Homeplace Associate Manager

Homeplace Associate Manager

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day. What makes this a great opportunity? The Homeplace Manager is a pivotal leadership role responsible for orchestrating the guest journey at the historic James B. Beam Distilling Co. As a guardian of the "First Family of Bourbon" legacy, you will shape the future of bourbon tourism by developing a best-in-class visitor relations program. You will lead a high-performing team to deepen guest engagement through world-class tours, educational programs, and premium retail experiences. This role requires a visionary leader who can balance operational excellence with the storytelling and authenticity that define the Beam Suntory brand.

Role Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Team Development

• Team Excellence: Recruit, mentor, and develop a diverse team of 25+ American Outpost Ambassadors. Create a culture of accountability, high morale, and professional growth. Own all employee processes and policies and update as needed to create consistency, fairness, and strong employee engagement. Analyze employee engagement data to create and support employee initiatives and action plans.
• Training & Coaching: Execute comprehensive onboarding and ongoing hospitality training to ensure the team delivers "unforgettable moments" for every guest. Set team goals and KPIs to support excellent delivery and experiences.
• Performance Management: Conduct regular evaluations and provide real-time coaching to maintain premium service standards. Be first point of contact for any employee relations issues, employee development, and discipline for the Experience Ambassador staff. Oversee the Experience Ambassador Lead on scheduling and other day-to-day management tasks.

Operational Oversight

• Guest Journey Management: Oversee daily operations of the visitor center, including ticketing, retail, and tour logistics. Provide insight and improvement initiatives to further develop guest experience programming based on guest and employee feedback. Work with cross functional stakeholders to create alignment on guest experience logistics. Create daily and weekly campus communications, ensuring that department heads are aware of needs well in advance. Support Retail operations, VIP experiences, and events when necessary.
• Resource Planning: Manage complex scheduling for full-time staff and seasonal support, ensuring optimal coverage during peak tourism periods. Work with the Director to ensure proper organizational design and staffing requests are in place to support business demands. Generate reports from various platforms and assist in analysis of capacity and resource utilization. Keep data to ensure proper processes and preventative maintenance are done on equipment, vehicles, and upkeep of general items.
• Systems Administration: Manage ticketing architecture (AnyRoad), POS systems, and payroll processing for internal and temporary staff.
• Safety & Compliance: Partner with the Safety Team to ensure a secure environment for visitors and staff, navigating the unique challenges of a historic industrial distillery campus. Ensure staff remains up to date with required safety training. Collaborate with Safety team on any OSHA data requirements.

Brand & Industry Engagement

• Industry Advocacy: Implement and champion programs such as "Better Drinking Culture" and "Intellicheck" to promote responsible and safe consumer engagement.

Qualifications Required

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Tourism, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Experience: 3-5 years of leadership experience in a high-volume tourism, hospitality, or retail environment.
• Public Speaking: Exceptional presentation skills with the ability to captivate and educate large, diverse audiences.
• Stakeholder Management: Work across retail, VIP, key campus groups, and brand house to ensure connectivity and collaboration.

Essential Skills

Technical Savvy: Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel/PowerPoint) and modern ticketing/POS platforms.

Communication: Elite verbal and written communication skills suitable for interacting with global guests and executive leadership.

Mindset: A proactive, "self-starter" mentality with the ability to innovate in a fast-paced, historic setting.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience in the beverage alcohol or spirits industry.

Advanced knowledge of Kentucky Bourbon history and the distillation process.

General understanding of employment laws and regulations in order to collaborate with HR on employee issues.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Activity Level: Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods across a multi-acre campus.

Environmental Exposure: Ability to work in varied conditions, including Kentucky's seasonal heat/humidity, uneven surfaces, and proximity to active industrial machinery.

Physical Tasks: Occasional bending, climbing stairs, and the ability to lift/move up to 25 lbs.

While relocation, immigration, and/or tax compliance support are not guaranteed, we may offer assistance to successful candidates depending on factors such as role requirements in accordance with company guidelines. At Suntory Global Spirits, people are our number one priority, and we believe our people grow together in diverse and inclusive environments where their unique insights, experiences and backgrounds are valued and respected. Suntory Global Spirits is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, military veteran status and all other characteristics, attributes or choices protected by law. All recruitment and hiring decisions are based on an applicant's skills and experience.