IMI Agency

Beverage Program Director & Trainer (Luxury)

Luxury Hospitality & Lodging

Beverage Marketing Agency

Position Status: Full-time | Hybrid + Travel 60%+

Location: Atlanta, GA

IMI’s Mission:

IMI Agency specializes in Building Better Beverage Business™ for our Hospitality Clients with innovative marketing programs and promotions, interactive food & beverage merchandising and operations tools, staff training, and recognition/reward programs for all channels in the Hospitality industry. IMI programs create brand value and opportunities with consumers while driving food and beverage sales and profits for our Hospitality Operator clients.

Job Description:

We have an opening for a creative, well-organized, and forward-thinking Beverage Program Director & Trainer to work within a leading lodging hospitality client. A significant percentage of time will be spent in the restaurants and bars throughout the Client Operators' portfolio, developing the bar program and staff. In this role, the Beverage Program Director & Trainer will perform on-site training, assist with new openings, bar staff recruiting efforts, and promotional events. The Beverage Program Director & Trainer will work closely with the Director of Programs & Partnerships to align the positioning of the bar with the brand identity. This will be accomplished through the development of “Style Guides” and compliance checklists that will enable us to set expectations and provide clear direction to our hotels. The Beverage Program Director & Trainer is ultimately responsible for developing the Bar and Restaurant menus with clear standards for the Clients’ hotels. This person will participate in the development and execution of relevant strategies and tactics, which result in creative revenue generation and improvement via innovative beverage programming, overall atmosphere, and profitability of Client programs.

Critical Competencies:

Given the high visibility of IMI Agency within this Leading Chain Hospitality Operator, Beverage Suppliers, and Beverage Distributors B2C and B2B communities, along with the ethical, transparent, fiduciary, and legally compliant ethics of our company, all IMI team members must be intelligent, mature, well-polished, trustworthy, and have a high standard of ethics and leadership. You must have confidence and class in conducting IMIs and the Client’s mission but also know how to take constructive feedback and implement the necessary changes in performance and work, based on that feedback. You must dress and carry yourself in a manner that is superior to the standard, along with speaking and writing clearly.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Ensure compliance with the Core Beverage Program by promoting best practices that balance strategic partnerships and profitability.

Ownership of menu development and training for luxury hotel bars and restaurants - focusing on branded spirit, beer, and wine programs and atmosphere.

Monitor program performance through third-party compliance audits, detailed menu reviews by category, and timely follow-up with property leadership to implement necessary corrections.

Establish and maintain national partnerships to support beverage programs and corporate mandates.

Develop and manage portfolio-wide training programs and support materials for hotel restaurants, bars, banquets, mini bars, and room service.

Maintain the online training platform, ensuring program standards and resources are updated throughout the year.

Conduct on-site staff training for new unit openings upon request.

Build and nurture relationships with local partners, sponsors, talent, vendors, brands, tastemakers, and cultural institutions to support collaborative events.

Support the creation and execution of local experiences and activations that drive traffic and revenue, in partnership with beverage suppliers.

Assist in developing standards for hotel bars, including product selection, classic cocktail recipes, menu formatting, uniform guidelines, equipment specifications, and pricing structures.

Travel as much as needed to support corporate meetings, promotional events, new openings, and transitions, including industry conferences.

Act as a full member of task force teams, providing training and mentorship to bar staff and leadership.

Support menu development, including layout design, recipe guidelines, homemade ingredients, and sourcing.

Collaborate on pricing and costing strategies to enhance profitability and revenue generation.

Provide support for new builds and property acquisitions.

Lead training initiatives through quarterly calls, webinars, and distribution of tools and materials for ongoing education.

Develop unified talking points for each hotel to support new programming and activations.

Identify opportunities for mixologist-led events in collaboration with Food & Beverage Directors to increase bar visibility and revenue.

Represent the brand at key industry events and panels.

Liaise with industry organizations and hotel teams to support formal education and scholarship programs.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Deep expertise in the alcoholic beverage industry, including product knowledge and the three-tier distribution system.

Proven success in managing high-level projects from concept to execution.

Strong understanding of beverage performance standards across various hospitality settings.

Demonstrated creativity in designing and implementing beverage promotions.

Comfort in making complex business decisions that balance innovation and profitability.

Extensive experience in mixology and craft cocktail development at a high level.

Cicerone, CSS, CSW, WSET certification(s) are a plus

Minimum of four years in the restaurant or bar industry in a leadership role such as lead bartender or manager.

Prior supervisory and hospitality experience required.

In-depth understanding of spirits, wine, and beer, with a strong emphasis on product knowledge and modern bar environments.

In-depth understanding of product knowledge, modern restaurant and bar environments, and programming required.

In-depth understanding of modern Restaurant Bar, & Events equipment.

Understanding cost control, inventory management, and menu engineering.

Understanding and knowledge of safety, sanitation, and food handling procedures.

Strong relationships with suppliers and the ability to develop national beverage programs that benefit individual outlets and the broader company.

Understanding of procurement procedures across the US States and international markets.

Experience working with third-party marketing teams and familiarity with funding structures and legal considerations are a plus.

Willingness and ability to travel at least 60% to support meetings, openings, promotions, and conferences.

Comfortable with frequent travel; accustomed to a road-warrior lifestyle.

Skilled in budget management and tracking expenditures with regular reporting.

Effective communicator across all levels of management and staff, including high-level stakeholders.

Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills.

Adaptable to various management styles and team dynamics.

Proactive problem-solver who takes initiative and contributes to solutions.

Capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously with strong multitasking abilities.

Experienced in data analysis, program evaluation, and developing metrics to measure success.

High-energy interpersonal skills and a polished, professional demeanor.

Proven leadership in supervising and managing employees.

Excellent organizational and time management skills.

Ability to prioritize tasks and work independently with minimal supervision.

Service-oriented with a client-first mindset and a hospitable approach.

Follow-up and follow-through must be your mantra!

Willing and able to travel 60% or more as needed.

Salary: Commensurate based on experience and demonstrated successes

If this describes you and you can work in a macro-managed environment and complete tasks with spot-on accuracy, we want to hear from you!

Contact: www.imiagency.com/careers | HRDept@imiagency.com

IMI Agency is an equal-opportunity employer.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment for all employees.

IMI Agency (Incentive Marketing, Inc.) specializes in Building Better Beverage Business™ for Hospitality Clients through innovative marketing programs and promotions, interactive food & beverage merchandising and operations tools, staff training, and recognition/reward programs across the Chain Hospitality industry. IMI programs create brand value and opportunities with consumers while driving food and beverage sales and profits for our Hospitality Operator clients. For over 30 years, we have maintained a singular focus: to manage in the best interests of our clients. We exist as an extension of our clients, a partner—there to simplify the complex, to be transparent, to offer a unique perspective that goes beyond the bottom line...but is always completely aligned with their goals and objectives.

Compensation details: 95000-105000

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