promotion

• Weekly reporting on sales, attendance, and guest feedback

Who You Are

• A born host. Hospitality is who you are, not just what you do. You treat every guest like they are visiting your home, and they can feel it the moment they walk in.

• A relationship builder. You know how to make people fall in love with a brand and stay in love. You remember names, favorite bottles, and the last time someone visited, and guests come back because of you.

• An owner. The Homeplace is yours. You take pride in every detail, fix what is not right without being asked, and look for ways to make it better and grow it.

• A great storyteller. You bring the Watershed story and spirits to life on a tour or across the counter, in a way that feels personal, not scripted.

• A leader. You set the standard for hospitality and coach the team to deliver it, even on the busiest Saturday.

Required Qualifications

• Availability Tuesday-Saturday, including some evenings, is required

• 2 to 4 years in hospitality, retail, tasting room, taproom, or event roles, including at least 1 year supervising staff

• A track record of building loyal guests or regulars through outstanding hospitality

• Experience with POS systems, cash handling, and inventory

• Excellent communication and public speaking skills

• Must be 21 or older

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation

• Ability to lift cases of product and stand for long periods

Preferred

• Knowledge of craft spirits and cocktail culture

• Distillery, winery, or brewery tasting room experience

• Responsible alcohol service training, such as TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol

• Experience with booking, event, or retail software

• Event planning and execution experience

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, hourly, non-exempt position with an expected pay range of $23 to $27 per hour, determined by experience, with overtime paid in line with applicable law. Marussia Beverages USA also offers medical, dental, and vision coverage; Simple IRA with company match; and paid time off and company holidays.

Equal Opportunity & Accommodations

Marussia Beverages USA is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact your recruiter.

Marussia Beverages USA participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback on applications.