Queen City Distillers | Senior Beverage & Wine Manager (Sommelier)

Queen City Distillers is currently seeking a Senior Beverage & Wine Manager (Sommelier) for our Regina, Saskatchewan location. The Senior Beverage & Wine Manager is responsible for leading beverage strategy, purchasing, cellar management, menu development, training, and financial performance across all food and beverage outlets and retail operations.

This role oversees beverage procurement setup for retail as a primary function, then builds and manages the wine cellar program, advanced wine lists, beverage menus, storage systems, cost controls, and training programs across all venues including restaurant, sports bar, music venue, speakeasy, wine and cocktail bar, and event operations.

The Senior Beverage & Wine Manager serves as the organization’s subject matter expert in wine, beer, and spirits, ensuring best-in-class beverage programming, regulatory compliance, profitability, and team education.

Who We Are

Queen City Distillers is a premier craft distillery and entertainment destination, located in the heart of Regina, Saskatchewan. More than a distillery, Queen City Distillers is a multi-venue complex featuring a restaurant, premium wine and spirits bar, a sports bar, speakeasy, retail liquor store, and a two-storey live music venue. Guided by distilling the prairie spirit, every space is designed to celebrate local craftsmanship, community, and culture—bringing together food, drink, and entertainment under one roof.

Required Skills

What You Will Be Responsible For

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Wine cellar development and management
• Beverage program development and menu design
• Retail beverage purchasing and merchandising
• Vendor and supplier relationships
• Cost control and beverage margin management
• Inventory systems and product transfers
• Staff training and beverage education
• Wine events and beverage programming
• Wine club and membership initiatives
• Regulatory compliance and responsible alcohol service

Beverage Strategy & Program Development

• Lead beverage strategy across all outlets, including Wine programs, Craft beer programs, Spirits and cocktail programs, Zero-proof and low-ABV offerings
• Design and manage beverage menus tailored to each venue’s concept and guest demographic. Design and curate advanced wine lists tailored to each venue’s positioning.
• Build and manage the property’s wine cellar, including  organization, storage protocols, rotation systems, and investment-grade selections.
• Establish beverage standards aligned with brand positioning and guest demographics.
• Develop signature cocktail programs and outlet-specific drink identities.

Retail Beverage Procurement & Merchandising

• Lead purchasing setup and structure for beverage retail operations.
• Curate retail selections of wine, beer, and spirits assortments aligned with guest preference and market trends.
• Develop pricing strategies and margin targets for retail.
• Implement merchandising strategies and promotional programming.
• Track retail inventory, turnover rates, and sell-through performance.
• Coordinate seasonal releases, limited allocations, and specialty product launches.

Sourcing, Purchasing & Vendor Collaboration

• Work closely with Procurement Manager on sourcing and negotiating with wine suppliers, liquor distributors, breweries, specialty importers and beverage assets (glassware, bar tools, equipment)Manage allocations, limited releases, and premium product procurement.
• Maintain strong relationships with wineries, breweries, and spirit producers.
• Ensure vendor compliance with SLGA and provincial regulations.
• Financial Performance & Cost Control
• Maintain cost of goods targets for liquor, wine, and beer across all outlets.
• Manage beverage inventory levels, ordering cycles, and transfer controls.
• Monitor shrinkage, variance, and waste.
• Collaborate on annual beverage budgets and forecasting.
• Establish and maintain standardized recipes for cocktail consistency and costing accuracy.

Training & Education Leadership

• Train bartenders and service staffon wine knowledge, beer styles and tasting notes, spirit categories and cocktail techniques, upselling strategies, food and beverage pairings
• Develop structured beverage certification pathways.
• Conduct tastings, pre-shift education, and masterclasses.
• Ensure team members maintain required alcohol service certifications (e.g., ServSafe or provincial equivalent).

Events, Programming & Brand Partnerships

• Design tasting events, wine dinners, VIP pairings, and curated experiences.
• Collaborate with Marketing on happy hour strategies, seasonal drink features, event-themed cocktails, artist-inspired beverage menus, high-margin promotional initiatives.
• Develop wine club programming, including membership models, exclusive offerings, revenue targets and retention strategies.
• Build strategic brand partnerships with wineries, breweries, and spirit brands to support events and exclusive offerings.

Compliance & Operational Standards

• Ensure compliance with SLGA and provincial liquor regulations.
• Oversee and maintain proper beverage storage, labeling and cellar environmental controls
• Ensure accurate POS integration and beverage reporting.
• Maintain beverage asset inventories including glassware, bar tools, and equipment.
• Collaborate on safety and responsible alcohol service policies.

#LI-Onsite

Required Experience

• 5+ years of senior beverage leadership experience in multi-unit hospitality or premium restaurant environments.
• Experience with liquor retail purchasing and merchandising considered an asset.
• Advanced wine knowledge required; Sommelier certification considered a strong asset.
• Cicerone certification or advanced beer knowledge considered an asset.
• Strong understanding of beverage cost control, menu engineering, and inventory systems.
• Experience developing beverage programs across multiple outlets, including wine lists and cellar management.
• Knowledge of SLGA and provincial liquor regulations.
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with procurement and finance teams.
• Proficiency with POS systems and inventory management software.

Key Competencies

• Advanced wine, beer, and spirits expertise
• Beverage program design and menu development
• Retail merchandising and pricing strategy
• Beverage cost control, pour and margin management
• Vendor negotiation and brand partnerships
• Training and team development
• Regulatory compliance awareness
• Analytical and menu engineering capability
• Event and experiential beverage programming

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation: we offer competitive wages that recognize your skills, experience, and contributions.
• Continuous Learning: through on-the-job training and educational opportunities.
• Opportunities for advancement within a growing company that values initiative and teamwork.
• Comprehensive benefits coverage: including health, dental, insurances, and more to support your and your family’s wellbeing.
• Retirement savings programs: Company matching pension and RRSP programs to help you invest in your future.