Beverage Director

Four Seasons•Orlando, FL

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Beverage Director is responsible for the strategic leadership, development, and execution of the hotel's beverage program across all food and beverage outlets. This position ensures exceptional beverage quality, consistency, profitability, and guest satisfaction while maintaining alignment with Four Seasons standards and brand expectations. The Beverage Director combines innovation, operational expertise, financial acumen, and people leadership to create distinctive beverage experiences that enhance the property's reputation, drive revenue, and establish the hotel as a market leader in beverage excellence. The role oversees beverage program development, wine and spirits management, inventory controls, team training, supplier partnerships, and industry engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
Minimum 5-7 years of progressive Food & Beverage leadership experience.
Minimum 3 years leading multi-outlet beverage operations within a luxury hotel, resort, private club, or fine dining environment.
Demonstrated experience managing beverage program development, financial performance, inventory controls, supplier partnerships, and team leadership.
Strong knowledge of beverage operations, including wine, spirits, beer, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, service standards, and industry trends.
Comprehensive understanding of Food & Beverage financial management, including beverage cost control, labor management, purchasing, budgeting, forecasting, inventory management, and profit optimization.
Working knowledge of Four Seasons cultural standards, operating procedures, and luxury hospitality expectations.
Proven leadership skills with the ability to recruit, motivate, coach, and develop high-performing teams.
Exceptional interpersonal, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Strong business acumen with the ability to analyze performance data and make informed operational decisions.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining attention to detail and service excellence.
Skilled in vendor management, contract negotiation, and strategic sourcing.
Proficient with hotel, point-of-sale, inventory, scheduling, payroll, and reporting systems.
Self-motivated, proactive, and highly organized with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Professional, energetic, and service-driven with a passion for hospitality and beverage innovation.
Ability to anticipate guest needs and deliver exceptional experiences.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.

Nice To Haves

Certified Sommelier, WSET Certification, BarSmarts Advanced, Court of Master Sommeliers, or equivalent professional beverage certification.
Luxury hotel, Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five Diamond, or comparable experience.
Experience managing large-scale, multi-outlet resort beverage programs.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and continuously evolve innovative beverage programs, including cocktails, wine, beer, spirits, non-alcoholic offerings, and seasonal features across all outlets.
Ensure consistent beverage quality, presentation, recipe adherence, and service standards throughout the property.
Conduct regular tastings, quality evaluations, menu reviews, and operational audits to maintain excellence and drive continuous improvement.
Stay informed of global beverage trends, emerging products, consumer preferences, and competitive market activity to ensure offerings remain relevant and differentiated.
Collaborate with outlet leadership, culinary teams, and marketing to create beverage experiences that support each outlet's concept, identity, and business goals.
Plan, organize, and execute wine dinners, beverage activations, promotional events, and strategic partnerships that enhance guest engagement and revenue.
Oversee all beverage operations to ensure compliance with Four Seasons standards, health regulations, sanitation requirements, responsible alcohol service practices, and safety procedures.
Maintain beverage specifications, recipes, preparation methods, and service standards to minimize variance and maximize consistency.
Ensure operational readiness through proper inventory levels, equipment maintenance, product availability, and par stock management.
Source, implement, and oversee specialty beverage equipment while ensuring proper maintenance and team training.
Support overall Food and Beverage operations and provide leadership across departments as needed.
Collaborate with Catering sales team to develop unique beverage offerings for events and groups.
Develop and manage beverage budgets, forecasting, purchasing plans, and cost-control strategies.
Monitor beverage cost performance, labor expenses, inventory levels, and profitability metrics to achieve financial objectives.
Oversee beverage purchasing, vendor negotiations, contract management, and supplier relationships to maximize value and maintain product quality.
Manage beverage inventories, physical inventory counts, par levels, and slow-moving product strategies to optimize stock and reduce waste.
Maintain established beverage and wine cost targets through effective controls, including monitoring spillage, over-pouring, product loss, and billing accuracy.
Administer related financial and administrative processes, including purchasing approvals, requisitions, payroll oversight, reporting, and budget tracking.
Recruit, hire, train, develop, evaluate, and retain beverage professionals, including bartenders, sommeliers, and other beverage-focused team members.
Create and maintain comprehensive beverage training programs for both beverage teams and the broader Food and Beverage division.
Conduct regular coaching, performance evaluations, training sessions, and development initiatives to elevate technical knowledge and service skills.
Lead departmental meetings, communicate operational priorities, and foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous learning.
Promote Four Seasons culture, values, and service standards while providing recognition, mentorship, and career development opportunities.
Serve as the property's beverage ambassador, ensuring exceptional guest experiences through personalized service, expert product knowledge, and proactive engagement.
Resolve guest concerns, special requests, and service opportunities promptly and professionally.
Build and maintain relationships within the local hospitality and beverage community to strengthen the hotel's industry presence.
Represent the hotel at industry events, trade shows, beverage competitions, media engagements, and award programs.
Support public relations, marketing initiatives, and promotional opportunities that enhance awareness of the hotel's beverage program.
Foster strong partnerships with Food and Beverage leadership, culinary teams, marketing departments, and hotel operations to ensure alignment and execution of strategic objectives.
Participate in operational, departmental, and leadership meetings to support cross-functional collaboration and business performance.
Maintain effective communication with managers and employees to ensure operational needs are met and service excellence is achieved.