Retail Sales & hospitality Associate

Join Our Passionate Team at Ridge Vineyards: Crafting Exceptional Wines, Connecting with Nature.

Explore Opportunities Across Roles and Embrace Our Commitment to Excellence and Sustainability.

OBJECTIVE: To provide exceptional guest service experience to consumers, wine club members, and members of the trade visiting our Paso Robles Tasting Room. The Retail Sales & Hospitality Associate plays a key role in delivering Ridge’s elevated hospitality standards while effectively conducting the sale of wine, wine club memberships, and non-wine merchandise. This individual must be self-motivated, articulate, and service-oriented, and be available to work weekends, holidays and weekdays as needed.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•Provide guests with a memorable and unique experience through:

• Personal greetings and farewells, using guest’s names whenever possible.
• Enhanced education about Ridge Vineyard’s history and wines including all relevant appellation and Vineyard information.
• Anticipation of guests' needs in the areas of sales, service and concierge services.
• Developing relationships with guests to stimulate repeat visits and future sales.
• Hosting unique, engaging and educational tastings.
• Delivering effective sales strategies that result in the sale of wines and wine club memberships while keeping with our service and hospitality standards.

•Daily Operations

• Thorough understanding and ability to operate direct Point-of-Sale/CRM systems (Commerce7/Salesforce) including; ringing sales transactions, researching guest purchase and wine club history, etc.

• Provide adequate set up and breakdown of Tasting Room and Private Tasting Areas

• Stocking of wines, non-wine merchandise and various marketing materials

• Breaking down and recycling all necessary elements including cardboard & glass

• Maintaining wine for tasting through bottle opening, sensory analysis and decantation

• Packaging wine for guests, including transporting wines to guests’ automobiles

• Answering phones when necessary, re-directing incoming calls to the appropriate parties

• Providing accurate and timely execution of shipping orders

• Continuously monitoring and maintaining the condition and appearance of the tasting room and surrounding ground

• Maintaining accurate inventory of wine and non-wine products through precise transactional processing of sales, returns and mark outs.

• Providing end-of-day tasting room breakdown including; washing all dishes, putting away all marketing materials, cleaning of tasting bar, office and surrounding retail areas.

•Ongoing Weekly & Monthly Duties

• Actively participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings
• Conduct special tours and participate in special events as needed
• Stay current on recent wine reviews and industry trends
• Stay current on all relevant Responsible Hospitality Standards, and all relevant rules and regulations as regards the serving of alcoholic beverages.

NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs all related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS/ REQUIREMENTS

• Undergraduate college degree preferred

• Prior experience in a wine service environment preferred.

• Prior experience in the luxury hospitality industry with emphasis on outstanding guest service preferred

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral

• Excellent organizational skills

• Collaborative/team operational skills

• Ability to make empowered decisions that positively affect the customer’s experience

• Computer proficiency: Word, Excel, Outlook, Commerce7, SalesForce, Tock, etc.

• Excellent attention to detail

• Ability to work at special events on multiple weekend days and evenings periodically throughout the year

• Ability to regularly lift 40 lbs.

• Ability to accept and maintain all discipline and behavior standards unique to the alcoholic beverage industry.

• Ability to work indoors and outdoors, in varying weather environments, on potentially uneven ground of varying material.

• This position requires obtaining ABC-approved Responsible Serving Certification within 2 weeks of hire date. Ridge will compensate staff for online training, up to 5 hours. Additional program details will be provided on first day of employment.

Hourly rate: $ 18-20 - depending on experience