Wine & Spirits Department Manager

UNAVAILABLE; Eau Claire (WI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Associate Discount: 15%

Weekly pay

Two-week scheduling

Vision & Dental Insurance

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Job summary

Festival Foods in Eau Claire, WI is seeking a Wine & Spirits Department Manager to lead a knowledgeable team and deliver exceptional guest experiences. You will coach and develop staff, hire and onboard new associates, and manage schedules while controlling labor costs to maintain high standards of service and presentation.

You will oversee inventory, pricing accuracy, and product rotation, ensuring displays are attractive and compliant with safety requirements.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: High School or equivalent; strong leadership to motivate and develop a team.
• Retail food and beverage ops knowledge; beer, wine, liquor management; bartending is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Wine & Spirits associates while upholding Festival culture and service standards.
• Hire and onboard associates; partner with HR for interviews and offers; train on beer, wine, liquor selections.
• Plan and manage schedules; ensure adequate staffing and control labor costs.

Skills

Leadership

Team mentoring

Customer service

Inventory management

Scheduling

Safety compliance

Communication

Education

High School education or equivalent

Job description

Location : Name

Eau Claire - Mall Drive

Position Type

Full-Time

Company Overview

ABOUT FESTIVAL FOODS:

We are a Wisconsin grocer that is committed to giving back to the communities it serves and providing guests with exceptional service and value. We operate +40 full-service supermarkets across the state of Wisconsin.

At Festival, people are at the top of our list. You’ll see it in everything from our daily interactions to how we treat our guests – even in our extensive associate benefits and programs.

Job Summary

Job Title: Wine and Spirits Department Manager

Reports To: Sr. Center Store Manager

Do you have a passion for creating exceptional customer service experiences? Have you led in a restaurant, bar, or as a bartender and love helping guests find exactly what they need? Are you a retail leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and loves mentoring others? If this is you, we encourage you to apply!

As a Wine & Spirits Department Manager, you’ll lead a team of knowledgeable associates who provide thoughtful product recommendations and create an enjoyable shopping experience for every guest. Your leadership, operational skills, and focus on service excellence will make an impact every day.

External Job Description

What You’ll Do:

As a Wine & Spirits Department Manager at Festival Foods, you will:

• Lead and develop your team: Coach, mentor, and support Wine & Spirits associates while reinforcing Festival culture, customer service standards, and performance expectations. Conduct performance reviews and provide guidance to help associates succeed.
• Hire and onboard associates: Partner with Human Resources to review and interview candidates, extend job offers, and ensure new associates are trained thoroughly — helping them become experts in beer, wine, and liquor selections.
• Plan and manage schedules: Approve weekly schedules and maintain adequate staffing levels to meet department needs while controlling labor expenses.
• Support associate growth: Mentor Assistant Department Managers and Department Leads to prepare them for future advancement opportunities.
• Oversee department operations: Manage inventory, pricing accuracy, and product rotation to ensure the department is well-stocked, organized, and profitable. Assist associates with stocking and rotating beer, wine, and liquor.
• Deliver exceptional guest service: Help guests find the perfect beer, wine, or liquor for their occasion, offer pairing suggestions, and provide insights that even a bartender or restaurant pro would appreciate. Handle special orders and resolve concerns with professionalism and care.
• Maintain merchandising standards: Observe the sales floor and back stock conditions daily, correcting issues and ensuring attractive, organized displays that highlight seasonal or trending products.
• Ensure timekeeping accuracy: Monitor associate hours, communicate issues to HR, and ensure payroll records are accurate.
• Maintain department cleanliness and safety: Lead by example in keeping work areas, shelving, and sales floor organized, clean, and compliant with all safety requirements.
• Honor commitments: Regular, timely attendance in compliance with the work schedule, and adequate notice to find a replacement for occasional absences
• Support the team: Assist with other duties as assigned to ensure overall store success.

What We’re Looking For:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

To excel in the Wine & Spirits Department Manager role at Festival Foods, you'll bring:

• Education & Experience:
  • High School education or equivalent.
  • Strong leadership experience with the ability to motivate and develop a team.
  • Knowledge of retail food and beverage operations, including beer, wine, and liquor management. Experience in restaurants or bartending is a plus.
• Skills & Knowledge:
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to work effectively with a diverse team in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
  • Strong decision-making skills and operational focus.
• Safety & Compliance:
  • Understanding of all safety requirements and company policies.
  • Requires proper training and application of training in relevant equipment.
  • Ability to safely operate equipment such as hand jacks, balers, forklifts, hand trucks, and trash compactors.
  • Proper lifting techniques and scanning procedures.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• The employee must possess the ability to stand in place for long periods of time; walk in the store; bend, stoop and kneel regularly. Requires fine finger and broad manual dexterity, and eye-hand-foot coordination in order to operate equipment.
• This position requires the employee have the ability to have full range of upper body motion in order to occasionally lift stock. Requires the ability to perform repetitive tasks for prolonged periods of time.
• Must possess functional sensory abilities in order to visually monitor the store, create attractive displays, and to operate equipment.
• The position requires the employee to lift up to 50 pounds on an occasional basis.
• Working conditions consist of occasional exposure to extreme temperatures.

Work Schedule:

The Wine and Spirits Department Manager is a full-time position. The work schedule will include mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Benefits Overview

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT HERE:

• Associate Discount: Enjoy an industry-leading 15% off your grocery purchases for you and your immediate household!.
• Weekly Pay & Premium Pay: Hourly associates are paid weekly, providing more frequent access to their funds. Part-time store associates are paid a $1 premium per hour on Sundays and select holidays. Hourly full-time store associates receive time and a half on Sundays and select holidays.
• Two-Week Advanced Scheduling: Better Planning. Better Balance. We provide our associates with their schedules two weeks in advance, offering greater predictability & flexibility.
• Vision & Dental Insurance: Part-time and full-time associates are eligible for vision insurance and two dental coverage options that are designed to fit your needs.
• Support: Our associates receive support for their total well-being; including 3 weeks of paid parental leave, a fitness reimbursement program offering savings off of fitness membership fees; our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and LEAPCare Care Coaches, which provide associates confidential care related to hospital visitation, conflict resolution, stress management, marriage or divorce, family issues and depression or anxiety.
• Save for Your Future: Offering a 401(k), we’re proud to support our associates in planning for retirement. The 401(k) plan empowers associates to save a portion of their paychecks for retirement. Festival Foods has an annual discretionary match to help our associates reach their savings goals. At Festival Foods we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We are dedicated to building a top-notch team of skilled, experienced and service-oriented associates. Festival Foods believes that an inclusive environment for teammates of all backgrounds and perspectives strengthens our ability to serve our guests and communities, as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people.

Location : Address

3007 Mall Drive

Location : City

Eau Claire

Location : State/Province

WI

Location : Postal Code

54701