Beverage Manager

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nElk Ave Hospitality\nDo You Love Great Beverage Programs, Leadership, and Mountain Living as Much as We Do?\nWork Hard. Play Hard. Live Fully in Crested Butte.\nAt Elk Ave Hospitality, we are building teams for people who want more than just a job. We are looking for leaders who want to shape beverage culture, develop teams, strengthen systems, and help grow a multi-concept hospitality company in the Gunnison Valley.\nIf you love creating thoughtful beverage programs, developing people, and connecting great drinks with strong systems, sales strategy, purchasing, quality control, and profitability, we want to hear from you.\nWhether your passion is skiing first tracks, biking wildflower-lined trails, fishing alpine waters, or simply soaking in the beauty of the Rockies, this is an opportunity to build a meaningful hospitality career while enjoying the lifestyle of one of Colorado’s most remarkable mountain communities.\nWe are growing quickly and actively building career paths for people who want to expand their knowledge, strengthen their leadership, and contribute to a hospitality culture built around quality, accountability, and genuine care.\nWhat You Can Expect\n\nA positive, team-oriented leadership environment\nThe opportunity to shape beverage standards across multiple concepts\nOngoing professional development and advancement opportunities\nEmployee housing opportunities, depending on availability\nCompetitive compensation\nHealth benefits\nPaid time off\nA leadership role on the Elk Ave Hospitality Shared Services team\nThe opportunity to live and work in the Gunnison Valley\n\nThis is a full-time salaried leadership position.\nWho We’re Looking For\nYou may be a strong fit if you:\n\nTake pride in building thoughtful, profitable beverage programs\nUnderstand cocktails, wine, beer, spirits, and beverage service\nCan develop bartenders, bar leads, managers, and service teams\nBalance creativity with systems, cost control, and consistency\nThink strategically about beverage sales, purchasing, margin, and guest experience\nCan design and manage beverage programs for both restaurant operations and large-scale events\nHave a strong eye for quality control and execution\nCan build training materials and development programs that teams actually use\nCommunicate clearly with venue leadership, culinary teams, and senior leadership\nCan operate effectively across multiple concepts and service styles\nAre committed to continued education and growth within the beverage field\n\nOur core values are Communication, Humility, Accountability, Integrity, and Respect, and we are looking for a beverage leader who will model those values throughout the organization.\nWhat Will Be Expected of You\nIn this role, you will be expected to:\n\nMaintain a professional appearance and model leadership standards\nWork evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended hours when business needs require\nTravel between concepts and maintain regular presence in the bars and restaurants you support\nCommunicate clearly and constructively with senior leadership, managers, bartenders, servers, culinary teams, and the Events Department\nProtect beverage standards while respecting the identity of each concept\nBuild systems that support quality, speed, cleanliness, inventory accuracy, training, sales, and cost control\nStep directly into service when additional leadership, training, quality control, or support is needed\nPursue sommelier certification and remain committed to continued learning\n\nCross-Training and Growth\nWe believe strong beverage leaders understand the entire operation, not just what happens behind the bar. The Group Beverage Manager works across multiple concepts, service styles, and leadership teams to build shared standards while preserving the identity of each venue.\nThis role offers the opportunity to shape the long-term beverage direction of Elk Ave Hospitality, develop future beverage leaders, and create systems that support sustainable growth across the company.\nProfessional development is an expectation of the role. The Group Beverage Manager must be willing to pursue sommelier certification and remain actively engaged in continued learning around wine, spirits, beer, cocktails, purchasing, sales, and profitability.\nAbout Elk Ave Hospitality\nElk Ave Hospitality is a growing family of restaurants and hospitality businesses in Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley. Our concepts range from elevated dining to high-volume casual hospitality, historic mountain-town service, destination dining, events, bakery, market, and provisions.\nOur portfolio includes Elk Prime, Bruhaus, Wooden Nickel, Bar 47, Mule’s Ear Market and Provisions, and a growing events operation.\nWe believe hospitality can be both a craft and a career. With multiple concepts, varied service models, and meaningful opportunities for advancement, we are building a company for people who want to work hard, contribute to a strong culture, and grow their skills over time.\nAbout Shared Services\nThe Group Beverage Manager is part of Elk Ave Hospitality’s Shared Services team, supporting beverage performance across the company rather than operating within a single venue.\nThis position reports to the Director of Operations and works directly with the Profitability Manager to connect beverage strategy with sales, purchasing, inventory, cost control, and margin performance.\nThe Group Beverage Manager also partners closely with General Managers, culinary leaders, bar leads, and the Events Department to turn company beverage strategy into consistent venue-level execution.\nPosition Summary\nAs Group Beverage Manager, I lead beverage standards, menus, recipes, sales strategy, strategic purchasing, inventory, margin control, training and development, quality control, bar logistics, event beverage programs, and continued beverage education across Elk Ave Hospitality.\nI am responsible for ensuring each concept delivers a beverage experience that is consistent, profitable, well executed, and aligned with its individual brand.\nI balance creativity with operational and financial discipline. I understand that a strong beverage program requires thoughtful menu development, strategic purchasing, accurate costing, disciplined inventory, effective training, quality control, responsible alcohol service, strong salesmanship, and consistent follow-through.\nBenefits and Perks\n\nCompetitive compensation\nHealth benefits\nPaid time off\nEmployee housing opportunities, depending on availability\nOpportunities for growth and advancement within Elk Ave Hospitality\nSupport for continued beverage education and sommelier development\nThe chance to shape beverage programs across multiple concepts\nThe opportunity to live and work in one of Colorado’s most remarkable mountain communities\n\nKey Responsibilities\nBeverage Menu, Recipe, and Sales Strategy\n\nAs Group Beverage Manager, I set and manage beverage menus across Elk Ave Hospitality.\nI develop, document, cost, and maintain cocktail, wine, beer, spirit, and non-alcoholic beverage offerings.\nI own recipes, builds, garnishes, glassware, presentation standards, and service expectations.\nI evaluate menu performance based on sales, seasonality, guest response, margin, and operational feasibility.\nI create strategies to improve beverage capture, average check, and overall beverage revenue.\nI work with venue leadership to ensure each beverage program reflects its concept while remaining aligned with company standards.\n\nStrategic Purchasing, Inventory, and Margin Control\n\nI lead strategic beverage purchasing across the company.\nI evaluate quality, cost, availability, volume opportunities, vendor relationships, and concept fit when making purchasing decisions.\nI work directly with the Profitability Manager to ensure purchasing, pricing, and inventory decisions support budget and margin goals.\nI oversee beverage inventory, ordering, receiving, storage, rotation, and par levels.\nI monitor recipe cost, pour cost, waste, comps, breakage, inventory variance, and product usage.\nI investigate variances and take corrective action when performance moves away from expectations.\nI maintain productive relationships with distributors, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and other beverage partners.\n\nBeverage Training and Development\n\nI lead beverage training across Elk Ave Hospitality.\nI create, maintain, and continuously improve training programs for bartenders, servers, managers, and other guest-facing employees.\nI develop beverage guides, recipe standards, wine and spirits education, service standards, quizzes, testing, and reference materials.\nI build structured onboarding and ongoing education programs.\nI train teams on wine, spirits, beer, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, responsible alcohol service, product knowledge, and beverage sales.\nI identify knowledge gaps and create targeted development plans.\nI evaluate training effectiveness through observation, testing, execution, sales performance, and guest feedback.\n\nQuality Control and Beverage Standards\n\nI own beverage quality control across Elk Ave Hospitality.\nI regularly evaluate cocktails, wine service, draft systems, beer presentation, spirit pours, non-alcoholic beverages, and overall bar execution.\nI conduct tastings and quality reviews across concepts.\nI ensure recipes, portioning, presentation, glassware, garnishes, temperatures, cleanliness, and service standards are executed consistently.\nI identify quality gaps and work directly with venue leadership and employees to correct them.\nI monitor product freshness, storage, rotation, and equipment condition.\nI use guest feedback, sales data, observation, and team performance to continually improve quality.\n\nEvent Beverage Programs and Packages\n\nI own the development and management of event beverage packages across Elk Ave Hospitality.\nI work directly with the Events Department to create packages for weddings, private dinners, corporate events, large-format events, and special functions.\nI build packages that balance guest experience, product quality, service capability, sales opportunity, and margin expectations.\nI establish package pricing, product selection, consumption assumptions, service standards, and upgrade opportunities.\nI review BEOs, guest counts, timelines, bar locations, staffing plans, glassware, equipment, ice, and product requirements.\nI determine beverage pars and purchasing needs for each event.\nI coordinate with the Events Department, Banquet Captains, venue leadership, and vendors to ensure event bars are properly stocked and ready for execution.\nI develop wine selections, specialty cocktails, welcome beverages, pairings, and other revenue-driving enhancements.\nI work with the Profitability Manager to evaluate event beverage cost, sales, consumption, and margin.\nI review actual event performance and adjust future packages, pricing, products, or pars as needed.\n\nBar Logistics and Multi-Concept Oversight\n\nI maintain regular presence across the concepts I support.\nI evaluate bar readiness, cleanliness, speed, organization, staffing, product knowledge, and service execution.\nI oversee bar logistics including layouts, service flow, equipment, storage, glassware, product placement, and par levels.\nI identify operational barriers and create solutions that improve speed, cleanliness, organization, and execution.\nI provide direct leadership support during busy periods, transitions, events, and staffing challenges.\nI ensure beverage teams understand both company-wide standards and concept-specific expectations.\n\nSommelier Development and Continued Learning\n\nI am willing and expected to pursue sommelier certification as part of my professional development.\nI maintain an active learning plan around wine, spirits, beer, cocktails, beverage trends, purchasing, sales, and profitability.\nI bring new knowledge back to the organization through training, tastings, menu development, and team education.\nI view beverage education as an ongoing responsibility of my role.\n\nResponsible Alcohol Service and Compliance\n\nI ensure responsible alcohol service standards are understood and followed throughout the company.\nI lead and reinforce training around ID verification, intoxication awareness, and alcohol-service policies.\nI ensure beverage operations comply with applicable liquor laws, licensing requirements, and company procedures.\nI partner with venue leadership to address compliance concerns promptly and consistently.\n\nShared Services, Reporting, and Communication\n\nAs a member of Shared Services, I support beverage performance across all concepts.\nI work directly with the Profitability Manager on sales, margins, inventory, purchasing, pricing, and financial performance.\nI provide accurate beverage reporting needed to support decision-making.\nI communicate priorities, opportunities, and concerns clearly to the Director of Operations, Profitability Manager, and venue teams.\nI participate in Shared Services, leadership, financial, operational, and beverage meetings as required.\nI ensure action items are documented, assigned, and followed through to completion.\n\nQualifications\n\nSignificant beverage or hospitality leadership experience required\nBeverage Manager, Bar Manager, Multi-Unit Beverage Manager, or comparable experience strongly preferred\nStrong knowledge of cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, and beverage service\nDemonstrated success developing bartenders and beverage teams\nStrong understanding of beverage sales, strategic purchasing, inventory, pour cost, pricing, and margin management\nDemonstrated ability to create and maintain training programs and materials\nStrong quality-control instincts and the ability to identify and correct execution gaps\nExcellent communication and organizational skills\nStrong problem-solving ability and confidence making decisions in real time\nAbility to balance creative beverage development with financial and operational discipline\nAbility to lead effectively across multiple concepts and teams\nWillingness to pursue sommelier certification and continued professional education\nAbility to maintain professionalism and standards during high-volume periods\n\nPreferred Skills and Experience\n\nMulti-unit or multi-concept beverage leadership experience\nExperience setting and managing beverage menus and recipes\nExperience developing and managing wine programs\nExperience creating and managing event beverage packages\nExperience creating training guides, testing, onboarding materials, and ongoing education programs\nExperience with elevated dining, high-volume bars, casual concepts, and events\nStrong understanding of beverage sales strategy and margin management\nExperience with strategic purchasing and vendor negotiations\nExperience with restaurant inventory systems and ordering processes\nFamiliarity with Craftable or similar inventory management software\nProficiency with Toast POS or similar point-of-sale systems\nComfort with spreadsheets, reporting tools, scheduling, and Microsoft Of